Page 15 of An Inconvenient Duke

“Yes.”

Her aunt frowned, puzzled. “You think you’ll find a lecture about the Bridgewater Canals interesting?”

“Well, I hope so.” Dani couldn’t look at Harriett during that lie and took a bite of her toast. She hated lying to her aunt, always had. After four years, she still wasn’t used to it. “The Duke of Bridgewater has always struck me as an interesting man.”

“I knew the duke.”

“Did you?”

“I was once courted by the duke.”

Thatdidn’t surprise her.

“Believe me when I assure you that Little Scroop, as we called him, was not at all interesting.” Resting both elbows on the table, she held her cup between her hands as she pondered the man. “I daresay watching the water flow in one of his canals proved vastly more fascinating.”

Dani put a strawberry to her lips to hide any traces of a smile.

“No wonder he died a bachelor.”

At that, she popped the berry into her mouth to keep from laughing.

“If Marcus Braddock isn’t careful, the same thing will happen to him.”

She choked. She certainly hadn’t expected that! Between coughs, she swallowed down the berry and let out a rasping, “Pardon?”

“Oh, I don’t mean the boring part.” Harriett waved a dismissing hand. “There’s nothing at all boring about that man.” She murmured dreamily, “I cannot imagine any woman wanting to watch water flowing in a canal when she could be watching him.”

No. Dani couldn’t either. She reached for her hot chocolate to clear her throat and kept her silence. How handsome Marcus Braddock looked was the last thing she’d comment upon.

“I’m surprised women aren’t sneaking into his bed every night.”

No.Thatwas the last thing.

“He’s eschewed society since he returned, you know. Lady Cunningham mentioned just yesterday that he’s sent his regrets to every one of her dinners that she’s invited him to.”

Missing the Cunninghams’ dinners was hardly a social hardship, and Dani didn’t blame the general one bit for not wanting to attend. Lady Cunningham was notorious for her overly exotic meals and exceedingly dull conversation. “You speak of him as if he were a hermit.”

“Just shy of one. Missing all the balls, dinners, musicales, exhibits, outings…why, not even trying for a box at the opera or Vauxhall!” She waved her knife in the air. “Except for last night’s party, no one has seen him.”

“He’s been away at war.” Marcus Braddock was the last person she should be defending after his behavior toward her last night. Yet she understood his heartache and shared his grief. “He’s returned to a different England, a different London.” She inhaled a steadying breath. “And to the deaths of both his sister and brother-in-law. If he needs time to ease himself into society”—or into one of Lady Cunningham’s dinners of roasted monkey—“no one should fault him.”

Harriett scoffed as she slathered butter onto a cinnamon roll. “He doesn’t have time for ease.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He’s getting up in years, my dear.” She jabbed her knife at Dani to punctuate her point. “He doesn’t have much longer to find a wife and produce an heir.”

Dani smiled to herself. Given that the Earl of Margate had just fathered his youngest child at the ripe old age of sixty, Dani doubted that. Plus, Marcus Braddock was one of England’s greatest heroes, eclipsed only by Wellington, and now a wealthy duke. A man like that would have no trouble finding a woman who wanted to marry him at any age and give him heirs.

Her smile faded into a frown. Or dozens of women.

Perhaps Harriett was right. Maybe womenweresneaking into his bed every night. Was that why he was shunning society, because he didn’t need to go to them when they were flocking to him?

She glared into her chocolate. It was no concern of hers either way…so why should she feel an odd prick at the thought of Marcus being intimate with a woman? He was a bachelor who was free to do whatever he wanted with whomever he wished. His private life was none of her business. Even if thoughts of it inexplicably grated.

“You’re worrying over nothing.” Dani placed her napkin on her plate. “Marcus Braddock is the most eligible gentleman in England. When he wants to find a wife and start a family, he will have no trouble doing so.”

Harriett arched a knowing brow. “That’s what they all said about Bridgewater, too.”