Page 35 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

She led them past an arrangement of vases. William could see stalks and budding leaves on the stalks; it seemed those had just been planted. He watched as Esther walked past a stone seat, turning the bend around the side of the house. William was wondering where she was going till he saw another stone seat beside a small fountain with a statue of a mermaid. Esther was leading him there. She sat down first, taking care to wipe the seat with a napkin she brought. William was impressed with her thoughtfulness as she wiped the entire seat, allowing him to sit without worry of getting stained.

“Thank you, that was thoughtful of you,” William told her.

She smiled only a little. Her eyes were focused on her hands as she clenched them on her laps.

“So when did you arrive Norfolk yesterday? Given the stoppage you had on the road,” William asked.

She turned to face him as she responded. Their close proximity made William see her features much better than he had previously.

Her eyes are blue, deep sea blue.

William did not hear her response. He was completely taken by the nature of her eyes.

“…. so we still got home fairly early,” was all he heard.

It was when he realized she was waiting for him to respond that William composed himself. He shook his head and apologized for the loss of attention.

“I’m sorry, you said you got home early,” William said.

Esther smiled when she saw his reaction.

What is she thinking at this moment? Why is she smiling?

“Yes, I said the driver drove much faster than normal because of the affected wheel. He wanted to get home before something else happened to it so we got home pretty early,” she repeated.

“Oh, okay,” William replied.

William noted the difference he now saw in Esther.

I mistook her bashfulness for timidity, and her gentility for subservience.

“Thank you, for coming to our rescue yesterday,” she said.

William nodded his head vigorously, more in an attempt to compose himself again than as a response to her gratitude. He drew closer to her.

“So why were you not at the Wellington ball? My eyes cannot miss such an attractive presence two balls in a row,” William said.

“I was ill at the time. I didn’t like it because I had planned so much for it,” she said, grinning as she spoke.

William grinned back at her. He understood the way young men and women of ton prepared for the Wellington ball, everyone wants to make a huge first impression.

What a first impression I made? I challenged another man to a duel in the first ball of the season.

William wondered if she had heard about his lost duel with the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos.

Joane’s father.

“Well now in retrospect, I can boldly tell you that your presence was sourly missed. If you were there maybe I would have been so much taken by your appearance that I would be too star-struck to get myself into a duel,” William told her.

She laughed when he said that. Her laughter was a rich, hearty sound that told you she really found what was said funny. Her eyes twinkled with humour. William began to change his perspective about her.

She is a more interesting character than I thought.

“I did hear about your duel with the Duke. I didn’t attend, of course but I was rooting for you. I was disappointed when I heard you lost.”

“Thank you for your support. I was disappointed too,” William replied.

“Although when I heard the conditions under which you lost, I wasn’t surprised. My father had said the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos would surely have something up his sleeve,” she said to him.