Page 59 of Wedded to the Scottish Duke

She giggled and sat taller in her chair. “It’s my one virtue.” She winked.

This time, he managed to laugh. “Ye have more virtues than that, Cousin. Don’t insult yerself.”

She shrugged, clearly not bothered by such an idea.

“Curious, for I noticed something else last night,” she said, sitting forward in her chair. “When you were not in the box, Lady Celia was not in hers either.”

“Do ye reckon anyone else noticed?” Keith sat back in his chair and covered his face.

“No one else commented, no.” She shook her head. “But if she is on your mind and making you brood so much?—”

“I’m not brooding!”

“Then do me a favor and go out for the evening. Do something with your time and distract yourself.”

“So ye can get back to yer good book?” he said with a smirk.

“Exactly.” She beamed and picked up the book. Opening it to a random page, she laid it down on her lap again, leaned back, and closed her eyes for another nap. “Now, leave me to my favorite place.”

“I hope ye’ll attend more events in the future, Frances,” he whispered.

He knew she had not wanted to attend Lady Arundel’s party, for she was nervous about attending Society events again now thatshe had lost her father as well as her mother. Tonight, the opera was the first event she had attended since her father’s passing.

Frances peered at him through just one eye. “Maybe I’ll go to more if you promise to get out of this room and distract yourself?”

“It’s a deal.” He stood up.

At first, he had no idea where he was going to go. He just wished Frances a good night and made his way to the door, calling for his horse without any real destination in mind. As he donned his frock coat in the doorway, he reached a hand into his pocket and absentmindedly pulled out a small card.

Emblazoned on the card was the name of a boxing club. Quite an illegal place, somewhere in the dark backstreets of London, it was the club that Aaron and Philip had told him about on that last day at Lady Arundel’s house.

Keith smiled to himself and pocketed the card again. If he was intent on forgetting Celia, then trying to forget her in a bout was a good start.

She won’t come to my bed again. Aye, she made that clear.

This was his final thought as he headed out of the house and toward his horse.

Ketih pushed open the door and halted. The noise that met his ears was cacophonous. He could have laughed at the familiarity of the jeering and the sounds of skin slapping against skin.

It sounded like the training grounds in his castle back in Scotland. A sudden rush filled his veins at the thought of being back in this environment again.

He stepped further into the darkened room, aware of the men crowding the boxing ring as they waved their money in the air, all trying their best to make a wager on the next bout.

“Keith!” a shout went up.

He turned around at the sudden sound to find the Duke of Rowley calling his name.

“Whilst we’re here, call me Aaron. There are too many dukes here, and we’ll end up in a mess if we stick to our titles.” Aaron pushed his way through the crowd and reached his side, extending a hand. “You came.”

“Aye. I’m in need of an escape from the streets of London.”

“I can sympathize.” Aaron smiled at the idea. “Come, watch the first bout.”

“Are ye fighting tonight?”

“Not tonight.” Aaron shook his head. “But they are in need of a volunteer if you’re offering?”

“Tempting,” Keith said enigmatically and stopped beside Aaron as they came near the boxing ring.