Page 21 of The Duke's Indecent Match

“But… Lady Johanna’s room is right across from yours,” Tiffany said.“All the noise woke us, and we are further down the hall from you.”

“I am a very deep sleeper,” Kalina explained, feeling oddly apologetic.“My father always said I was the only one who could sleep through the start of the monsoons.”

“Those are very big thunderstorms, are they not?”Gregory asked.

It was an inadequate description, but based on what she’d observed from London weather, it was likely the closest he would be able to imagine.Kalina nodded.

“Once I am asleep, even the trumpet of an elephant outside my room cannot wake me—my brother tried once.”She shook her head.Her family adored sharing that story.Kalina enjoyed listening to it.She could not contribute anything, of course, because she had slept through the entire thing.

“Amazing,” Gregory murmured.“I am incredibly envious.I do not sleep so well, even in my own bed.”

“And he sleeps even more poorly when he’s not in his own bed,” Tiffany teased him with a little glance.

“It is true, through no fault of the bed, which is very comfortable,” he assured Lady Astrid.“I just prefer to be in my own bed, in my own home.”

“But now he goes wherever I want to be.”Tiffany smiled brilliantly at him, and he grinned back at her with a besotted expression that made Kalina want to sigh with envy.

If any of the other dukes ever looked at her like that…

Hereford almost looked like that.Last night.While we were waltzing.

But then he’d immediately gone cold again, so it was of no significance.

Was it?

“Trust me, I have heard plenty about Gregory’s desire to stay at home,” Lady Astrid said dryly.“This is the first time I have encountered him at a house party, if I remember correctly.”

“Very likely,” he agreed, not at all put out by the observation.

“What happened with Lady Johanna?”Kalina asked, bringing the topic back around to the more pressing matter.She could not help the stir of sympathy in her breast.Not only having to leave early for some reason, but the poor lady would likely be the topic of conversation for the entire morning.

The other three glanced at each other, their expressions sobering immediately.

“A messenger came in the middle of the night to inform her that her mother was seriously unwell, and she should come home immediately.”Lady Astrid sighed, smoothing her hands over the portion of the tablecloth in front of her plate.“I am currently hoping the urgency turns out to be alarmist rather than realistic, and she will be able to return.”

Despite her statement, her tone of voice did not sound all that hopeful, more resigned to the fact.Kalina’s heart ached for the young woman.

“She already lost her father, she said?”

Lady Astrid nodded, lowering her voice, though the group at the other end of the table appeared to be deeply invested in their own conversation.

“She did.The family… well, even before the previous viscount’s death, they were experiencing some difficulties.Now her brother is the viscount, and he is only eleven years old.”

“Is there not a guardian to guide him?”Gregory asked, frowning.

“There is.”Lady Astrid did not say anything more, but the sour twist of her lips gave forth her opinion on the person assigned to the role.She clearly did not think very highly of them.

Remembering the state of Lady Johanna’s dress, Kalina could not help but feel even more sympathy for her.The family must be in dire straits indeed, and then to have her mother fall ill…

“Is there anything we can do for her?”she asked impulsively.She did not know why Lady Johanna’s plight was affecting her so.

“I was hoping to this week,” Lady Astrid admitted.“She was unable to make her debut in London, but she’s beautiful, accomplished, and very sweet if very shy.”

Almost cripplingly shy, but that was not necessarily a deterrent.Montagu had been able to coax her out of her shell a bit.Perhaps he would make a good match for her.But would he go after her?

Then again, chasing after a young lady who was returning to her extremely ill mother was hardly the act of a gentleman.

Tiffany looked at her husband.