Elijah didn't know what to say when he saw Katherine at dinner. Of all the places she could be, she ended up being here, in his house the whole time. He could tell she was just as surprised to see him as he was to see her.

Thankfully, William passed on the note to her to meet Elijah in his chambers. The Duchess tended to prolong these kinds of dinners and Elijah stayed for as long as he could. He excused himself before quickly heading toward his chambers.

When he finally got to his door, he hesitated before slipping inside. "Katherine?" He called.

"Over here," she answered. She was standing by his desk where he kept his books. She still had on her maid's outfit and her bonnet. No matter what she wore, she was always stunning to him.

"I can't believe you are here," he breathed as he started walking towards her. She held up a hand in front of her, signaling for him to stop.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Was she not happy to see him? He was ecstatic to see her.

She let out a long breath and dropped her hand to her side. "What's wrong? Elijah, you are the Duke of Kent. How could you not tell me that?"

How did he explain this to her? "Katherine, I fled my home in a panic. Everything I told you was true." He ran his hands through his hair. "I didn't want to be the duke anymore. I just wanted to be me." He met her eyes as he walked a little closer towards her. "Those few days with you were the best of my life."

Even though she was clearly upset with him, he noticed the corners of her mouth lift slightly.

"Even getting stabbed?" She asked in a lighter tone.

Elijah smiled at her as he closed the distance between them. "Kitten, I would gladly walk into that highwayman's knife if I knew I would have had those few days with you."

She held his stare as he reached out and took off her bonnet. Her fire red curls fell past her shoulders and he reached out to cup her face.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" He asked.

"Elijah, you are a Duke. I am a maid." She placed her hand over his and kissed the inside of his palm. "I'm sorry, Elijah. I have to go."

Elijah didn't move as she left his chambers. His heart ached as he tried to process what just happened. He spent all day trying to find her... and when he finally did, he still couldn't have her.

"Are you sure we haven't met before?" Lady Elizabeth asked William.

There was something about him that she couldn't place. It was his eyes. She has seen those eyes before. She had her suspicions, and she wanted to find out the truth.

The rest of the estate was quiet as they sat in the drawing room. Lady Elizabeth asked him to have a little chat with her. He was reluctant at first, but she was able to persuade him.

"I'm sure we have not," William replied.

She raised an eyebrow at him before asking, "Are you lying to a lady?"

Lady Elizabeth bit back her smile as he appeared uncomfortable in his seat. She was definitely onto something. If she was right, then this man is the one she spent hours talking to on the terrace. Not the Duke of Kent. It would also explain why Elijah was surprised when she called him by his name instead of Your Grace.

When an idea came to her, she stood up from the chair and smoothed out her dress. "At the masquerade ball, I asked the Duke of Kent about his most embarrassing moment. I can't seem to remember his answer. Perhaps I should go ask him."

When she started to walk away, William grabbed her hand. "Wait."

Even though this was the reaction she wanted, his touch sent shivers through her body. She turned towards him and waited for him to continue.

"Yes. It was me you talked to that night on the terrace."

Lady Elizabeth sat back in the chair and gave him a small smile. "Why were you pretending to be Elijah?

William looked uncomfortable with her question, and he seemed to think about the answer for a few minutes. "He was away, tending to some things. I cannot say more about it. I'm sorry, Lady Elizabeth."

She held his stare. "I'm afraid I cannot accept your apology, William." She looked around the drawing room to make sure no one was around. Then she reached out and placed her hand over his. "I cannot accept your apology, because I very much enjoyed our time together that night."

He looked up at her with a shocked expression. It appeared as if he were trying to think of something to say and was unable. Lady Elizabeth smiled at him as she got to her feet.

"I must say I have never rendered and man speechless before. I'm afraid I must retire for the night, but I shall see you tomorrow morning. Goodnight, William."

Katherine had been tossing and turning in her bed all night; and it wasn't because she was missing home. She couldn't get Elijah's heartbroken expression out of her mind. He had looked at her with so much emotion and it scared her. It scared her, because he was a duke and she was a maid. What future could they have? Not to mention, he was getting married in three days.

Her mind went back to their last night in the cabin:

"You're betrothed to another!" Katherine had said.

"Yes, I am! Because I have no other choice. My choices have all been taken away from me, Katherine." He let out a long breath before reaching out to stroke her hair. "This right here...touching your hair or kissing you...that's probably the last thing I will be able to do because I want to. The rest of my life will have to be at the will of others."

Katherine got out of bed and put her coat over her nightgown. She quietly went downstairs and made her way to Elijah's quarters. She was worried about waking him up, but she needed to see him.

She opened his door slowly and stepped inside. She frowned when she saw his empty bed.

"I'm over here," he called.

Katherine turned and saw him standing by the fire. He was wearing his pants and had taken his shirt off. She remembered what his skin felt like under her touch and her kiss.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, turning to look at the fire. She could tell by his voice that he was still hurt about earlier. Oh, how she wished she could take it back.

"Elijah, I'm sorry about earlier." When he remained silent, she started to ramble. "I had been thinking about you all day; wondering where you were and what you were doing. I was so surprised to see you here. Then I was feeling these feelings and you were saying these things..."

He turned to her but didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for," he said to her surprise.

"But, I--"

"Have done nothing wrong. You had every right to react the way you did. I may not have lied to you about who I am, but I didn't tell you everything. I owed you that. You confided in me, after all."

Katherine was speechless. She didn't expected...this. "You aren't angry with me?"

"Angry with you?" He asked breathlessly before he walked over and stood in front of her. "Kitten, I'm in love with you."

She gasped as he placed his hands on the sides of her face and crushed his lips to hers. She moaned into his mouth, needing to feel more of him. All of him.

She chuckled when he pushed her coat off her body and scooped her up. He carried her to his bed and stretched his long body beside her.

Giving her a sultry smile, he said, "You know, Kitten, I've pictured you like this countless times."

"Like what?" She asked.

He eyed her body from head to toe. "Like this. In my bed. Although, you were naked."

Cheeky man, she thought. She took her bottom lip between her teeth. "Then let me make your dream a reality." Glancing down at her nightgown she said. "I think I need some help with my gown, Your Grace."