Page 34 of The Duke's Rules Of Engagement
Jo supposed, given her dedication to the Church, it made sense that those were Mary’s two most immediate concerns. “He is not,” Jo confirmed. “And I believe that if he makes the right match, he will make an excellent husband.”
Mary nodded slowly. “He’s not over fifty, is he?”
“He is three-and-thirty.”
“That seems a reasonable age.” Mary gave Jo a slight smile. “And would you say he is kind?”
Jo hesitated. “Kind” would not be her first word to describe the Duke of Crestmont. Instead, “ornery,” “stubborn,” and “demanding” came to mind. But then…there had been moments when she believed he could be kind, but the kindness was buried under all those other things.
“He is quite kind,” she said, hoping she was right.
Shewasright. She shouldn’t doubt her instincts. They’d always proven correct in the past.
“I’m sure my sisters would love to meet with you.” Mary hesitated. “Well, except, perhaps, for Esther. She is not out in society yet.”
“I’d like to meet with her despite that.” That could be overlooked, after all.
Mary smiled. “Even she will be intrigued by the possibility of meeting a duke.”
“Or the possibility of marrying one?”
“I imagine so. Who wouldn’t be intrigued?”
“Indeed.” Jo smiled back. She couldn’t understand why her heart wasn’t in it. She had four potential matches for the Duke of Crestmont. If one of them married him, then Charles Cherrington could marry Lilly. Everything would be right in Jo’s world again.
Yet…
Yet nothing. That strange pang in her chest when she considered matching Crestmont to a Cherrington sister…it meant nothing.
…
Later that afternoon, Jo met with the youngest Cherrington sister, Esther. Jo knew, almost as quickly as she’d known with Mary, that Esther and the duke wouldn’t make a good match. Esther was eighteen, but she was a young and coddled eighteen and possessed neither the maturity nor the poise the duke was looking for in a duchess.
After she finished with Esther, Martha entered her office. “Good afternoon, Miss Porter,” the young woman said. “It is good to see you again.”
Like all the Cherrington sisters, Martha was slight and petite, with dark, curly hair and dark eyes. They were all pleasantly pretty, though Martha was the prettiest of the three Jo had met until this point.
That should have pleased Jo. Even though the duke said he cared nothing of beauty, he was a man, after all, and Jo had never met a man who was completely immune to the physical charms of the opposite sex. If she could find a lady for him who was beautiful in his eyes, it would bode well for their future.
And yet, seeing this Miss Cherrington, the prettiest Cherrington sister thus far, she wasn’t pleased. Instead, a despairing feeling clutched at her.
Jealousy? No. No, it couldn’t be.
“Good afternoon, Miss Cherrington. Would you like some tea?”
“Oh, thank you, yes. It is chilly outside.” Removing her gloves, Miss Cherrington rubbed her hands together. Her cheeks were pink, too.
“Did you walk here?” Jo asked.
“I did. Your house is only a mile from the museum. I was there this afternoon when Mary sent me a message to come here when I was done with my work.”
“Do you still work with Mr. de Havilland?”
“Yes!” Martha’s face lit up. “I have become quite a devoted student of Egyptian antiquities. Mr. de Havilland says I am becoming so proficient that he will take me to Egypt to assist him with his next dig!”
It wasn’t as outwardly obvious that Martha wasn’t a good fit for the duke, but as Jo spoke to her more, she revealed the depth of her passion for antiquities, specifically those from the ancient Egyptian civilization. It consumed her. With a passion like that, she’d never have the time or inclination to perform her duties “amiably” as the Duchess of Crestmont.
When she realized that, Jo should have been frustrated. She should have started to worry that her plan might not work—there were only two more Cherrington sisters, after all: Harriet and Frances.
