Page 24 of Her Rogue of a Duke
Joshua released a small sigh and nodded, feigning attention as Lady Susan prattled on. She had a vice grip on his arm as they walked together, almost as if she were worried he might try to escape her clutches.
Lady Susan had a penchant for gossip, as well as judging others by whatever flaws she perceived in them, while maintaining an air of innocence that was easy enough to see through. WhichJoshua also found transparent and slightly irritating. He tried not to let it show as he scanned discreetly around the park.
His thoughts were occupied with Francesca. He hoped to spot her, to ensure she was enjoying her day out. When he had left her earlier this morning, he had resolved to give her space for the rest of the day and not bother her. His decision largely stemmed from feeling a small amount of guilt from their night together, not because he regretted what had transpired between them, but because he worried about possibly complicating her situation further.
He did not want her to feel as though he had taken advantage of her. As her host, he should have maintained a more respectful distance, yet, truth be told, he didn’t think he could have resisted her allure the night before even if he had wanted to.
And he had most definitelynotwanted to.
Still, he could not, in good conscience, put her in such a situation if he did not intend to marry her. That would truly make him the scoundrel Francesca had once believed him to be, and he found he did not want her to think of him in such a manner.
“Don’t you think so, Your Grace?” Lady Susan’s tone pitched a touch higher, snapping him from his wandering thoughts.
He had not a clue what she had just asked, but he gave her a polite smile and nodded. “Indeed,” he echoed, non-committal.
Her smile widened. She appeared quite pleased with the fact that he had agreed with whatever it was she had said. That made Joshua uneasy, but he maintained his pleasant demeanor.
Suddenly, as they rounded a bend on the path, he caught sight of Francesca and Benedict up ahead. They were too far down the path for him to discern what they might have been talking about, but he could see their expressions perfectly. They appeared completely at ease with one another as they walked along, Francesca, arm-in-arm with his friend. They were engaged in what seemed like a light-hearted and easy chat, Francesca’s smile bright. But when she started laughing, Joshua felt an unexpected twinge of jealousy stir up in him.
Why should he feel jealous? He trusted Benedict wouldn't behave improperly with Francesca, but that did little to quell his abnormal feelings. How was Benedict able to make her laugh so easily? She did not laugh very often in Joshua’s presence. No, rather, they were far too often at each other’s throats.
As he and Lady Susan strolled along, Joshua could not seem to tear his gaze away from Francesca. She had dressed in one of the new in-fashion gowns he had personally selected for her. With the color of Aegean blue, its silhouette hugged her form perfectly, accentuated by tasteful lace trimmings that framed her neck and wrists. The dress complemented her petite—albeit curvy in the right places—figure gracefully. It was majestic. Her blonde hair, swept up into a seductive chignon, left her creamy neck enticingly bare, and suddenly, he wished to have his lips wrapped around that precise spot just under the hollow of her ear once more, just like the night before.
God’s wounds, but she was a vision. What man wouldnotstrive to win her attention or earn her affection?
For a moment, he toyed with the idea of catching up to Francesca and Benedict and joining them. He felt the strange urge to insert himself into the idyllic scene the two had conjured up, and snatch her focus away from his friend. He even opened his mouth to begin to voice his suggestion to Susan, but then, he checked himself.
No,he reminded himself. He could not do that. The whole purpose of arranging for Benedict to accompany her was to avoid being seen with her too often. If anyone saw him lingering around Francesca, they might assume he was interested in her, and it would dissuade other potential suitors.
After all, who would dare compete with a Duke for a lady’s hand?
Joshua knew he mustn’t interfere with Francesca’s marriage ambitions. She was so intent on finding a suitor, he knew she would not forgive him if he did anything to jeopardize her chances.
He noticed Francesca and Benedict nearing a group of other strollers and halted.
“Is everything all right, Your Grace?” Lady Susan asked, looking up at him with a confused frown.
“Everything is fine,” he replied, keeping his composure. “I think we should turn back—the path appears to be getting rather crowded.”
Lady Susan glanced ahead at the small crowd that was now surrounding Francesca and Benedict. Her eyes widened slightly.
“Isn’t that Lord Benedict over there? Are you certain we shouldn’t join them?” she questioned. "It could be pleasant to socialize some more.”
“But I would much rather just talk to you,” Joshua said, flashing her a dashing smile but cringing deep inside. In truth, he just wanted to distract Susan enough to drag her away from the group. He knew very well she only desired to flaunt her association with him, and being on his arm provided much of that ammunition.
Thankfully, his words seemed to hit their mark perfectly. She gazed up at him with wide eyes and a bright smile.
“Oh, Your Grace,” she cooed. “What a charming thing to say.”
He smiled down at her, steering her away from the direction Francesca and Benedict had just taken, when he suddenly heard a very familiar and distinct voice ring out.
“Lady Francesca! I must speak with you at once!”
Joshua frowned as he glanced back over his shoulder. He froze in his tracks when he saw Hucklow advancing toward Francesca. Benedict, engrossed in conversation with others, seemed unaware of the unfolding situation, and Lord Terrell looked to take advantage of that fact, reaching for Francesca’s hand and attempting to draw her away. He was saying something to her and she was clearly trying not to cause a scene, but it was obvious she did not want to talk with him.
The surge of protectiveness and anger within Joshua was instant and powerful.
Acting on pure instinct, he swiftly extricated his arm from Lady Susan’s clasp and strode purposefully over toward Francesca and Hucklow. Upon reaching them, he positioned himself to stand beside Francesca, who did not appear to notice him at first. Lord Terrell did though.