Page 11 of A Duchess in Ten Days (Icy Dukes #2)

CHAPTER SIX

Days Later...

" S o, how are the lessons going?"

Andrew leaned back in his chair, one boot resting casually over his knee as David sorted through his hunting gear, preparing for the outing they had planned with some other gentlemen.

Andrew exhaled slowly, his thoughts drifting to Lavinia following David's question.

She wasn't what he'd expected, not that he knew exactly what he'd expected.

But he hadn't anticipated someone so unassuming, so earnest, or so.

..refreshing. They bickered a lot, and it was surprising because Lavinia didn't strike him as someone who liked to talk.

"She's doing well enough," Andrew replied. "She's adapting, learning quickly, though there are some things that are hard to teach." He ran a hand through his hair. "But she is pushing herself and she's getting noticed as we wanted."

"Thank you for doing this," David said. "She spoke about a suitor yesterday after the tea party at Lord Gavin's estate.

Says Viscount Grove mentioned proposing to her soon.

He seems quite interested. He even spoke to me a few times, telling me how he thinks she's smart.

It was...astounding to say the least. I don't know what you did, but you did well. "

“A proposal?" Andrew echoed, his brow arching in genuine surprise as he tilted his head to the side. "She didn't say anything to me about a proposal."

"It happened last night. He mentioned it to her in passing. But you know Lavinia, she's been talking about it all day."

"That's odd..." Andrew mumbled. "It's all happening too quickly, don't you think?"

David shrugged, clearly unbothered by the rapid development. Andrew, however, wasn't so easily convinced. The situation felt premature, hasty even, and it sat uneasily with him.

He straightened, his mind already weighing options.

Observing Lord Grove more closely seemed necessary.

After all, a proposal wasn't just about compatibility, it was about trust, stability, and character.

And until Andrew was certain of those qualities in Grove, he needed Lavinia to keep all her options open.

It seemed as though she had made up her mind on her match.

When David was done packing up a bag, they made their way out of the study. As they walked, Andrew paused mid-step when he caught sight of Lavinia walking down in the hallway. He instinctively let out a sigh of relief, knowing that he needed to speak to her.

"Your Grace," Lavinia beamed as she approached him, her steps light and full of energy.

Andrew studied her face. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"I am," she admitted, clasping her hands in front of her. "During the tea party yesterday, Lord Grove mentioned a proposal. I believe he intends to make it official very soon."

"Why are you so excited about that?" he asked. "Surely you cannot think that he will be the only suitor that will show any interest in you?"

Lavinia's smile slowly waned. "Your Grace, why does it seem like you don't want this to succeed?

I'm starting to like Lord Grove and I think he is a gentleman.

He is serious. At the ball the other day, he only danced with me, and at the tea party yesterday, he wouldn't leave my side.

We talked and talked, and it was nice. This is what I want. "

"You are putting all your eggs in one basket," Andrew insisted.

"I want to do that," she answered. "I don't have time, Your Grace. If Lord Grove is serious, then I want to pursue only him."

" If he is," Andrew echoed. "Don't you think it is rather hasty? It's been eight days. I think you should consider other people."

"There are no other people," she retorted.

"Let me handle that." Andrew massaged his head. "What do you know about him beyond his charm, Lavinia? A man can appear perfect on the surface but have layers beneath that are far less appealing."

Lavinia crossed her arms, her excitement faltering. "Well, I know he's generous. He's spoken about his plans to improve his estate, expanding the tenant homes, investing in new farming techniques. And he's always been so considerate in our conversations."

Andrew's eyes narrowed subtly. "Has he shared much about his past? His family? Friends?"

"Yes, of course," she said. "He's spoken fondly of his mother and his younger sister. He even mentioned a visit to his estate in the countryside that I might accompany him on someday. He has been nothing but open."

"Have you ever met anyone who knows him well? Anyone who could vouch for his character beyond his own account?"

Lavinia frowned, clearly taken aback by his questions. "I...no. But why should I doubt him? He's done nothing to suggest he isn't genuine."

Andrew exhaled slowly, his gaze locking on hers. "Because life isn't always as simple as someone saying the right things, Lavinia. Be cautious. Charm can be a mask."

Lavinia crossed her arms. "Are you speaking from experience, Your Grace?"

Andrew felt a flicker of something. It felt like hurt, maybe, or annoyance, rising within him at her pointed question. It stung more than he cared to admit, but he managed to keep his expression carefully neutral.

"Perhaps I am," he replied evenly. "But this isn't about me, is it?"

Andrew stepped back, his gaze breaking from hers as he turned abruptly.

"If you'll excuse me," he murmured. He didn't wait for her response.

She remained quiet. The only sound that filled the room was that of his boots hitting the polished floors as he walked away.

Lavinia's voice didn't call after him, and he didn't look back.

About an hour later, he reached the venue for the hunt with David. As the hunt began, Andrew found himself distracted, his usual concentration lost amidst the unrelenting thoughts swirling in his mind.

"What am I doing?" he thought, frustration building inside him.

He had tried to warn her but Lavinia was too eager, too blinded by the prospect of a match, to listen to him.

It wasn't as if Lord Grove had done anything wrong, yet something about the whole situation felt off.

He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this was moving too quickly, that Lavinia, in her rush, might be walking into something she'd regret.

And it would be his fault. He’d taught her all she knew, after all.

He clenched his jaw as he steered his horse toward a thicket, pushing the frustration down.

Perhaps he could introduce her to some of his friends.

Men who were respectable and well-suited to her.

Men who would be more than just a charming face.

But would that even help? She had already set her sights on Lord Grove.

And from the looks of it, she wasn't going to listen to him.

