Page 114 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

She had a wide smile on her face. When she saw William, she walked forward to stand in front of Lord James. William put on a fake smile. He bowed to her and kissed her gloved hand.

James must have spoken to her.

“Good evening, Miss Emma, James, I wasn’t expecting you here today,” William said to Lord James.

“Yes, I know. Emma wanted to see you before I took her back to her place,” he said.

William looked at Emma again. She was staring at him.

“Where are you coming from?” William asked Lord James.

He walked to the other part of the sitting room. He sat on the sofa in front of the fire place, directing Miss Emma to sit on the adjoining one while Lord James made himself comfortable.

“I went to Buckingham. I did tell you I would go there,” Lord James said.

“Yes, you did.” William replied.

“I went in a carriage and had the driver take us around. We would leave for Buckingham soon, I wouldn’t want to take Emma back after dark,” Lord James said.

He was seating on the arm of the sofa on which Emma sat and looked at her as he said that. She smiled and held his hand. Lord James smiled back before turning to William. William saw that and an aching rushed into him.

Joane.

He missed the soft impression of Joane’s tender palm on his skin. Her smile would warm him up, banishing the cold he felt inside due to his father’s recent state. He wished she followed them here, even though he had just parted with her that day. If she was around, just her scent was enough to make him desperate for her touch; he would be able to keep the bad news at the back of his mind.

“Did you see Joane?” he asked them.

“Joane, no, we didn’t go to her house,” Emma replied.

“Maybe you should have gone,” William said.

“Why?” she asked.

“The Duke met us today, me and Joane, as we came out of his house. He had a lot to say, to me in particular.”

Emma’s mouth dropped open while Lord James just looked on solemnly.

“After ranting about how Joane disobeys his direct order by her continual association with me, he sent me out of their compound,” William said.

“You left?” asked Lord James.

“No, Joane threatened to leave to. So he gave me a chance to get back at him and get Joane at the same time,” William said.

“Explain,” Lord James said.

“He said to have another duel. If I win, I can marry Joane. If I don’t then I cannot,” William answered.

William heard a small shuffle from the passageway. He looked there but saw no one.

One of those eavesdropping stewards, they are the source of every rumour.

“You took the offer,” Emma said, bringing his attention back to discussion.

He looked at her.

She and Joane have the same mind. They advise not to accept the Duke’s offer. Is he so cunning?

“Of course, he would. You don’t want him to?” Lord James answered for him.