Page 17 of The Duke's Ultimatum

Eleanor stuttered. “I, um… No.” She focused on swirling her tea. She found giving her hands something to do settled her nerves. “I did not see her. I did see him by himself, but it was only for a brief moment.”

“Caroline said she found you in the library,” Sarah added.

Eleanor tilted her head in confusion. Found her?Oh no. Did Caroline hear more than she let on?

“Well, she said she heard you, and you told her not to come in because you weren’t feeling well.”

Beatrice eyed her. “You look fine to me.”

Sarah’s eyebrows rose. “Were you in there with him?”

Eleanor’s heart began racing. “No! Heavens no!” She looked at Beatrice. “I went on the veranda to look for the Duke. I saw him, told him about the introduction. He left, and I went back to the ball through by way of the library. I was in there alone,” she said, looking at Sarah.

“The excitement of the day must’ve caught up to me because in the silence of library, I began to feel ill. It was only momentary. I rejoined the ball soon after Caroline knocked.”

Eleanor tried slowing her breath as her sister processed her lie.

“Perhaps he took his dalliance into the shadows of the garden,” Beatrice suggested as she looked over the garden in question.

Eleanor threw her hands up. “Enough of this. I’m with Mama on this one. We shouldn’t talk of the Duke this way. It isn’t proper.”

Sarah huffed. “Of course, you would say that. Everything must be lined up perfectly for our prim and proper Eleanor. No gossip, no scandals?—”

“No fun,” Beatrice ended and caused giggles to erupt between her sisters.

Eleanor was used to the description. She was prim and proper, just as she was brought up to be. She would love to be free with her thoughts like her sisters, but that was not the plan for her.

“Maybe there is a suitor out there that will help you relax,” Sarah said.

“Like Leonard Marsh,” Beatrice remarked.

Eleanor shook her head. “You girls are incorrigible.”

“But you love us.” Sarah smiled at her sister.

Eleanor sighed. “Yes, I suppose so.”

“Enough of the mush. Let’s get back to talking about suitors. There has to be someone for your Eleanor. There’s always the Viscount,” Beatrice offered. “As long as it’s someone other than Leonard Marsh; he’s too old.”

Her comment elicited laughs from Eleanor and Sarah.

“I hope it’s not me who you are calling old.”

Eleanor watched as two sets of eyes lifted up to focus on the man who was standing directly behind her.

CHAPTER 6

Derek couldn’t have planned his entrance better. He was just about to leave to meet with William when he bumped into Charlotte coming in from the garden. He decided to take the long way to the front of the house by way of the garden. Ever since he arrived and the chit fainted at his feet, he couldn’t stop thinking of her. Last night did not help.

His thoughts weren’t romantic, of course; she was his charge. But there was something about her that she would sneak into his thoughts when he least expected it.

Eleanor was born and bred fortheton.Everything about her screamed privilege which normally would make his skin crawl. But there was something about her that drew him in.

His footsteps fell on deaf ears as he approached their table. It was just his luck Eleanor sat with her back facing him. The look on her face when she turned to see him was priceless. If he could paint, he would’ve sat down right there and painted her for a keepsake.

“Good afternoon, ladies. I hope everyone is recovered from last night’s festivities.”

Sarah and the younger one—Betty? Beverly? Whoever—nodded without a word. Eleanor sat stock still with her owlish eyes looking up at Derek.

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