Page 12 of The Duke’s Reluctant Muse (The Untamed Nobles #3)

“Your sister has been of a great aid to me these last two weeks,” Elizabeth read aloud, her heart squeezing with a sense of pleasure. “‘I understand that I am to be her chaperone at such occasions and though I believe I have done all that is expected of me, I have found her company and encouragement to be of a great benefit.’” Her smile grew, her heart softening as she continued to read the Duke’s words. ‘I have taken your advice and done what I can to make myself appear a little more amiable to society without making any urgent advances towards anyone. In truth, I had no intention of pursuing any young lady given my previous failures but your advice was appreciated much the same. I presume that you spoke to your sister about my difficulties for she has offered much the same advice as yourself, as well as guiding me through one or two somewhat stilted conversations. I do value her insight a great deal and think very highly of her. The truth is, it feels at times as though I am not chaperoning her but she chaperoning me!’

Elizabeth laughed out loud at this, shaking her head to herself. She could well understand why the Duke might feel this way but she certainly did not think it. There was, she considered, more of a friendship growing between them than she had anticipated.

And an interest?

A frown pulled at her forehead as she thought, recognizing that the connection between the Duke and herself had grown somewhat these last few weeks. Ever since he had apologized for his anger towards her, he had changed significantly. She had seen that his dread of society was genuine, that he truly was greatly concerned over what they would not only say to him but say of him. The darting of his eyes, the frown on his forehead and the heaviness in his frame all came from uncertainty and doubt… and still she did not know the truth about what had happened those years ago with his sister and society.

“And I do not need to know,” Elizabeth murmured, reminding herself firmly that the Duke’s business was entirely his own. Resuming the letter, she read it carefully, her eyebrows lifting in surprise.

‘ I do not think that I require any further advice at this juncture, given that my determinations are now simply to improve myself upon society as best I can. Though, as your sister has reminded me, it is not my fault that they see me as they do! However, I am sure that I will soon have further questions for you for as regards what I ought to do when it comes to pursuing a young lady who has caught my interest. The truth is, I have taken note of some that I might wish to consider, though at this juncture, I am doing nothing of the sort.’

Elizabeth’s stomach cramped and she frowned at herself, confused as to why she felt such displeasure at the notion of the Duke pursuing another young lady in order to pursue courtship and eventually matrimony. She was meant to be doing the very same, was she not? She was also trying to find a gentleman so that she might marry and be contented, so why should it trouble her if the Duke himself was doing the very same thing?

Bending her head, she finished the letter, appreciating the Duke’s concern for her brother and his hope that Lord Dennington would be well enough to make his way into society again very soon. Elizabeth set it to one side and then considered, her brow furrowing, about all that the Duke had said.

“You are frowning, my dear sister. And such expressions are not appreciated by gentlemen of the ton … or so I have heard.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as her brother came into the room. “I do not much care as to whether or not society thinks a young lady ought to roll her eyes or not, brother.”

“But I care as to why you were frowning.” His eyes alighted on the letter. “Has the Duke displeased you in some way?”

She shook her head.

“Then why do you frown so?”

With a small sigh, Elizabeth gestured to the letter. “He does not think he requires any further advice.” She looked up at her brother, lifting her shoulders. “And the truth is, I think that these letters were soon to come to an end regardless, given that you have been stepping more and more into society.”

“Though I have been absent from it for a few days of late.”

Elizabeth gave him a smile. “But that is not because of your headaches or because of any sense of weakness now, is it?” She lifted her eyebrows as her brother flushed. “You are quite well, brother, and it is something other than that which keeps you from society, is it not?” Keeping her eyebrows high, she waited for Dennington to respond, seeing how the color in his face rose, how his gaze would not catch hers and how a gentle line pulled between his eyebrows. She had noticed his absence the last few days from society, had seen how he had pulled back from it all – even from her – and yet, at the very same time, had also noticed how there was no illness about him. He had not complained of a headache, had not been required to lie down in a darkened room, had not even made any mention of weakness! There had been something else troubling him, something else sitting heavily on his mind but as yet, he had not spoken of it to Elizabeth.

Eventually, Lord Dennington sighed heavily. “I am well aware that I ought to be doing more for you and not pushing you under the care of the Duke, especially when I am well enough to do such a thing myself.”

“Then what is it that troubles you?”

Her brother closed his eyes and let out a long breath before he spoke. “It is foolishness, Elizabeth, that is what it is.”

She leaned forward in her chair. “If you wish to tell me, then I might be able to offer you some advice.”

A slight quirk of his lips was her only answer.

A little concerned, Elizabeth lifted her shoulders. “You know that I would be glad to hear you whenever you have need to share with me, brother. But if there is something within you that you need to think on a little more, then I quite understand.”

His eyes opened. “Elizabeth, we came to London for my recovery and so that you might enter society. Those are the only two reasons for my presence here. There is nothing for me to think on.”

This made Elizabeth frown. “If something more has happened, then there is nothing wrong with that, Dennington.” She tilted her head, a sudden thought striking her. “Is it about Lady Annette?”

In one single moment, all of the color left Lord Dennington’s face, only to be quickly replaced with a scarlet sheen which ran up his chest, into his neck and face.

Elizabeth smiled.

