Chapter 9
For a moment, Irene could only stare blankly at the breathtakingly handsome face before answering like a fool.
“…Yes?”
It was summer, and the waiting room at the station was thick with heat. Then again, perhaps Irene Vanderberg was the only one who felt warm.
The man standing before her showed no sign of discomfort despite being impeccably dressed in a perfectly tailored suit.
“We need to talk.”
Duke Whitmore glanced casually at his pocket watch before looking over his shoulder.
Only then did Irene notice the two bodyguards standing behind him. She also became aware of the other passengers in the waiting room stealing curious glances at the unusually tall men.
“When does your train depart?”
“Ah… um… Twelve twenty.”
Almost reflexively, Irene glanced down at her ticket. The moment she answered, Dominic plucked it from her hand.
“Huh? Why are you taking my ticket…?”
“Because this isn’t a conversation we’ll finish in twenty minutes.”
Handing the ticket to one of his bodyguards, Dominic extended his now-empty hand toward her. His long fingers beckoned impatiently. As the guard headed off to refund the ticket, the other effortlessly picked up Irene’s travel bag.
“W-Wait a moment!”
Finally snapping out of her daze, Irene lunged for her luggage instead of taking the duke’s hand.
“Your Grace, what is all this…?”
“Do I have to repeat myself?” Dominic replied irritably. “I said we need to talk.”
Before she could protest again, he caught hold of her arm and pulled her to her feet. She stared at him in utter disbelief.
“What could Your Grace possibly have to discuss with me…? No, even if you do, this isn’t the time. If I miss the 12:20 train, the next one isn’t until four o’clock. I’d arrive at South Veronica Station late at night, and getting to an inn at that hour would be difficult.”
A flicker of irritation crossed the blue eyes so much like Chloe’s. He signaled for the bodyguard carrying her luggage to keep his distance, then tightened his grip on Irene’s arm and started walking.
Being unceremoniously dragged along, Irene finally raised her voice.
“Wait! No, what on earth are you doing? Put that down and, fine, I’ll hear you out!”
Just then, the bodyguard who had gone to refund her ticket returned and held out a handful of banknotes to Dominic.
“Give it to her later.”
After issuing the brief instruction, Dominic strode through the waiting room and descended the station steps.
Only after they had climbed into the waiting carriage did he finally release Irene’s arm. The bodyguards appeared to be traveling separately, leaving the two of them alone inside.
Letting out a disbelieving sigh, Irene stared at him.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
Even if she ran back into the station now, there was no chance she would get so much as a standing-room ticket. And when the carriage lurched into motion, she stopped trying to hide her irritation.
“Where are we even going? You can’t just spring this on someone! Do you realize dragging people away like this is practically kidnapping?”
“Let me ask you something.”
“What?”
“Why did you turn the job down?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I asked you to come back.”
“That was my decision to make.”
“Then why?”
“Because I didn’t want to.”
“Why not?”
The argument had devolved into the sort of childish back-and-forth even children would have outgrown. Suppressing the anger welling inside her, Irene finally managed to ask:
“Your Grace, you’re the one who dismissed me. I never said I wanted to leave. To be perfectly honest, I’m the one who doesn’t understand. You fired me, and then, before even two weeks had passed, you pull something this outrageous?”
Her point was perfectly valid. For the first time, Dominic’s composed features visibly tightened. Yet instead of raising his voice, he answered with deliberate calm.
“There were extenuating circumstances regarding your dismissal. I believe someone came to see you a few days ago.”
“If you mean Mr. George, I declined the offer to return.”
“Yes. And I’d like to hear this excellent reason of yours.”
“I told you. Because I didn’t want to.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, honestly! Ugh…”
The conversation had gone in a complete circle. Letting out a long, exasperated sigh, Irene shot back.
“Then tell me this. Why should I go back?”
Her bewildered gaze fixed sharply on him.
“You must have had a perfectly good reason for dismissing me. I don’t know what that reason was, but you obviously decided I wasn’t good enough to work for House Whitmore. And now it’s only been two weeks. It’s not as though whatever shortcomings I supposedly had could have disappeared in that time. Even if I returned, I’d only disappoint you again. I’m grateful for the offer, but I have no desire to keep working when my employer clearly finds me inadequate for the job.”
For someone who made her living with words, her reasoning flowed with effortless clarity.
On the surface, it was convincing enough that most people would have found themselves nodding along.
The only problem was that the person she was trying to persuade was Dominic Whitmore.
No matter how eloquent her argument, he had already decided that every word out of her mouth was nothing more than sophistry.
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