Devil take him, he was actually falling for a woman who wasn't his mistress.
Which meant he was in danger of creating the biggest scandal the ton would ever see or talk about for centuries.
The Devil Duke was successfully becoming besotted with the very woman he was going to marry.
Wonders never ceased.
He smiled, despite a herculean effort not to, and took a slow sip of coffee.
"Your grace, this just came for you. It is urgent that you respond straight away." His butler bowed, but made no move to leave.
Benedict took the letter into his hand and broke the seal.
A house party.
Gads, he hadn't been to a house party in years.
He continued reading.
The party was to be thrown at Lord Marks' estate just outside London.
A holiday party.
His mind worked sluggishly through the details. It would be endless days filled with ice-skating and games.
It sounded like the exact opposite of something he would normally agree to.
Which was why, when he wrote his acceptance, he nearly banged his head against the table in order to conjure up part of his old self.
"Deuced idiot is what I am," he mumbled as he closed his eyes, and contemplated returning to bed.
But then a thought struck him.
A devilish thought, one that brought a cheerful smile to his face and did wonders for his headache.
Katherine.
What he needed was to put her in situations where she would yet again prove disastrous and dangerous, and would successfully kill any sort of attachment he had for her. It would remind him that she was not any type of woman he wanted to marry. This was so simple! The girl was as clumsy as she was beautiful. Put the girl in skates and she would find the thin ice.
He laughed aloud nearly scaring himself in the process, for he had just laughed over the thought of a girl falling into an ice pond.
His smile faded. Did he truly just imagine her beautiful body falling into an icy hole? What in the blazes was wrong with him? Perhaps she could just take a tumble, reminding him again that she was not fit to be a duchess and certainly unfit to be wed.
On the other hand, considering his imagination had run away with him again, mayhap he should return to bed?
No, no, he scolded himself. He had preparations to make.
One day later
Katherine glared at the man sitting opposite her. The carriage hit a bump; she glared harder. Could he not feel the penetration of her stare?
"You're going to hurt me if you keep glowering at me in that fashion, or worse your eyes will be stuck in that position, and we both know how offensive you find me." He grinned, his dimples mocking her every nerve.
Drat the man! Days ago, she had not thought him capable of emotion, let alone smiling! And now he was practically enthusiastic. When she agreed to be his friend despite having to marry him, it seemed the best course of action.
In her defense, she had thought to only see him a few more times before the Kringle Ball, and at worse, every day.
But now, she was to spend four days in his company.
In his cousin's company.
She'd be shocked if she didn't expire from the emotional turmoil of it all.
Add in ice skating and other games, and she was a ball of nerves. It had been pure luck on her part that she had managed not to accost the duke in the past three days.
Surely her luck was running out.
Benedict grinned again. Yes, it was most definitely running out.
"Am I to understand that you've never ice skated before?" he asked, looking idly amused. If she could call inspecting her gloves and smiling amused.
"I am quite skilled at ice skating, your grace."
He cursed aloud and leveled her with a glare so intense, she was surprised her face didn't go up in flames.
"We are to be husband and wife. I believe you can cease from calling me your grace, at least in private."
"Sorry, Benedict."
His teeth clenched. "Don't know why you'd have such trouble saying my name now, you were deuced good at screaming it when you were busy trying to plan my demise."
Katherine bit her bottom lip trying to keep from smiling. "I was concerned for your welfare."
"Concerned?" He tilted his head and leaned forward. "Pray tell, were you concerned before or after I was knocked out from a tree branch those many years ago?"
She managed a stoic face. "After."
"And when I fell off the balcony?"
"Before."
"Why before?"
"Your aunt was hunting for you that night as well, Benedict, and if memory serves, you had just wagered a thousand pounds that it would rain before morning."
Benedict's face turned serious. "How did you know my aunt was chasing me?"
"Oh, you looked quite frantic, which is why I offered you an escape."
"The escape being my ultimate death?"
"I didn't say I planned it well," Katherine argued. At this point, her smile was going to freeze onto her face, permanent that it was.
"Minx, you've been trying to ruin me your whole life, admit it."
Katherine laughed. "Perhaps you're just upset that I ruined you first, Benedict." His name came out as a whisper.