Page 58 of Sincerely, the Duke
Rick’s stomach tightened and reminded him how attracted he was to her before he even saw her face. The corners of his mouth eased up at the reminder. She was right. His voice softened as he said, “Now you are being unfair to use our situation against my argument.”
“Perhaps.” She took a satisfied breath. “While Mr. Malcolm might be a young man, how do you know he’s not ready for marriage?”
“This isn’t something you want to argue about with me, Edwina. I’ve heard him and his friends talk. I don’t trust him to be the kind of gentleman he should be with her.”
Edwina lowered her lashes, relaxed her shoulders, and sighed softly. Rick saw she was trying to hide her disappointment that he didn’t have high expectations for Malcolm.
“Edwina, I am trying to do right by your sisters,” he said in a softer tone. He stepped closer to her, realizing the natural flow of the crowd seemed to be advancing on them again. “I admit when you told me the stipulation of our getting married was that you wanted my help in finding your sisters husbands, it sounded like a chore Icould do with my eyes closed. I have the money to plump their dowries and get the job accomplished. But now, I don’t want to just do what is easy and convenient. I want what is best for them.”
“I know and I am grateful,” she admitted softly. “Since you’re worried about his character and suitability, I’ll quiz her about him when she finishes the second set.”
“Don’t do that,” he said. “Wait until tomorrow. You don’t want to ruin her night.”
“Am I interrupting anything?”
At the sound of the dowager’s voice, Rick turned to his mother and the two of them greeted her.
“Your timing is perfect, Maman,” Rick said, happy to get the conversation away from Malcolm. “Do you know how two books on superstitions happened to be on my secretary in the drawing room?”
Her lashes fluttered innocently. “Is that where I left them? I wondered about that after I got home.”
Her tone and expression were so guileless Rick turned to Edwina and smiled.
“I was borrowing them from your library, my dear. I knew you wouldn’t mind.” Her brows knitted closely together in concern. “You don’t, do you?”
“No,” was all he said, knowing the books were now ashes.
“I remembered your grandfather had a penchant for reading different kinds of books, so I plundered your shelves and found a couple that might interest me. I’ll get them another time.”
Rick glanced at Edwina again before looking over at his mother and saying, “I was just going to find out when the next waltz is to be played, Maman. I’ve promised my wife a dance. You don’t mind chatting with her and keeping her company for a few minutes, do you?”
Alberta’s brow rose gently. “The mother of my future grandson? I should hope not. I look forward to getting to know the duchess. Go, we’ll wait here for you.”
Rick forged a path through the people without stopping to speak to anyone. It was a duke’s preference to choose whether a conversation was started. Right now, he wanted to ask about the next waltz and then get out of the crammed room for some fresh air.
After checking the time of the dance, Rick strode through the open double doors that led out to the back garden. Several couples stood close together in various parts of the lighted grounds. Having no desire to witness lovers whispering to each other, he walked past the aged Cupid fountain that centered the courtyard to where more people were taking advantage of being away from the overflowing ballroom.
If not for Edwina and her sisters, he would have already left the ball. Out of respect for Society, and his mother, he attended the affairs he was invited to, but seldom stayed long. Crowds always pulled in memories he’d tried to rein in long ago when he was a child. He’d see the servants crowding him—three, four, five and more at a time. Asking him,“What do you want to eat? Sweet confections? Sliced apricots? What do you want to do? Ride a horse? Roam the woods? Where do you want to go? Skating on the frozen pond?”
No, no. He just wanted them to go away and leave him alone. Their voices would get louder, their bodies closer, and their words would mingle together as they fought to be heard and be the one to find out what he wanted. Rick would keep backing up until his head and elbows were against the wall and he had nowhere to go. That is when he would lose his patience, push through the lot of them, and rush outside so he could breathe.
Rick stopped walking and pulled a hand restlessly through his hair a couple of times. The chill of the night air suited him. A half-moon lit the sky. His chest felt tight so he drew in one long breath after the other. Tension in his muscles subsided and Edwina came easily to his mind.
That was no surprise. She had dominated his thoughts since he’d met her. Even more so now that she was his wife. Still in name only, but not for long. Now that he knew the reason for her actions was a maid who was very wrong in her advice.
Rick didn’t like arguing with Edwina. Not about superstitions, not about her sisters, and certainly not about Malcolm. Why couldn’t she just accept what he said about the man and let that be the end of it? He remembered how she’d stood her ground with Palmer that day in the vestibule and smiled. It wasn’t her nature to simply accept someone’s word about anything. That was another one of her traits he wanted his son to have.
In the distance, he saw a lady standing alone, gazing up at the few stars that could be seen. He didn’t see anyone with her. A lady shouldn’t be out alone. He headed her way to see if anything was wrong, and as he got closer, realized it was Eileen.
He picked up his pace, hurried over, and asked, “Eileen, is something the matter?”
“No,” she answered innocently.
“Then what the devil are you doing out here?”
She met his worry with a smile. “It’s the clearest night we’ve had since I’ve been here. I’m enjoying the heavens. Do you mind?”
“Yes,” he grumbled on an exasperated breath. “You can’t wander around out here on your own.”
