The duke’s expression turned deadly serious, and I braced my nerves for what lay ahead. “It all depends, you see...” His voice broke off as he winced once more in pain.
“Depends on what, Your Grace,” I asked, preparing to reach right over the desk if need be. Obviously, this was not a simple case of indigestion, and Henry would never forgive me if his father died while in my care. From what I could tell, there was sufficient pain to mask a slow stream of power. Over a period of about ten minutes, most of the damage could be repaired...
The Duke lurched to his feet and stumbled around the desk. I shot up from the chair just as he reached the hearth and sank to the ground.
“Oh, dear Lord!” I cried, kneeling beside him. “Don’t you dare die!”
The duke’s head rolled to one side. His labored breath fell silent, and I feared had stopped altogether. A fire burst to life inside me. Placing my hands directly on his chest I released a rush of power straight into him, surrounding his heart in a frantic search for any signs of damage. In a flash, I glimpsed the thick muscle, beating with the strength and vitality of a healthy man.
A hand gripped my wrist. My eyes flew to the duke’s face, and I found him staring at me with the most satisfied smile.
“It depends, Miss Kilbrid,” he said softly. “On whether I want my son to marry a princess...or a goddess.”
Chapter Fourteen
The Nature of Love
I yanked my arm from the duke’s grip with a violence that sent me toppling backwards onto the floor. The sudden impact jarred my buttocks and pushed the air from my lungs in a pronounced oomph. Anger and fear collided like charging horses inside me, wrenching my stomach and nearly spilling its contents on the duke’s rug.
Merciful saints! What have I done?
The duke stood and brushed the wrinkles from his velvet coat and breeches. Wiping his face once more with the handkerchief, he then reached a hand to help me from the floor.
I recoiled from the gesture as though he had offered me a snake.
“Come now, Miss Kilbrid,” he said jovially. “I’m not going to hurt you. Be a good girl and let me help you up.”
A good girl! His pompous words slammed into the top of my head. “You tricked me!” I sputtered. And like a simpleton, I had fallen for it.
His arm dropped to his side, and he leaned on his cane for support. “And what would you have done if I had just come right out and asked? Would you have admitted to your ancestry?”
I glared at him. “Over my dead body.” Or yours.
“Well, there you have it. What my method lacked in propriety, it made up for in originality.”
“Trickery is hardly original,” I snapped. “Any devil worth his salt could have managed such a paltry charade.”
A deep chuckle vibrated in the duke’s chest. “Now, now, my dear. There’s no need for rudeness. I may be many things, but I am by no means a devil.”
His self-satisfied smile had grown in size, and if not for the nerveless tingle in my legs, I would have gladly stood to scratch it from his face. “How did you know?”
“You should pay closer attention, Miss Kilbrid, as I’ve already explained my Irish roots.”
Hope sparked to life, and my excitement tumbled out in a rush of words. “Was your grandmother goddess born?”
“Oh, no, not goddess born, I assure you. But she had no shortage of stories about the clans that claim ancestry from Brigid.”
The spark died even quicker than it had gained life. “You said you didn’t believe those stories anymore.”
“Yes, well, I lied.”
A curt breath cut through my nose. “Obviously—”
“Not that you didn’t leave enough clues to lead a blind man,” the duke interrupted. “When I learned of your unique surname and inordinate ability to heal, I only had to put two and two together and then come up with a method to test my theory. Considering what I had planned for this evening, you may better understand why I needed to send Henry away.” The duke’s expression turned contemplative. “Tell me, Miss Kilbrid, does my son know what you are?”
“Of course. I would never have kept something so important from him.”
The duke nodded his approval. “Good, that should make things easier.”
Dread crawled up my spine and gripped my scalp. “What do you mean? Make what easier?”
“Never you mind,” he said. “Just know that you’re not the only one with secrets, and mine will come out in due time.” He extended his hand again. “We best join the others before they come looking for us.”
I ignored the gesture, keeping my eyes fixed on his. “I’m not moving an inch until you tell me exactly what you plan to do with your...ill begotten knowledge.”
His mouth twitched into a smile. “Do you really think you’re in a position to bargain?”