The Duke's Love (13 page)

He sighed. It
would
only
be
for a few days. Ana
had
not want
ed
him
for
two years;
so why would she want
him
now
.
The possibility of her bothering him and getting in his way was slim. The thought brought his spirits back up.

Jake left his mother to finish
her lists
and h
e m
ade himself at home in the library
.
Shortly after
that,
Jordan
walked into the room.

“
It appears that you might not be the most gracious of hosts for our
guest
.”
Jordan
smiled broadly, letting on to the fact he already knew his mother's games.

“Don’t remind me, I will readily admit I am avoiding our so called guest the moment she arrives
,
” Jake said grimly.
Jordan
laughed at his expression
and it
annoyed him
. What else was he
supposed to
do? “Did you just arrive? “ Jake asked him. 

“
Wild horses could
not
keep me from this party.
I wouldn’t miss this for the all world. I do believe this will be an eventful party after all
,
"
Jordan
chuckled, clearly amused at Jake’s discomfort
. 

Jake began concentrating on the work in front of him. The guest list was more extensive than he thought it would have been. He noticed
Viscount
Langley was on the list. His fists clenched the paper in an unknown emotion.

“
What is the
Viscount
's relationship with Ana?" He gave
Jordan
a sharp look when he did not answer right away.

"I honestly don't know. I believe they have been tip-toeing around the issue of marriage for
a while
now
,
"
Jordan
finally answered.

Was the
Viscount
blind?
H
is jealous side screamed to keep the man away from her. He blanched at what he was thinking. Like he cared
.
Of
course, he cared and it pissed him off even more.
No, h
e was over her. It did not matter what his family thought. He knew he was
over her
and
by god;
he was going to show everyone that Ana was just like any other female he was acquainted with. She was no different. He had to remain firm on it, because he could not go through what he had
gone
through
again
. It was
just
not going to happen.
He was determined to see that it didn’t.

They arrived late in the evening. It took much longer than she originally thought. It was a long haul from
London
to the Ashbury Estate. Ana was nervous. As the carriage pulled up, the footman stepped
up
and offered her a hand down. Eliza followed. Ana
gaze
d a
round her and was glad
to see
th
at the e
state had not changed. It was
as
glorious as ever.

“You’ve made it. I was wondering if you
had
changed your mind
,
” Lady Katherine said as she came
out
to greet them personally. “My sons are already here
. And the
two
of you
are the first to arrive
,
” She said brightly. Ana looked around
and
confirmed
that
when she saw virtually no activity going on.

“We are the first? Being this late, I thought we would have been the last
,
” Ana questioned her as she looked at her
host’s
stressed face. In Ana’s mind, everything suddenly clicked.

“You planned this
,
didn’t you?” Ana accused harshly. “You wanted me
to arrive
earlier than your other guests. Are
any
other guests
actually expected
?”
S
he bit out. Ana was trying to wrap her mind around the deceit that was flying around her. Ana studied Eliza’s face
,
and
it was apparent that
she
had
helped
Jake’s mother
in this
ruse
. It was no wonder she
had
rushed out of her home before Ana could
even
step inside.

“My dear, I am
so
sorry
, but
I didn’t see any other way to get you and my son together
,
” Katherine paled.

“I told you, I
don’t
wa
nt anything to do with your son.
How could you do
this to me?” Ana
pleaded, not caring how she sounded
.

“Well, I’m glad I don’t have to wonder at your motives Ana
,
”
a man’s voice said
. Ana was startled to see Jake walking toward them with
Jordan
following on his heels.

“This is a misunderstanding and a huge mistake. I will leave in the morning
,
” Ana said angrily.

“Ana
,
love, what a temper you have. I don’t believe I have kicked you out of my home just yet
,
” Jake drawled.

“I don’t care whether you
have
or not. I’m still leaving
,
” Ana retorted.

“You will stay. My mother took the time to invite you,
although
god knows why
,
and you
will
be kind enough to not let you snobbish ways get the best of you in her presence
,
” Jake growled.

“How dare you speak to me like that? Who the hell do
you think you are?” She snapped
.

