Page 28

A ilis was stretched out on her bed moping in her bedchamber when her uncle knocked at her open door. “Do come in, Uncle Nigel,” she said, forcing a smile.

He studied her with some concern. “How are you feeling, Ailis? Well enough for company?”

“Yours? Or is someone else coming over?” There was nothing on their schedule tonight. She knew this because she was the one in charge of her uncle’s appointments and knew none had been made for this evening.

“No one is visiting us, but we are invited to dine at Langford Hall tonight and I have accepted on our behalf.”

She inhaled lightly and scampered off her bed to come to his side. “You accepted?”

He nodded. “The duke extended me the invitation on his way out.”

“He did? What were his exact words?”

He eyed her quizzically. “What does it matter? He asked me to join him tonight and suggested I could bring you along if I wished, but the choice was mine. Ailis, I said I would bring you with me. I thought you would enjoy attending an elegant dinner party.”

“The clever cur.” She shook her head and laughed softly, although she was miffed by Jonas’s obvious ploy.

Since the duke knew she would reject him if he invited her outright, he had asked her uncle instead.

If her uncle were the one to invite her, then she was not breaking her promise to his mother by attending, or so he obviously reasoned.

But she would certainly be breaking her promise in spirit. “I cannot go, Uncle Nigel.”

“Truly? I thought you enjoyed the duke’s company.”

“I do…it isn’t that.”

Her uncle scratched his head. “If you are not up to going, then I shall not go either. I’ll send our regrets.”

“Oh, but you must attend. The duke will be offended if you refuse him. However, he will understand my reason for begging out. He knows I am still recovering from my dislocated shoulder, since he is the one who fixed it and has been tending to it the last few days. Besides, I am sure there is planning to be done for our Christmas ball that I have neglected. I shall be fine on my own.”

“As you wish, dearest.” He shrugged and turned to walk out. “I just thought you would enjoy the company of other young ladies. Wouldn’t it be a nice change from putting up with an old codger like me?”

“I love spending time with you. As for those elegant ladies…” Ailis knew she was fairly na?ve about many things, but her uncle was genuinely hopeless if he believed these ton diamonds would ever welcome her presence. “Another time, maybe.”

He paused at her doorway and took another moment to study her.

“No, Ailis. I think you ought to go. His Grace did not come right out and insist upon your presence, but I got the distinct impression he wants you there. You’ve just said he took good care of you while you were at Langford Hall.

I think his feelings would be hurt if you ignored the invitation. ”

“You think the duke has feelings?”

He tossed her a cautionary look.

She sighed. “Very well, I’ll go. But I shall need Mrs. Curtis’s help getting ready.”

Her uncle smiled. “I’ll run downstairs and catch her before she leaves.”

As the eight o’clock hour approached, the duke’s carriage rolled around to pick them up. Her uncle was waiting for her by the front door, but he began to cough as she approached, not knowing whether to laugh or cringe. “Ailis, what in heaven’s name?”

“I have no idea what you mean,” she muttered, almost tripping as she stepped out the door and would have taken a tumble had her uncle not been in front of her to break her fall. It was these wretched spectacles she had borrowed from him, an old pair he had tossed in his bureau and not worn in ages.

“Ailis, why are you wearing my spectacles? And your hair…what have you done to it?”

She smiled brightly. “Do you like it? I thought I would try a new style.”

“Oh? It looks like two cats were caught in an alley fight atop your head. And your gown…”

“It is different, don’t you think?”

“It is hideous. My dear, what is going on?”

“You needn’t fear, Uncle Nigel. The duke will understand completely.

” She climbed into the waiting carriage with his assistance and told him all about her promise to the duke’s mother that Jonas was determined to have her ignore.

“He finessed us all by inviting you , knowing you would in turn invite me. Is this not a despicable thing to do?”

“Well, he wishes to see you. I do not see how that is bad. Or perhaps he means to teach his mother a lesson, for she ought to have known better than to meddle and secure that promise from you. I wonder why she did it?”

“Because she does not want me around while those elegant ladies attempt to gain his attention.”

“But how would you distract him? Do you think the duke has developed an interest in you? He did take excellent care of you during the snowstorm. Or is it that he feels sorry for you because your arm is in a sling?”

