A Brazen Lady And The Shunned Duke (Faces of Love Series #3) by Jessie Bennett Page B

ran his hand along my cheek. I leaned into his touch. He let his fingers run along the dark braid that draped over my shoulder.
    “You’re sure?” he asked.
    I smiled at him in response. He grabbed my hips and pulled me closer to him and onto the bed.

CHAPTER 15

    FORCING HIS HAND

* * *
    I woke the next morning to the early dawn while lying in Kent’s arms. He was so warm that I didn’t want to leave. I snuggled even closer against his chest and felt him stir. He kissed the top of my head.
    “As much as I don’t want you to, you probably should go,” his deep voice said against my hair.
    I nodded in agreement. Instead, I snuggled against him deeper, breathing in the scent of his bare skin.
    Finally, I got out of bed reluctantly and dressed in my nightgown. Kent watched me all the while from his bed.
    “I’ll see you at breakfast then?” I said, leaning down to give him a final kiss. He grabbed my arm to hold me steady and kissed me longer.
    I pulled back, both of us grinning like silly kids who were caught doing something naughty.
    “Until breakfast, my love,” he whispered against my lips.
    I successfully snuck back into my room without anyone noticing. Luckily, Ettie was still fast asleep.
    We had a late breakfast and then began our journey back to London. Ettie was puffy eyed and quiet most of the trip home. I sat next to her in the carriage, doing my best to console her with Kent’s ever present eyes on me the whole ride home.
    He stopped in front of my brother’s townhouse to drop me off first. I gave Ettie one last squeeze, willing her to overcome her heartbreak with my love for her. Then Kent led me out of the carriage and into my brother’s home.
    Before we even got up the steps, the door burst open and the Duke and Duchess of Bellingham came storming out angrily.
    The duchess was holding a silken handkerchief to her breast with smelling salts in her other hand. The duke, on the other hand, looked ready to kill.
    “How could you, Scarlett? After all we did for you, you had to go and run off. You just ruined yourself without any thought of how this would affect the duchess and me!” he shouted accusatorially.
    “I did no such thing,” I huffed back. “And even if I did, it would be my choice to do so.”
    “Why don’t we take this conversation inside?” Kent said, eyeing some curious passersby. The duchess made a weird wailing sound and looked like she was about to faint when she realized that people were watching this exchange.
    The Duke of Bellingham nodded in agreement and we were all ushered into the house. We marched silently through the hall and to his private study.
    He walked behind his imposing desk, arms crossed and eyes glaring. “Well, explain yourself, Scarlett.”
    “Henrietta was the one that ran away to elope,” I explained. “Kent and I were going to stop her.”
    “Elope with whom?” the duchess asked.
    “Lord Byron. It’s a long story. I am very exhausted, and I would much rather tell you the whole tale another time.” I was lying, as I had no intention of ever telling them what had caused such a whirlwind trip.
    “Either way, you have to know how this looks. You went off alone with the Duke of Kent!”
    “I completely understand your concern,” Kent chimed in. “Scarlett and I are in love. I would be happy to make it official right now and ask for your permission for her hand in marriage.” Kent grabbed my hand in his and squeezed it.
    “I am sure that was your horrid plan all along,” the duchess accused.
    “It doesn’t matter what you think,” I argued. “I love Kent and I am going to marry him.”
    “Not if I don’t agree to it,” Bellingham stated.
    “One letter to Mother and your opinion will no longer matter. Neither her nor Father will deny me my choice in marriage.”
    “You do understand the scandal this will cause, what people will say,” the duchess said in her reprimanding-a-child voice.
    I held my chin up a little higher. The sooner we