Chapter 13 - Thirteen

Chapter 13 -Thirteen

The drive to the cabin was achingly long and suffocatingly silent. The rhythmic clopping of the horse’s hooves and the gentle rocking of the carriage were the only sounds, leaving Delia alone with the frantic drumming of her own heart. Each passing minute stretched into an eternity, winding the knot of anxiety in her stomach tighter and tighter. She sat perfectly still, her hands clasped in her lap, her gaze fixed on the dark, passing landscape outside the window. What had she done? In a single, bold move, she had secured a private audience with the Duke, but at what cost?

She risked a sideways glance at him. Eric sat opposite her, his posture relaxed, his expression calm as he gazed out his own window. He seemed completely at ease, a man in total control of the situation. This only made her more nervous. She had played a game of wits and won the first round, but now she was heading into unknown territory with no map and no plan, driven by a man whose intentions were a complete mystery.

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