“Dennington,” she said, with a laugh catching her words, “if it is about Lady Annette, then what troubles you so? If you have an interest in her company and in furthering your acquaintance, then why should you be so disturbed about that? She is a lovely young lady, I am sure, and...”

“And I am a gentleman who is plagued with this malady!” With frustration written on his face, Lord Dennington rose suddenly to his feet, beginning to stride up and down the room. “You have done nothing but care for me ever since I took on the title, Elizabeth. I have come to London to see if I can find improvement – and in that, I can say I have found some success – but what will happen when I return home? Am I to find myself in the same despair as before? Will I have the same malady as before?”

Elizabeth blinked quickly, a little surprised to hear her brother’s vehemence. “Dennington, are you suggesting that you cannot think of drawing close to a young lady simply because of these megrims?”

“I shall be no good a husband if all I do is lie down in darkness every few days!” He threw up his hands. “I think that...”

“You are being ridiculous.” Rising to her feet, Elizabeth made her way towards him and caught his hands, stopping him in his pacing. “Dennington, you were not always lying abed with these pains in your head. Yes, they were quite dreadful for you and indeed, there was nothing about them that brought you any joy but they certainly did not occur at the rate you are suggesting! I did not always have to care for you, as you have said, but spent many a day doing other things! And given that you have improved significantly since we have been in London, does that not tell you something about how you were living back at the estate?”

Her brother blinked. “I do not know what you mean.”

“You were given too much to your duties!” she exclaimed, squeezing his hands. “Brother, I understand that you have a great weight of responsibility upon your shoulders but that does not mean in the least that you ought to be giving all of your time to them.” She released his hands but smiled gently. “Dennington, our father would be very proud of all that you have done. Our mother also. But if you give all of yourself to your estate and to your business affairs and barely any time even to the simplest of things such as eating dinner with your sister, then is it any wonder that you have found yourself so troubled?”

Taking in a breath so that his shoulders lifted, Lord Dennington rubbed one hand over his eyes. “I suppose it is no coincidence that my health has improved since I have come to London and done very little as regards my responsibilities to the title.”

A quiet laugh pulled from her throat. “No, it is no coincidence at all.”

“Then you think that if I am a good deal more careful about such things, then I might have a chance of being free from any sort of pain?” His eyes searched hers, a desperation flickering there.

Elizabeth smiled. “Of course I do. You are a gentleman of great kindness and goodness, one who wishes to give all of himself to whatever he is asked to do. I understand that and I do value it but you must not let that desire push aside your own heart and your own health. Give some time to enjoyment, to being in the company of others and to laughter. That, I am sure, will bring you great healing, no matter whether you are here in London or at home.”

Slowly, Lord Dennington began to nod, the frustration and upset seeming to seep out of him. Elizabeth watched him steadily, both relieved that he had spoken but sorrowful of the heavy thoughts which had kept him at home these last few days.

“It is hard to reconcile what I know of myself – and what I fear I will return to – to the thought of being wed,” he told her, offering a small, sad smile. “I fear that even if I were to pursue a young lady and offer her my hand, what she might soon find me to be by way of a husband would be a good deal less than she had hoped.”

Elizabeth considered this, then shrugged lightly. “I think that if you are able to be honest and truthful with any young lady that you consider, then she will know of your thoughts and concerns and you of hers. That way, if she does accept you, it will be in the full knowledge of what you fear might happen. That should bring you some relief, even though I am sure your megrims will not return once you make your way back home.”

Lord Dennington smiled and then reached to embrace her. “You are quite remarkable, my dear sister,” he said in her ear, as Elizabeth hugged him back tightly. “You have more wisdom than I give you credit for.” Leaning back, he squeezed her hands. “It is little wonder that the Duke no longer requires my advice, not when he has you to speak to directly!”

Flushing, Elizabeth looked away. “I am sure that is not so. Besides which, I am the one who has been writing to him and even with that, he does not require me.”

“We shall see about that.” With a grin and appearing to be a good deal back to his usual, jovial self, Lord Dennington walked across the room to ring the bell. “I think that the Duke will turn to you in person all the more, Elizabeth. Mark my words, he will come to speak with you directly, seeing – as I do – the wisdom within you.”

A rush of pleasure captured Elizabeth’s heart, though she shook her head at her brother, refusing to accept what he had said. The Duke had made it quite clear as to his motivations and she was not about to believe that it was because he knew he could speak to her directly, if he so wished it.

“Tea?” Her brother gestured to the maid who had responded to the bell. “To help you finish your letter, mayhap?”

Elizabeth nodded, going to sit back down at the writing desk. “I should like that very much, I thank you.”

“Capital.” With a nod to the maid, Lord Dennington settled himself back in a chair, waiting until the maid had quit the room before he spoke again. “Might I read the letter when you are finished?”

“There is not much to say,” Elizabeth answered, not catching the look of surprise which etched itself across her brother’s face. “All it says is that he does not need advice at present, given that he has decided not to pursue any young ladies for a time. Instead, he seeks to improve himself upon society.”

“I see.”

Elizabeth threw him a quick smile, then pulled out a piece of parchment. “I am going to write to say that I quite understand – and that I… that is, you… will be back in London society very soon.” Saying nothing more, Elizabeth picked up her quill and began to write, ignoring the slight nagging in her mind that spoke of discontent that soon, the Duke would not write another letter to her, not for a very long time indeed.