Page 14 of Courting the Duke (Reimagined Regency #2)

Hoxton sat in the blue drawing room with his Aunt Imogene, awaiting his guests to come down to supper.

A servant entered and smiled before slipping a letter to him.

He stared down at the familiar handwriting and his pulse leaped the tiniest bit.

Another note from Lady Roxanne. He cut the seal and skimmed the contents of the message.

“My dearest Hoxton,

By now, you are aware of two of my fears: storms and birds. Unlike those winged creatures, I am not prone to flights of fancy.”

He chuckled at her play on words.

“I quite enjoyed our outing today, despite the unfortunate storm. I also appreciate the sage advice you gave me about facing my fears and how it is acceptable to fail. My cousin speaks fondly of Rapscallion. It might behoove me to interact with the bird, thus helping me allay my fears.”

“An excellent idea.”

“Beg pardon?” Imogene asked, looking up from her needlepoint.

“Nothing. I was simply speaking out loud.” As yet, he hadn’t written a letter back to her. Tonight, he would change that.

“You have been kindness itself, and I am grateful to have been privileged enough to make your acquaintance”.

Miss Deburgiak had told him he was kind, and her compliment had warmed him in an unexpected way.

He didn’t wish to think about the other woman when so much was on the line.

And yet there was nothing that said he couldn’t pursue her.

Like him, she was unattached, and while she lacked a dowry, he had funds in abundance.

A thrill of excitement coursed through him, and he tried to tamp it down.

It wasn’t that easy. More people were involved in his decision than himself.

The pressure for both of us has been great.

Truer words couldn’t be written. Once again, he wavered in his course, a trait unlike him, or so he’d thought before he met Miss Deburgiak. A promise was a promise, however.

At a soft knock on the door, he glanced up. A footman entered and held the door open before addressing the room. “Lady Agatha, Countess of Clarkingham, and Lady Roxanne.”

Hoxton tucked the letter into his pocket as he stood, his gaze locked on the doorframe.

Lady Agatha walked into the room, a treasure of jewelry around her neck, the ice blue stones matching the color of her dress.

Lady Roxanne followed, her lovely white gown understated and elegant compared to her mother’s bolder choice.

Curls enhanced her striking countenance, and for the first time since having met, his pulse picked up at the sight of her.

He came around the desk and bowed to her mother, then turned to Lady Roxanne.

“I hope you are recovered from your ordeal this afternoon,” he said.

“I am well, thank you.” She offered a shy smile and nodded.

“I hope Brutus is recovered.” Hoxton looked to the doorway, expecting to see Miss Deburgiak. He wanted to ask about her, but didn’t wish to appear too forward. Guilt over his attraction to her continued to plague him. Still, since receiving Lady Roxanne’s missives, he had warmed up to her more.

The countess snorted under her breath and walked over to sit beside Imogene.

Obviously, she wasn’t fond of her daughter’s pet.

She addressed Imogene while casting a glance in his direction.

“Roxanne has such a giving nature and sees the good in every creature, even the unfortunate ones like Brutus.”

“It is a very endearing trait,” Imogene said on Lady Roxanne’s behalf, giving Hoxton a pointed look.

Lady Agatha nodded, the curls that framed her rounded face bouncing. “She will make an exceptional wife and mother.”

Imogene smiled at Lady Roxanne, who stood rooted in place, her head down. “She will indeed.”

All eyes turned to him, putting him on the spot.

A rush of heat rose under his collar, and a spark of panic hit, a familiar sensation but not for the usual reasons.

When bouts of anxiety happened, he either sought out his birds or rode his horse across the countryside, breathing in the fresh air.

That wasn’t possible at this moment. He tugged at his cravat, trying to gain control over the undesirable thoughts.

“My dearest Agatha,” Imogene took mercy on him and leaned closer to the countess. “I have eagerly been waiting for you to arrive. I have a juicy bit of gossip to share with you.”

“Oh, do tell.”

Hoxton took her hint and steered Lady Roxanne to the other side of the room for a private exchange with her.

The countess had a way of tamping down Roxanne’s conversation, which wasn’t conducive to getting to know the real woman who revealed herself on paper.