However, Andrew couldn't leave it alone. So once the hunt slowed down, he found Lord Grove in the crowd of men. The hunt had long since moved into the distance, and the two men found themselves alone, the sounds of the dogs and the distant calls of the others fading into the background.

"Lord Grove!" Andrew called out to him, chuckling lightly as he rode up beside the Viscount.

He had decided to approach the man with a sense of light-heartedness, intending to keep the conversation casual and unassuming.

He figured the best way to learn about Robert's true nature, to properly assess the viability of the match with Lavinia, was to let him think they were simply talking.

Robert looked over, flashing a wide grin, clearly pleased that Andrew had chosen to engage him. "Your Grace," he greeted with a nod, "I must say, it's an honor to be riding alongside you today."

"The pleasure is mine," Andrew said, then added with an air of casual curiosity, "Indulge me, Robert now that the hunt has slowed down. You must have quite a few admirers. A man in your position, well, they must come by the dozen."

Robert chuckled, clearly flattered by the remark. "Oh, I'm sure they do. But I am selective, Your Grace. Not every lady is worthy of my time."

"I agree," Andrew said. "Which is why I don't take matters seriously.

I am sure my reputation precedes me. But you must have quite the knack for knowing exactly what a lady wants.

I've heard you've been in the company of some rather lovely ladies lately.

" He let the words hang in the air for a moment, watching Robert's expression carefully.

"Indeed," he replied smoothly. "It's quite easy, really.

You just have to say the right words, promise the right things.

..and the rest follows naturally. Ladies, you see, they want security.

They want a future, even if it's only in their minds.

Of course, I don't have to explain this to you, Your Grace. "

Andrew felt a flicker of something sour rise in his chest, but he quickly smothered it. He did not like where the conversation was going. He was starting to dread it. Robert seemed to be under the delusion that Andrew shared his perspective on something.

"Do elaborate, Robert," he asked.

Robert's face lit up and he seemed quite pleased that Andrew had asked him to elaborate.

A sly smile spread across his face, and he lowered his voice as if sharing a secret.

"It's simple, really. A little charm, a promise of a future together…

a lady's heart is easily won when you make her feel special, make her believe she's the only one.

Then, when the moment is right, you whisk her away to Gretna Green, give her the marriage she's dreaming of, and once you're alone, well.

.." He paused, leaving the rest to Andrew's imagination.

Andrew's stomach churned, but he kept his expression neutral. "And what happens after? The lady is left with a false promise, I assume?"

Robert shrugged nonchalantly. "Exactly. She's left with the illusion of a future, but by the morning, she's forgotten about.

No harm done. After all, confessing what truly happened would bring shame to her.

So, she goes home, tells her family a lovely story about her short, whirlwind marriage, and I'm long gone.

No scandal, no mess. It's a foolproof plan, and it's quite interesting. The chase, I mean."

"The chase..." Andrew nodded and clenched his jaw. "I'm familiar with the chase."

"Men like us know the sham that is marriage, Your Grace," he continued, clearly enjoying the conversation. "It's all about power, position, and persuasion. Marriage is just a means to an end. We are very capable of cutting corners to get to the end, without having to go through the means."

Andrew's chest tightened at the casual cruelty in Robert's words. He fought the urge to grind his teeth, to lash out with a sharp remark that would shatter Robert's smug confidence. But instead, he chose to keep his expression neutral, though his gaze turned cold.

"Perhaps, we can talk more about this over drinks, Your Grace?" Robert added, grinning. "I can treat you to a nice bottle of brandy. We could discuss tactics. I see we both have our eyes set on the same lady. But for you, I can back away. We are friends here, aren't we?"

Andrew's voice dropped to a low, measured tone as he turned back toward Robert. The earlier coolness in his demeanor was gone, replaced by something far more dangerous.

"I've never done anything like that," Andrew said, his eyes narrowing. "And I never will."

Robert raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered.

"Of course you haven't," he replied, chuckling lightly.

"I'm sure you have your own way of securing the affections of women, Your Grace.

But we both know that in this world, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want.

You of all people must understand this."

"You seem to mistake me to be like you," Andrew said, his voice cold and unwavering. "I will never stoop as low as to deceive a woman. I've never done that, and I never will. What do you take me for? And who do you think you are?"

Robert's demeanor shifted instantly, his confident posture faltering as the weight of Andrew's words hit him. The easy smirk he had been wearing vanished, replaced by an almost imperceptible stiffening of his shoulders. He quickly regained his composure, but the wariness in his eyes was undeniable.

"Of course, Your Grace," Robert replied, his tone now careful, lacking the earlier arrogance. "I didn't mean any offense."

Andrew's gaze remained sharp, never leaving Robert's face. "It's not about offense, Robert. It's about respect. And you've shown none. If you think you can toy with women's lives for sport, then you have no idea what is coming to you."

Robert swallowed, the bravado draining from him as he realized the seriousness in Andrew's words. "Your Grace, you misunderstand me, I merely?—"

"You think you can toy with Lady Lavinia?" Andrew interrupted. "You think you can use her for your games and walk away unscathed? You will stay away from her. If you so much as look in her direction with any of your ridiculous schemes, I will come for you. Do you understand me?"

"Understood, Your Grace," he said plainly.

Andrew held his gaze a moment longer, ensuring that Robert had grasped the severity of his threat, before turning his horse sharply, abandoning the hunt.

His instincts hadn't failed him. He had sensed Robert's intentions from the start, and now that the man had been put in his place, Andrew knew he needed to act fast.

With Robert out of the picture, the next obstacle was the gossip that would surely follow.

Lavinia had been going around, telling everyone about the proposal, no doubt.

People would talk, and the rumors would spread like wildfire.

The last thing she needed was to be seen as desperate or already claimed by someone who might not have her best interests at heart.

There was only one way out of this that he could think of, and it was an option that was risky and would change everything.