Page 5 of Sincerely, the Duke
Mrs. Castleton gasped loudly from the doorway. The belle sucked in a startled breath, as both women immediately curtsied and whispered, “Your Grace.”
Keeping his gaze firmly on the young lady as that was where his interest rested, he nodded casually.
She didn’t shrink away from him, but her spine stiffened as she stared at him with an uncensored steady gaze that seemed to want to look into his soul. There was a connection between them. Of that he was sure. His loins tightened in response to their eye contact and she blinked rapidly as if something unexpectedly wonderful had passed through her.
Recovering from that quickly, an embarrassed flush eased up her neck to settle in her already pink cheeks.He watched her swallow hard. It was one thing to remain bold when talking to a butler or secretary, but quite another to confront a duke face-to-face. Often his title caused panic in ladies and gentlemen alike. She was undoubtedly surprised by his appearance, butshewasn’t backing down an inch.
Mrs. Castleton stepped into the vestibule again. Rick nodded for Palmer to close the door. The matron looked as unsure of herself as a newborn foal taking her first steps. “Your Grace, I—that is, we—do humbly apologize for not recognizing you. It’s not every day a lady gets to see a duke, is it? Especially with you being so busy.”
He nodded to the woman and then noticed he didn’t see any expression of regret in her companion’s face, but it was enough that he had taken the young lady unawares. What he saw was a prideful vitality that drew him instantly. He was willing to wait before passing further judgment on what she had in mind.
“What can I do for you, Mrs. Castleton?”
The woman wearily cleared her throat as her attention swept indecisively back and forth between him and the spritely maiden. “Well, you see, Your Grace, I’d like to—that is, with your permission, I’d like to present my niece.”
Rick took note of the young belle again. Her features were beautifully feminine, but he sensed a willful strength inside her that wasn’t common in most men, and he hadn’t detected it in any other lady he’d ever met. He liked the way she held a long, deep breath and remained silent, accepting his scrutiny of her without hesitation or offense, and all the while, somehow managing to give him the once-over too. He never minded a beautiful woman taking a long look at him. Especially when he could see she had cautious interest in him too.
Odd as this situation was, and his timeframe pressing, he was still intrigued. “Proceed.”
Mrs. Castleton smiled nervously but proudly tilted her chin up, and said, “Your Grace, I present Miss Edwina Fine.”
An unanticipated flash of memory surged through Rick’s mind.Fine. Her name was familiar. He didn’t remember having ever seen the green-eyed beauty but knew he’d recently seen her name somewhere, or maybe he’d been told about her by someone, but couldn’t immediately place where or why he knew it.
He had a lot of documents to wade through and sign before his meetings started, but right now it was this lady who held his attention. He wanted the mystery of who she was and how he knew her name settled so found himself saying, “I recognize your name.”
Her arched brows lifted quickly as did her shoulders, chin, and whole body seemed to lift slightly. She stared at him with vigilant indignation. “I should hope so.”
“Edwina, dearest, no,” her aunt cautioned as she held up her hands to silence her niece. “It’s not proper for you to speak to the duke in such a manner or about such an important matter. That’s why I’m here. I’ll take care of this for you, dearie.”
Rick could see she was hesitant to acquiesce to her aunt’s plea and eager to take care of this matter in the way she wanted it handled. She clutched tightly on the strings of her reticule and pressed her lips closed for a moment.
“You know silence is not my best virtue, Auntie.”
“But let it be today,” she prodded earnestly, anxiously pulling a handkerchief from beneath her sleeve and lightly patting the center of her forehead. “The viscount charged me with taking care of this.”
Her niece looked as if she was itching to say more but, whether out of respect for her elder, or simply forcing herself to be prudent for a change, she remained quiet and turned her unyielding attention back to Rick.
The aunt braved another smile from trembly lips and watery eyes. “We had many discussions about what to do and how to do it after your proposal arrived.”
Proposal?
CHAPTER 3
THE ART OF BEING A FINE GENTLEMAN
SIR DUDLEY SAMSON PEMBERTON FINE
A gentleman of refined deportment should never disappoint a lady.
Rick’s jaw tightened and the hair at the back of his neck prickled. What the devil was she talking about?
“We… we didn’t know whether Edwina should accept, and if so,” Mrs. Castleton continued breathlessly and as nervously as an unseasoned tightrope walker. “We worried, or, er, that is, wondered—well, we worried too—if we should answer by mail or come in person.”
“Wait, madam.” A good amount of suspicion rolled through him. Rick pushed his coat aside and propped his hands on his hips. This had gone far enough. “Where is Miss Fine’s father? I should speak to him. Not you.”
The trembling woman patted her forehead again. “Oh, well, of course, w-we assumed that you… you would know since you offered—”
“Since I offered what?”