“Probably the latter. You know what a private person he is. He does not like strangers being foisted on him, even if it is from his well-meaning mother.” She glanced out the window as the carriage made its way out of the village and toward Langford Hall.

The roadway was a snowy expanse and slow going, since much of it had yet to melt, and the little that had melted left puddles and ruts that would damage a fast-rolling carriage wheel.

“I think he extended the invitation to both of us,” Ailis continued, “because we have known him for years and he feels comfortable around us.”

“But his mother wants his attention on the young ladies and not on you, is that it?”

“Quite so.”

“Is it likely? I understand she has brought along the ton’s most beautiful debutantes.

You are lovely, too. I do not mean to imply you are not.

But these are England’s loveliest ladies, and…

” Her uncle chuckled. “He will choke when he sees you in that hideous outfit and your hair—oh, Ailis—and that abomination you call a hat. What have you done?”

“Nothing that cannot be easily undone,” she assured him. “The duke needs to be taught a lesson.”

He arched an eyebrow. “I’m not sure what lesson this will teach him.”

“The point is, I should not be around him and his marriage prospects. He knows how I feel about this and has chosen to ignore my wishes. So, this is the Ailis he will get,” she said, glancing down at her attire and giving her hair a light pat.

It was a short distance to Langford Hall, and they arrived in little time.

Grimes stepped forward to assist her out of the carriage, took one look at her, and emitted a coughing laugh. “Miss Temple, don’t you look lovely tonight.”

“No, I do not,” she said, grinning at the kindly butler. “But thank you for your attempt at politeness.”

He cleared his throat. “Let me show you into the drawing room. All the other guests are gathered there.”

Grimes led the way as Ailis walked in on her uncle’s arm, needing to hold on to him or she would smack into walls, for these spectacles were making her eyes blur and giving her a monumental headache into the bargain.

Perhaps she ought to have left off those spectacles.

A big, dark blotch suddenly appeared before her as she entered the drawing room. She recognized the blotch as the duke by the familiar and delicious scent of him. “Good evening, Your Grace.”

It took him a moment to reply while he was struggling to restore his even breaths. Much like Grimes, he was choking back a laugh…or so she assumed, because she really could not see him clearly.

“Blessed saints, Temple.” He once again emitted a mix of groans and barely suppressed chuckles. “Is that a chicken sitting atop your head?”

“Very funny, Your Grace. It is a hat.”

“A hat? Egads. I am going to rupture my spleen holding back my laughter. What in blazes? Is this your revenge for having to attend this dinner party?”

She tipped her chin up. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

But of course it was.

He was forcing her to renege on the spirit of an oath made to his mother, and she was not going to let him get away with it. Also, this was for her own protection. She did not want his ton diamonds thinking she was competition and doing something mean to her.

She was rather proud of the feathers she had stuck in her hat, and thought herself awfully clever for plucking them out of her mattress and fastening them to the stiff material. If this did not put everyone off, then nothing she did ever would.

When the duke’s brother joined them, Jonas made a show of introducing him to her—since he was not supposed to know her—and to her uncle. “A pleasure to meet you, Vicar Temple.”

“Pleased to meet you, Lord Langford. It is nice to see His Grace surrounded by loving family, especially at this time of the year.”

“Ah, yes. Ramsdale was so overjoyed to see me and our mother that he sobbed hysterically,” Edward intoned. “And who is this ravishing creature on your arm, Vicar Temple?”

“Creature is right,” the duke muttered, for it did look as though she was sporting a chicken on her head. “Come, vicar. Let me introduce you to my mother.”

He left Ailis alone with Edward, who immediately broke into laughter. “Dear heaven. You are an utter joy, Miss Temple.”

“Why, thank you,” Ailis replied, grinning. “I hoped to make just the right fashion statement.”

“Indeed, no one is going to forget the way you look tonight. Can you see anything through those spectacles?”

“No,” she admitted. “A complete blur.”

“Then I shall stay close to you and offer my arm to lead you into the dining room. Oh, gad. Miss Temple, you are brilliant. You should have seen the look on my brother’s face when you walked in. His expression was priceless.”

“I’m sorry I missed it. I expect he was not pleased.”