“Please stop fighting. It’s cold, I’m hungry and tired,
so
could we take this inside please?” Eliza interrupted the intense argument. Everyone stopped and stared at each other. The tension was mounting around them. Lady Katherine was the first to start walking inside. Ana glared at Jake and fell in step behind Eliza, and followed everyone into the house.
Jordan
led them inside the first room off the foyer, which was the drawing room.

“Hello Ana, it has been such a long time
,
”
Jordan
said as he kissed her cheek in a belated greeting. 

“It is a gorgeous home, your
Grace
,
” Ana directed the comment toward Lady Katherine, trying in vain to ease the tension.

“It should be. Nothing has changed since the last time you were in my home
,
” Jake interrupted offhandedly.

“I’ll have some
refreshments
brought into the library. There is a nice fire blazing in there. I’ll meet all of you there in a few moments
,
” Lady Katherine escaped before anyone could say anything.

Everyone moved slowly to the library. The silence and tension radiated in the room. Jake kept watching Ana intensely, probably wishing she would turn tail and run. She fidgeted under his stares.

“Well, this is certainly a surprise
,
” Eliza said with false cheer.

"It's
a nice
surprise for me at least
,
”
Jordan
answered
,
happily enjoying the
situation
. Anyone could see the fury Jake was keeping in check.

Lady Katherine stepped back into the room with a false sunny smile
followed by
a servant bearing a tray of sliced cheese and crackers.

“I’ve had a long trip
, so
I think I will retire to my room, if I may?” Ana asked politely, ignoring her rumbling stomach at the sight of food. She just needed to get out of the room, needed time to recollect herself.

“I would just love to take you
up
, common
c
o
urt
e
sy
,
after all
,
” Jake sneered. “Mother,
in which
room is our guest of honor staying?” He asked, never taking his eyes off her.

“She…uh...  You know
,
Jake. I think I will take her up
,
” Lady Katherine stammered
,
already walking towards the door.

“Wh
ich
room
, M
other?” Jake demanded
, not letting anyone else do the honors.

“She has the room across the hall from yours, I believe
,
” Katherine said
,
refusing to meet Jake in the eyes.

“Did I hear you
correctly
? Did you just say she is across
the hall
from me? My room, the one in the family wing of the house?” Jake
asked through gritted teeth.
No one moved or said anything, aware of Jake’s jerky movements. “Get up
,
” Jake snapped
at Ana.

She realized she stayed still a moment too long when Jake came over, gr
abbed her by the arm, and pulled
her forward.
Ana allowed Jake to lead
her upstairs. All the way there, she kept asking herself, why would
his mother
do this to them?

Being bystanders in the room, they watched the drama unfold before them, not wanting to intervene. Eliza started to speak up, but
Jordan
stopped her before she could say anything. She gave him a questioning look.

“We can’t just let them go off alone
,
” s
he said after the two left.

“He’s not going to hurt her
,
”
Jordan
assured her
.

“I’ll go up and check on them
,
” Lady Katherine reassured them.

She left the room to check on her son and Ana. Eliza was left alone with
Jordan
in the library.

“What do you think about
all of
this?” He asked her. Eliza was thinking many things and none of them were good.

“I think maybe we should return to
London
,
” s
he said honestly.

“After coming all this way, you are going to turn and run?” He scoffed.

“Whatever you and your mother are trying to accomplish
,
isn’t going to work
,
” s
he
said.

Even Eliza knew a
Duke
could never marry a woman with her background
.
It
was scandalous and the
Trent
family avoided scandal like the plaque. Eliza paced around the room, aware of
Jordan
following every movement.

“Why do you shy away from social events
,
Eliza?”
Jordan
asked. Eliza stopped pacing and stared at him.

“What are you talking about, I go out all the time, and I’m exhausted from it
,
” s
he said, curious as to why he was asking. 

Jordan
shook his head
,
"I never see you."

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not allowed in the brothels and clubs you attend, which is why you don’t see me
,
”
s
he said smartly.

Jordan
threw his head back and
burst
out laughing. “Is that where you think I hang out these days
,
my dear?”