Page 15 of A Dashing Duke for Emily

“Certainlynot.”

“I saw Mark studying you at dinner the other evening, and let me tell you, it wasnotfrom a cold analytical point of view. I believe he is intrigued byyou.”

Emily’s heart lit up with such a thought for, she had to admit, she was also intrigued by Mark. “Now let me ask you aquestion.”

“Verywell.”

“How do you feel about that? It would seem to me that you could not consider me to be a suitable match for your aristocraticgrandson.”

Hester casually played a card and finally answered, “Yes, you are correct. But I am also concerned for my grandson’s happiness and I must say I do not find Lady Crauford to be a likely candidate for the Duke’s hand either. That is why I solicited youropinion.”

“Then let me add, I know far too little about Her Ladyship to give you an insightful opinion about her suitability to be the nextDuchess.”

Chapter 6

Emily’s best friend, Fanny Allen, was the manager of the ladies lingerie department at the relatively new and very fashionable Harrods Department Store. They had been friends since childhood and Emily was bursting to tell Fanny all about her meeting with Mark at LinfieldHall.

Emily knew that Fanny usually took a tea break at eleven and she timed her visit to coincide with that. Emily appeared at Fanny’s office just before eleven o’clock and stood in the open door until Fanny noticedher.

“Good morning, my dear. How lovely to see you,” Emilyannounced.

Fanny looked up from the catalogues she was studying. “Oh, Emily, what a wonderful surprise. It is just about my breaktime. How fortuitous you should show upnow.”

“Not at all. I timed it so you can take me to tea and we can have a propernatter.”

“Then come,” Fanny said, as she rose from her desk and ushered Emily out of her office and led her toward the tea shop at a lower level of the store. The tea shop was an elegant room with a high ceiling, potted palms, and full-length sheer curtains. It was rapidly becoming one of the most fashionable venues for the socially relevant to havetea.

Once settled in, Emily leaned forward and said, “I have the most terrible dilemma,Fanny.”

“Oh, tell, tell. And I hope it is properlysalacious.”

Emily laughed. “I am afraid not. But it does have a delightfully romantic element toit.”

The waitress just then brought their tea and the conversation was delayed until the tea was poured and biscuitsserved.

“Does your dilemma have to do with that young man you introduced me to at the concert last month? What was his name?” Fannyasked.

“Benjamin Hancock,” Emily said. “But no. He was without any merit, whatsoever. And it only took a single stroll in the park to find out he was adisaster.”

“What a shame, he was a rather handsome young man,” Fanny said, crunching abiscuit.

“No my concern is much more serious thanthat.”

“What is more serious than what?” Trent asked as he slipped into a chair at the tea table. “I brought the lunch you left on the kitchen table this morning when you dashed off late to work,” the young man said as he set a lunch pail on thetable.”

“Oh, you are a precious,” Fanny said as she gave her brother a kiss on thecheek.

One could immediately tell the two were related. They had the same round pixyish faces. But Trent was dark while Fanny was light. Fanny had fashionably curly blond hair, while Trent’s hair was darker and had a widow’s peak that accented the upward brush of his hair. Both had the same warm hazeleyes.

“Why are you not at work?” Fanny askedTrent.

“I am on my way. Late start today as I was asked to worklate.”

Trent turned his attention to Emily. He never made a secret of the fact that he had a crush on her, but he was much younger and, at present, had no prospects as he was a junior clerk with no sound basis formarrying.

“What was the delicious gossip I interrupted?” heasked.

“I was about to explain my very seriousdilemma.”