“I hope Miss Deburgiak didn’t suffer unduly from her ordeal. ”

“Serena often walks in the rain and suffered no lasting effects. Brutus is still skittish, and I didn’t wish for him to be alone. She volunteered to stay with him since Mama was coming down.” Lady Roxanne glanced over her shoulder at her mother. Worry lines appeared between her smooth brows.

“She is very kind and carries a great fondness for you.” Although he told himself not to talk about Miss Deburgiak, she was a safe subject between them. Well, perhaps not to him, but to Lady Roxanne.

The lines deepened, and she licked her bottom lip, her nervousness increasing. Whether it was because she was afraid of her mother or of him was yet to be determined. Although their conversation during their outings had flowed well, they hadn’t truly been alone. Miss Deburgiak was always present.

“I received your note and I came to an unforgivable conclusion.” Hoxton guided her out of earshot of the two women, far enough away not to be overheard but within propriety.

“You were offended by my letter?” Lady Roxanne snapped her head up, her eyes widening. “I assure you that whatever I said, I meant no insult. I—”

“No, no, you didn’t insult me. On the contrary, I have insulted you by not writing back.

” Hoxton had promised to become more familiar with her through the written word, and he’d neglected to follow through on his side of the bargain.

He’d been struggling to think of the right thing to say.

Should he be frank with her about the demons that rode his shoulders, or ease his way into the truth?

A smile bloomed over her lovely mouth, enhancing the soft curves of her cheeks. Pale skin without a single freckle or blemish looked dewy in the lamplight. “Then you must right the wrong.”

His own lips curled at her flirtatious manner. “I promise I will compose a note this very night. In the meantime, please accept my apology.”

“I will.” Lady Roxanne lowered her lashes, blocking her stunning blue eyes from view.

Although she possessed a beautiful face and form, the connection between them hadn’t truly been forged.

“Only if you turn the pages for me tonight. I have been practicing a new arrangement that Serena wrote. I think you will enjoy it.”

“Miss Deburgiak writes music?” Hoxton should have guessed, given his first introduction to her was through the ditty she’d composed with Rapscallion. “Of course she writes music. She also has a lovely voice. Did she tell you that she sang to my bird?”

Her smile faltered the tiniest bit before she rallied. “She did. She claims he is very vain.”

“He is very vain, and yet he is a gentle soul who my younger cousins adore. You said in your letter that you wish to meet him. I can arrange that whenever you would like.” If they could forge a bond over something, it would go a long way toward quieting his concerns over their match.

“I said that?” She stiffened once more before inhaling a deep breath, her breasts pushing against the tight material of her bodice.

Her smile held less enthusiasm, but determination also rested there.

“Yes, of course, I said that, silly me. I promised M…um, myself that I would be bolder in my manners.”

“I promise I will let no harm come to you.” This must be challenging for her, and he sensed it wasn’t entirely her idea either.

No doubt, Lady Agatha was pushing her daughter to ingratiate herself with Hoxton through his greatest salvation, birds.

“If you change your mind, please do not hesitate to say something. As we are both aware, fear isn’t our enemy, nor should you be ashamed of being fearful.

” It was something he’d learned the hard way.

“You truly are a noble man, and I—” Lady Roxanne was cut off when Blackstone and Stiller were announced. Her entire face lit up as the squire beelined toward them.

“We will continue this conversation at another time.” Hoxton tamped down his annoyance at the eager chap.

It was only natural for other men to be interested in her.

She was the season’s incomparable and much sought after.

There was obviously a friendship between the two, and in Hoxton’s mind, Stiller was his greatest rival.

It was hard to dislike the jovial fellow, however.

Hoxton would have to make up his mind and soon about his prospective bride. She wouldn’t wait forever, and it was unfair to ask that of her. If indeed she were in love with Stiller, then he’d step aside.

While listening to the surrounding conversation, he began composing the letter to her in his mind.

She was still somewhat na?ve, thus he’d tell her a bit but not enough to ruin their budding relationship.

The practical side of him wanted to ask her outright if her heart belonged to another.

Except he didn’t want to pressure her to answer.

Cowardly, yes. Perhaps he could ask Miss Deburgiak if her charge’s attentions were engaged elsewhere.

If he did, she would be obliged to keep Lady Roxanne’s confidence. No, he must trust his instincts and let the courtship play out until he could gauge the outcome for himself.