The Duke's Forbidden Lover (Forbidden #1)

Chapter 5.

"You did, but I'm trying to–"

The man scoffed and leaned back, studying her with blank eyes. "What were you endeavouring to do? Enlighten me, will you?"

She was now aware of everything that made her seem like an alien. She spoke weird. She knew, Nora knew, Chastity knew, and now this man knew.

"I was...endeavouring to..." she stuttered, causing his lips to quirk up into a cold smirk, though his eyes were void of any emotion. It was almost as if looking into the eyes of a corpse.

She took a deep breath in and straightened up. "I'm trying to apologise," she said, and then remembered what Nora had said before, adding, "Your Lord."

The man raised an eyebrow. All of a sudden, Nalini felt her confidence drain away as if someone sucked it out of her. Your Lord didn't sound right at all, and she shut her eyes briefly, scolding herself.

"I mean, His Grace," she corrected, softly. The man said nothing and stood still, watching her, unnervingly. It caused her to shift her weight from side to side, uncomfortable. He tilted his head to the side, mockingly.

The look on his face was becoming too much to bear and she ended up sighing softly. "My...Grace?" she asked meekly, trying to guess.

"Your Grace," the man corrected, in irritation. Nalini nodded her head furiously. She cursed her bad luck and wanted nothing more than to go back home and cry into her pillow. Getting married to Mahesh would have been better than standing in front of this...beast.

"Your Grace! Yes, that's what I meant!" she burst out, grateful, but then cleared her throat when he just stared, unamused. "I mean, thank you...Your Grace," she said more softly, awkwardly stumbling over her words. "Someone said you wanted to see me?"

She could have slapped herself for asking the silly question. Nalini had a fairly good idea of why he wanted to see her; he had already questioned her the moment she stepped foot into the room. He walked to his desk and leaned back against it, arms still crossed over his chest, legs crossed at the ankles in a relaxed pose as he watched her.

"I did," he said, his voice empty.

He didn't bother explaining further and she stood, waiting. Since he wasn't going to say anything, Nalini spoke instead. "I'm really sorry for sleeping in your carriage. I was trying to run away from–" His watchful gaze was scaring her and she tried not to glance at him as she talked, instead, fixing her gaze on his chest. "–people that were chasing me."

"Why do you believe these...people...were chasing you?" he asked as if he was speaking to a child. Nalini's eyes widened. Did this man not believe her?!

"I'm—I'm telling the truth!" she exclaimed and immediately shut her mouth at the threatening glint in his eye.

"Dare you speak to me in such a manner?!" he exploded and she gulped, trying her best not to flinch at the danger lurking in his tone.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace, but it's just..." she trailed off, sighing, the events of the whole day getting to her.

"That is no excuse for you to treat me thus," he snapped, seemingly uncaring about what she had to say. "Do you wish for me to have to send you back to whence you came? Or shall you endeavour to be the obedient chit I expect you to be?"

Nalini frowned. The word 'chit' was unfamiliar to her, but it sounded like an insult. Why else would he have glared at her while he spoke those words?

But she didn't want to risk him angering him and sending her away. He was royalty.

"I'm sorry," she said, softly. "I agree I shouldn't have raised my voice because you're a..." She looked up at him but glanced away just as quickly when she found him staring her down, "...duke."