His Beastly Ways

Chapter 3

She glanced down at the child next to her and tried smoothing a wild curl that had come undone, an exercise in futility. Ara looked beautiful, dressed as a mini replica of hers.

The night of the ball had come faster than anticipated and the Dowager had decided to introduce them both to avoid future gossip. Word had already spread that the Duke of Havcrove was getting married to his former afiancéd sister and callers had been thronging the palour with countless reasons.

One wanted to see to the health of the dowager another to offer her aid with the party preparations, some called at tea times and yesterday Nalia had come back from her riding lesson with Ara to find Ms.Stockmann and Lady Ann escorting a throng of mamas to their carriages,her fan was being smacked across her hand in the way that Nalia had come to associate with the woman's fury and Ms.Stockmann had her eyebrows raised beyond her hair.

Feeling that things were out of sorts, she had taken Ara's hand and sneaked into the door next to her before anyone noticed.

Unfortunately that had brought her to  Hahn's study. The room was less large than she expected though not any less elegant; walls that covered all the way up to the first storey and at the corner a curling staircase disappeared into what Nalia suspected was another magnificent wall of book shelves.On one side the wall was hanging and a large bookshelve filled with books that started from the bottom to the top. The funishing was quite dark, the walls covered with a grey wallpaper and the desks made of dark mahogany wood.

He raised his head at Ara's gasp. Looking around so sharply and Nalia realised he had probably never been joined here by anyone without his consent.She would have grabbed Ara and run back out,but it was the proverbial devil and lesser devil and compared with the mamas outside who were ready to pounch on her child like a pack of scavengers.She braced herself for war.Ara had run to the bookshelves and was wedged between them gazing up at them with little gasps and squeals.She had suddenly turned to her mama and marching like an army surgent had come up to Nalia and dragged her to the shelves and demanded that Nalia beam and squeal as she had.All the way his grace had stiffened and watched them pen in hand with dripping ink that seemed to not even be his concern.When Ara bounced off to him to ask if he had any copies of A Midsummer Night's Dream, he looked shocked and then quickly hid it.He had lifted cold eyes to Nalia who had cheerfully smiled and told Ara that his grace would ofcourse be glad to lend her his copy as he was not a selfish or cold man.
She then gave him an embarassed smile to try diffuse the tension but he had glared even more.Sensing that he was about to unleash his fury Nalia occupied herself with gazing at the titles. He seemed to be fully stocked.Her attention especially lingered on the Shakespearean area and she ran a finger through the titles, her hand itching to grab one.Hearing that the noise outside had become a little quieter, she had smiled at him in thanks grabbed Ara and literally ran out.He had been gone for a few days to London the duchess had said, and seeing him had made her heart lurch inspite of herself she was glad he was back.

Now standing at the top of the staircase leading into the ballroom, she hoped that the ton would not give her child the cut. She knew already that they could not give her the cut directly because she would be a duchess,but they had a way of making someone feel the pinch of their disapproval.
"Baby,today you have to be your happy self and no being picky my love."
She shot Nalia a big smile and Nalia felt her heart relax.
Hearing their names being called, Nalia held her hand out to Ara and they slowly descended the staircase.Nalia could hear the crowd's gasp of silence.Everything went quiet even the musicians stopped playing. At the landing lord hahn was waiting for them.He looked exceptional.In a simple black tailcoat and his hair let loose the blond curls were wispy in a way that reminded her of Ara's hair.He held her hand in his and kissed it then looked at her from beneath his lashes and her heart beat out of proportion. She gave him a small courteous nod and he bent his head over Ara.She flashed him her charming smile and gave him his hand.Nalia saw Hahn smile back at her and prayed so hard that she would flash that smile of hers to all and melt their hearts.
H