Page 44 of Song of the Caged Duchess

“You can’t expect me to believe there hasn’t been sufficient interest,” Esther said, smiling.

“No, there has,” Hugh said. “Perhaps my standards are too high. That’s what my friend Baron Lockwood often says.”

“Of course a Baron would have lower standards than a Duke,” Lady Cliffdall said. “That’s to be expected.”

It felt like an insult to Charles that she had said that, even though Hugh supposed she was right. He felt the urge to defend his friend. “I think what he means by it is that I’m too introspective,” he said. “I think too much and do too little.”

“Well, all your thinking seems not to have harmed your opinion of our Esther,” Lord Cliffdall said. “It stands to reason, of course. She’s lovely, and she’s very compliant.”

Compliant?

That didn’t sound like the Lady Esther Hugh had met at all. Would a compliant lady have spoken to him the way she had? He didn’t think so.

And he didn’t think compliance was something he wanted, either. What he had liked about her was that she hadn’t been afraid to speak her mind.

Most ladies who try to get my attention do so by being compliant. They try to figure out what I might want and they give it to me. What made Esther special was that she wasn’t treating me that way.

But her parents were. They were classic social climbers. It truly felt to Hugh as if they were trying to sell Lady Esther to him by describing her best attributes.

It also felt as if they didn’t know her very well, if they thought those were attributes she actually had.

More likely they simply don’t care. They’re concocting a fictional daughter in hopes of convincing me to marry her. By the time we’re married and I discover Lady Esther isn’t the person they’re describing, it will be too late.

The behavior repulsed him.

But it was clear that Lady Esther wasn’t going along with the scheme. She obviously wasn’t playing into her parents’ machinations. She wasn’t trying to be anyone other than who she really was. And that made him admire her even more than he already had.

He focused his attention on Lady Esther. “The Kensington Ball is this Saturday night,” he said. “Will you be in attendance?”

“Of course she will,” Lady Cliffdall said. “Esther would never miss an important social occasion.”

“The Kensington Ball?” Lady Esther asked. “Lord Kensington?”

“Yes,” Hugh said. “You know him?”

“I wouldn’t say Iknowhim, but I did meet him at the Bolton Ball. He’s rather unpleasant, isn’t he?”

“You didn’t like him?”

“No, I didn’t,” Lady Esther said. “He was rude.”

“Esther!” Lady Cliffdall said. She turned to Hugh. “Forgive her, Your Grace. She sometimes forgets herself, but she means no harm.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” Hugh said, smiling. “I don’t think much of Lord Kensington myself. He’s an unpleasant gentleman. But his Manor is very well appointed, and his cook is one of the best in London, so I’m sure the ball will be a good time.”

“In that case,” Lady Esther said, smiling, “I suppose I have something to look forward to.”

“As do I,” Hugh said. “Assuming you’ll do me the honor of a dance that evening?”

“As many as you’d like,” said Lady Cliffdall, as if she were the one who had been asked.

Hugh ignored her and focused his attention on Lady Esther, hoping that she understood that he meant to wait for her answer.

“Of course,” Lady Esther said, smiling. “I would be delighted to have a dance with you, Your Grace. My mother speaks truly this time—as many as you would like.”

“I don’t want to take up your time,” he said. “I’m sure other gentlemen would like a turn with you.”

“I’ve yet to meet another gentleman who interests me,” Lady Esther said. “Perhaps my standards are too high as well.”