Page 6 of Her Heartless Duke
“That would be the best course of action, I believe.”
Fiona sighed. “I suppose you are right. But I would rather that the gentleman I marry not be so quick to anger for the slightest offense.”
“Do not worry, dear cousin.” Olivia patted her hand affectionately. “It is just the beginning of the Season. I am sure that you will find a most suitable match for yourself—one that Aunt Joana and Daniel would approve of, I am sure.”
“Mama thinks that I should marry a Viscount at the very least,” she murmured. “Why, two days ago, she introduced me to Lord Farley…”
Olivia frowned at that. “Lord Farley is rather advanced in his years…”
“That is a rather kind way of putting it,” Fiona groaned in sheer misery. “He is nearly thrice my age and he slept midway through afternoon tea. I was even quite afraid that he had,” she dropped her voice, “passed away over his cup, but then he let out a rather loud snore that rattled the teacups on the table!”
At that point, Olivia could barely keep her giggles in check. Poor Fiona had the greatest misfortune of having a rather strong-willed and ambitious mama on her side—one who was determined to see her marry exceedingly well, even if the groom was old enough to be her grandfather.
“You might find it funny,” Fiona muttered, wrinkling her nose. “But it was so loud that he even woke himself up!”
“Fortunately, Imayhave heard Aunt Joana declare yesterday that he was ill-suited for you,” she consoled her cousin. “And you did say that there are two Dukes looking for a bride this Season. One of them should please Aunt Joana well.”
“At this point, I am really quite afraid that they might all be like Lord Farley!”
“Well, what if they are more like Lord Huntington?” she teased. “Would that change your mind?”
“Oh, Livvy! If a Duke as divine as Lord Huntington were to express particular interest in me, that would be the best outcome for this Season!”
“Fret not. We shall find him—one way or another.”
The two shared a conspiratorial look and smiled at each other. As the two young ladies milled about the ballroom, the butler continued to announce the arrival of the guests.
“The Viscount and Viscountess of Wilmington!”
“Sir Andrew Belmont!”
“The Earl of Westmore!”
“The Earl of Lancashire!”
“Oh,” Olivia quipped, waving her fan casually. “It seems that Daniel has just arrived.”
“And it seems he is a little tardy. Mama will not be pleased.”
“His Grace, the Duke of Langley!”
“Did I hear that right?” Fiona whispered. “A Duke has arrived? Atthisball?”
A slight hush descended over the crush in the ballroom. Olivia looked up to the top of the stairs to where a tall man with broad shoulders and wavy dark hair had begun to descend right behind her brother. His piercing gray eyes surveyed the ballroom briefly, as if they could see through every single guest in attendance. For a moment, they settled on her and Olivia felt mildly discomfited by the intensity of his stare, but then he turned away and she nearly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Is he the same Duke of Langley that Daniel talks about?” Fiona breathed. “His friend, the Duke of Langley?”
“The one and the same,” Olivia murmured, still rather unsettled from the moment their eyes met.
“He isbreathtaking!” Fiona gushed. “Why did you not say that he was this handsome? How could you have failed to tell me this?”
Olivia frowned at her cousin. “Yes, he might be pleasing to the eye, but Fiona—you would not want to be with him. He came back from the Peninsula two years ago and he was never quite the same.”
“So, he is a brave soldier as well!”
“He is also a gambler and a rakehell—even Daniel said so himself!”
Fiona, however, was not to be deterred. “Rakes make the best husbands, Livvy,” she reminded her cousin.