Page 14 of The Duke’s Reluctant Muse (The Untamed Nobles #3)
Last evening was quite wonderful. Barely paying the least bit attention to anything Lady Annette was saying, Elizabeth meandered slowly down the London street, her thoughts lingering on all that had occurred. The ball had been a wonderful occasion, but the end of it – the waltz and the supper thereafter – had been very pleasing indeed.
When the Duke had asked her to dance, Elizabeth had been a little surprised but had, in fact, been quite delighted at the prospect. No-one had asked her for the waltz that evening and, had she been truthful, she would have been a little disappointed to have missed out. Indeed, she could have been seated with her brother for the supper but given how much he had been in conversation with Lady Annette, Elizabeth was sure she would have had very little opportunity to converse!
“I do hope that you do not mind that I spend so much time in your brother’s company.”
Elizabeth glanced in surprise to Lady Annette. “No, not in the least. Why should you think so?”
Lady Annette lifted her shoulders, pink in her cheeks. “I know that I am not the most proper young lady. I do not do as I should when it comes to gossip, I do not reject it as forcefully as I ought. Nor do I have a brother who treats me as he should, making the proper introductions and chaperoning me as he is meant to. I can be a little too talkative, I can speak with too much candour and I am not always as considerate as a lady ought to be. You know that I greatly value our new friendship and I would not want to do anything to endanger that.”
“You are not.” Elizabeth smiled and then slipped her arm through Lady Annette’s. “And I certainly do not have any criticism of you.”
Lady Annette’s eyes searched hers. “Truly?”
“Truly,” Elizabeth replied, slowly becoming aware that the reason for her friend’s concern was because of her interest in Elizabeth’s brother. That much, Elizabeth was already aware of given all that Dennington had said to her before. She smiled, her heart lifting as she realized that her brother’s inclination towards Lady Annette was clearly returned. “It is not your fault that your brother does not do as he ought and certainly, avoiding gossip is a difficulty that every lady and gentleman in London struggles with, I can assure you!”
At this, Lady Annette let out a breath and smiled, relief washing through her expression. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I am very glad to hear you say so.”
“But of course.”
They continued walking, only for Lady Annette to tilt her head towards Elizabeth, her eyes twinkling. “You were enjoying the Duke’s company last evening, were you not?”
A little surprised at her friend’s remark, Elizabeth nodded, seeing no reason to deny it. “Yes, I was.”
“I have not seen him waltz with anyone as yet,” Lady Annette continued, her voice a little softer now, a light jesting there. “Could it be that he has an interest in you?”
At this, Elizabeth laughed softly and shook her head. “No, not in the least, I am sure! He has been acting as my chaperone on occasion, remember? It is only because I was to be quite alone for the waltz and then to sit with my brother thereafter that he offered to dance with me. Though it was very kind of him, I must say.”
“Are you sure that was all that was in his request?” Lady Annette’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I am sure that I saw clear delight in his expression when you stepped out together, though you appear to be quite determined to ignore such a thing!”
“I am not determined!” Elizabeth declared, heat beginning to rush up her chest and into her neck. “I would not – could not – let myself think of him in such a way. There is a good deal of struggle and difficulty for the Duke when it comes to society and I do not want to make things any more troublesome for him by suggesting things that are not there.”
Lady Annette’s eyes twinkled. “But what if there is something there? Something that you are not yet willing to admit?”
Elizabeth’s heart squeezed as she glanced at her friend but chose not to say anything in response, aware that there was, in fact, an interest in the Duke’s company that as yet, she had been trying to ignore.
“Look! There he is approaching you!”
Her breath hitched as she saw none other than the Duke himself, the very gentleman they had been speaking of, coming towards them. How altered his appearance was now! Instead of frowning, instead of heaviness in his expression, there was now a warmth there, a gentle smile on his lips and a clear happiness in his eyes which practically shone out towards her. Why did her heart betray her so? Why did she seem so thrilled to see him again when she had only just been in his company the previous evening?
“Good afternoon, Miss Jeffries, Lady Annette.” The Duke bowed, his smile ever increasing. “It is a fine day, is it not?”
“It is, indeed,” Lady Annette replied, glancing towards Elizabeth. “We were just speaking of the ball last evening, Your Grace. Did you have as pleasant a time as we?”
The Duke nodded, his gaze lingering on Elizabeth, making her heart quicken. “I certainly did. It was the first evening in some time where I have danced almost every dance! It seems that society does not view me with such disinclination any longer. Something that I am very grateful for.”
Elizabeth clasped her hands together at her heart, glad to see the Duke appearing to be so happy.
“We were just about to go to the bookshop,” Lady Annette told him, as a few others from the beau monde walked around them, each on their own errands or simply out with friends as Elizabeth was. “Tell me, Your Grace, are you inclined towards reading?”
The Duke chuckled. “In truth, Lady Annette, I have done very little other than read the last few years, given my absence from society. I spent my time pursuing my duties and responsibilities to the estate and to the title, reading a great deal and on occasion, going out to ride through the grounds of my estate.”
“So you enjoy it, then?” Elizabeth wanted to know, only for the Duke to shake his head, a grin still pulling at his lips.
