Page 48 of Wedded to the Scottish Duke

“My reputation as a matchmaker will be even greater than before.” She didn’t look pleased by the idea.

She struck the side of the carriage just once. Abruptly, the carriage jerked forward. Keith had to leap back to avoid being run over by the wheels. He stared in amazement as the carriage rolled away.

The coach turned at the end of the driveway and disappeared, all too fast.

How can things change so quickly?

Slowly, Keith walked back to his carriage. His mother was climbing inside, saying a heartfelt thank you and a goodbye to Lady Arundel. Keith was rather purposeful in giving them both a wide berth. He went to the horse he was going to ride back to his home instead.

As he took hold of the reins, a gentleman stepped before him.

“Xander?” Keith said in surprise.

“They have a way of getting under our skins, the daughters of the Marquess of Pembroke. Trust me, I know.” Xander glanced back at his wife, who was laughing with her friends. “Here.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small card. It bore his full name and title, along with his address in London. “Stay in touch. Lord knows London is hard enough for one duke who doesn’t want to be like the others.”

He winked at Keith and then walked away before Keith could even thank him.

Keith was quick to pocket the card, rather glad that he had at least met someone at this party who he could get along with.

He was about to pull himself up into the saddle when someone else appeared at his side. It was Lady Alicia.

“I enjoyed meeting you, Your Grace,” she said rather bashfully, flushing the color of a tomato.

“And you, Lady Alicia,” he said woodenly.

He was distracted, thinking of just how far he had to go to make Celia blush. It was so much more enjoyable when he had to tease her or push her down onto that bed to see such a blush.

Flicking the reins, he pulled himself up into the saddle.

“Perhaps we shall see each other again in London?” Lady Alicia asked with plain hope.

“Yes, perhaps.”

“I will soon attend a musicale and a ball at Almack’s. I hope I shall see you at some of these events?”

“I am not exactly a social butterfly,” he said uneasily.

He glanced toward the house behind them. He hadn’t even wanted to come here, but he had come because he knew it would make his mother very happy.

“Well, perhaps we could…” Lady Alicia trailed off.

Keith didn’t even really notice. Between his distraction over Celia and watching his mother climb into the carriage, he had enough on his mind. He steered his steed away from Lady Alicia and toward his mother in the carriage.

“Are you all right?” he asked Elizabeth as she sat on the bench, tired and yawning.

“I am well, indeed,” she assured him. “I’m so happy we came to England, Keith. It is an even happier place than I remember it.”

She smiled, and around her eyes, beneath the heavy makeup she wore, he could glimpse a scar that his father had given her.

The mere sight of it sickened Keith.

He could practically hear in his mind what his father had said after it had happened.

“She will do as I tell her to. She must, Keith.”His father had wrapped his hand in a bandage, for he had hurt himself when he had struck her.“That’s what marriage is. It’s being bound to one another, even if ye drive each other to the brink of death.”

Keith glanced at the driveway down which Celia had disappeared, then he glanced at Lady Alicia’s retreating figure.

I’ll be driving no woman to the brink of death.

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