Page 6 of Wedded to the Scottish Duke

“Here is Lord Crampton, and the Earl of Newgate.”

Keith inclined his head to each gentleman in turn, painfully aware that Lord Crampton was fussing with his cravat and the Earl of Newgate was more bothered about the state of a brooch in his lapel.

I am not sure these are my sort of people.

Keith glanced away, looking for any sign of the young woman he had met the night before.

That spirited lass he’d found in the water had been plaguing his mind all night. Her brave dip in the lake was hardly what he had expected. She went against everything he had come to expect of proper ladies of the ton. Most of those women fussed about the state of their hair or their jewelry. Such thoughts had clearly been far from the mind of the lady he met last night.

“Ah, and here are the Duke and Duchess of Barlow.”

As Lady Arundel introduced a couple who walked into the room, Keith jerked his head twice to look at the Duchess.

For one mad minute, he thought the Duchess of Barlow was the lady he had seen in the water, though he quickly dismissed the thought. She didn’t have red hair, and he had been certain the lady last night had red hair, despite the darkness. He had nearly pressed his face into those tresses as he rescued her from the lake. This woman was also rather too petite to be his mysterious lady.

“Good day,” Keith said woodenly, bowing to the pair of them.

“Good day.” The Duke of Barlow sounded just as stiff, bowing too.

When he stood straight, Keith took a second glance at him, noting the way he was looking around, clearly eager for his morning coffee, for his eyes quickly landed on the nearest jug.

“Oh, look.” Lady Arundel laughed as she looked between the two men. “Don’t they both look delighted to be here?”

The way she talked about them as if they were children irked Keith all the more, but his mother laughed it off.

He caught the Duke of Barlow’s eye. From the wry expression on his face, the Duke clearly felt the same resentment.

As the Duchess of Barlow took her seat, the Duke pulled out her chair for her, using it as an opportunity to talk to Keith without Lady Arundel overhearing them.

“I wish I could say you get used to overzealous ladies in time. I’m afraid I never have.”

Keith shared an amused smile with him as the Duke of Barlow took his seat and reached for the coffee he was clearly craving.

“Whyever didn’t we meet you last night?” the Duchess of Barlow asked as she helped herself to breakfast.

“We—”

“They arrived late,” Lady Arundel said as Keith helped his mother to a chair. Clearly, Lady Arundel thought it was her place as host to speak for him. “They were held up on their journey as they came from the north. I am delighted to see my old friend again.”

She took her place at the head of the table and laid a hand affectionately over Elizabeth’s. “Well, it looks like we have a few more people to wait for before we complete our introductions. Ah, here comes one now. Lady Celia? Lady Celia, come, meet our latest arrival.”

Keith turned to face the door. He stood as still as stone as his eyes landed on the lady.

It’s her.

Just as he remembered her from last night, she stood before him, all curves, though this time she was fully clothed in a fine Pomona green gown. Unlike others in the room, who wore pastel colors, she had chosen a much bolder color. Her red hair was even brighter than he had judged it to be the night before, and now it was fastened into curls at the back of her head, though a few hung down loosely in rebellion.

“My Lady.” He bowed to her.

The moment he spoke, he saw realization dawn on her face.

To her credit, she didn’t blush, though her lips parted. For a second, she said nothing—she just stared at him as he stood straight. He took the opportunity to examine every inch of her face.

She was a truly beautiful woman, though perhaps in an unorthodox way, with rather big eyes. Her face was not assymmetrical as other ladies’, but her full lips stretched wide in a smile that was quite captivating. Her slender nose gave way to cheeks made bold by strong cheekbones.

“Good day to you, Sir.” She stepped toward him, curtseying quickly and dutifully.

He couldn’t resist. Maybe he had spoken the truth the night before when he claimed he hadn’t really seen anything when he had rescued her from the water, but he had certainlyfelteverything. Now, he felt a longing to touch her again.

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