“I am afraid that I do not, not anymore,” he said, his shoulders lifting slightly. “I read so much that I became quite dulled with it all.”
“That is a great pity for I am sure that there are a good many books that would suit you very well,” Lady Annette said, as Elizabeth smiled softly.
“I am sure that is true.” The Duke inclined his head. “But I shall not keep you from the bookshop. I do hope that you find something to engage your minds in a most pleasant manner.”
“You are welcome to join us, even if you do not care for reading,” Elizabeth found herself saying, a little embarrassed that she now seemed to be a little too forward, too eager in her desire for the Duke to stay in her company. “Though of course, if there are other things that you have come to town for, then we certainly will not expect you to give them up in order to attend us! If you have no interest in books, then you will not wish to step into the bookshop, I quite understand that. I mayhap ought not to have made the suggestion! I am sure that...”
“We are to go to Gunters for an ice thereafter.” Lady Annette settled a hand on Elizabeth’s arm, making her flush hot with embarrassment. Had she been babbling? Had she sounded so foolish that Lady Annette had been forced to step in? Her head dropped forward, her eyes closing for a moment as Lady Annette continued.
“If you do not care for books, mayhap you would wish to join us there?”
“I should be very glad to! I am, in fact, on an errand myself but I shall come to Gunters immediately thereafter.”
When Elizabeth lifted her head and forced her gaze back towards the Duke, she saw him smiling. There was still heat in her face as she caught her lip with her teeth for a moment, still mortified by how she had prattled on in such a foolish way.
“I thank you for the invitation,” he continued, his gaze melding to hers now. “I look forward to it. I have not been to Gunters yet this Season!”
“Then it is just as well Lady Annette made the suggestion,” Elizabeth managed to say, feeling as though she spoke between two bruised lips such was her embarrassment. “Until later, Your Grace.”
“Until later.”
With a nod and a smile, he stepped away and Elizabeth, closing her eyes in mortification, quickly made her way towards the bookshop, suddenly desperate to make her way inside and away from the Duke. Lady Annette followed in silence, though once the door was closed behind them and Elizabeth had let out a sigh, she began to chuckle.
“You cannot pretend with me any longer! You have an interest in the Duke of Nottingham!”
“Do be quiet, Annette!” Speaking a little more forcefully than she had meant, Elizabeth hushed her friend, whose smile quickly fell away. “Please, there could be others present in the bookshop that will be able to hear you.”
“I am sorry.” Lady Annette folded her arms over her chest, her head lowering. “I did not think.”
Silence grew between them for some moments until, with another sigh, Elizabeth patted her friend’s arm. “Come. If we speak quietly at the very end of the shop, I am sure we will not be able to be overheard.”
Lady Annette obliged and, feeling a little more secure and silently praying that no other members of the ton had been able to overhear them, Elizabeth turned to her friend.
“Please,” she began, seeing that she could not say anything to prevent Lady Annette’s awareness of what was happening in her own heart, “you must not say anything to anyone. It is something that has only just begun to occur and I have very little idea – or understanding, truth be told – as to what I am to do with it.”
Lady Annette smiled immediately, evidently holding no grudge against Elizabeth. “Then you admit that you have an interest in him? That you would prefer his company over any other?”
Elizabeth closed her eyes, trying to understand her own feelings. “I do not know as yet, Annette. The only thing I am aware of is that I have a genuine desire to be near him and to continue on in our acquaintance. I do not know why, I do not understand where such feelings have come from but they are present, certainly.” A nervousness grew in her stomach, making her heart twist as her friend smiled. “I do not know what to do, truth be told – I do not feel joyous or happy or even delighted! Instead, I am confused and even a little troubled.”
“But why should you feel such a thing? To have such feelings is not anything to be ashamed of.”
“I know that.” Elizabeth looked away, her heart pounding all the more as she thought about what it would be like to admit to the Duke all that she felt. I could never do that.
“Then what is it about all that you feel that troubles you so?”
Because, Elizabeth considered, shaking her head to her friend, I should have to tell him that I am the one who has been responding to him. That I have been writing letters under the guise of my brother’s hand. I could not keep that from him – and I could never tell him the truth. It would shatter all that we have built.
“Because I could never tell him,” she said slowly, as Lady Annette frowned heavily. “I know that nothing good will come of admitting my feelings to him, though I cannot explain why I know that to be so.”
“How could it bring no good? To tell a gentleman that you care for him – particularly a gentleman who is clearly so inclined towards your company- can only bring joy!”
Elizabeth shook her head. “No, I cannot. Please do not ask me why for it will bring me too much difficulty to explain myself.” She reached out and took Lady Annette’s hand, pressing it. “I think my heart must forget the Duke and all that we have shared.” Pain lanced through her but she stood tall, her chin lifted. “It is the only way.”
Just as she spoke, the door to the bookshop opened and, much to Elizabeth’s astonishment, the Duke of Nottingham stumbled inside. He was wide eyed, his face pale and as she watched, he hurried away from the door and to another part of the bookshop, seeming to be either terrified or horrified by something he had seen. All the more confused, Elizabeth followed him with her eyes and then, after a few moments, found herself walking toward him.
What was it he had seen? And what was it that had driven him into the bookshop – a place which he had expressed such dislike to – only a short while ago?