Page 35 of Three Nights with the Beastly Duke

“Whatever do you mean?” Lavinia asked, hoping her voice sounded as calm and nonchalant as she wished it to be.

Susan let out a laugh and peeked her head around the corner of the curtain. “We’ve only been preparing for it the last couple of days,” Susan teased. “Your family’s visit? They will arrive this morning. Are you excited?”

Relief flooded Lavinia as she laughed, followed quickly by happiness and excitement. Of course, they were! Still nestled in parts of the sensual cocoon that Arthur had wrapped her in, she must have forgotten briefly that her family was coming to visit her.

“I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am,” Lavinia replied honestly, coming out from behind the curtain so she could dress. “When do they arrive? They will be here for breakfast, yes? Do you think the cook made the cherry tarts my father likes? Your mother will be here, too, yes?”

“Breathe, Sister.” Susan laughed softly as she helped Lavinia into a pomona green gown. “Yes, they should be arriving within the hour. Yes, I believe the cook did as he was told. And yes, my mother will be here. She has grown quite fond of Agnes and is looking forward to seeing her again. Everything is going splendidly, so far.” She paused as a mischievous smile spread across her face, then added, “And perhaps I shall have a visitor, too.”

“Really?” Lavinia asked, immediately intrigued as the maids helped her dress. “And whoever could this mystery man be?”

Susan smirked. “I might have caused a little drama for myself back in London on purpose,” she confessed. “Mama wanted me to find a husband there, but the truth is, I’ve already found him. He’s been away with the King’s Navy for some time now, but I received word from him last night that he is finally back home.”

“Susan!” Lavinia exclaimed, shocked at this news. “Why did you not tell me? This is wonderful news!”

Susan shrugged, then got up from her seat to fiddle with the hair accessories the maids had laid out. “Joshua made me agree to not wait for him when he first left for the Naval Academy,” she explained. “I think he feared he would die before we could marry and leave me not even a widow. I did try to heed his wishes, but I just couldn’t. I had faith that he would come back to me. And now, he has.” She suddenly gave Lavinia a dazzling smile. “I am hoping that Mama is so busy hosting your family that she won’t have time to be disappointed in me,” she added.

Lavinia took a moment to study her reflection in the mirror as the maids finished primping her, and she smiled back at herself, satisfied. “Why would your mother be disappointed?” she asked. “He is a nobleman, is he not?”

“He is,” Susan confirmed. “But he’s one of many children of a viscount. I believe the third or fourth-born out of seven. Aside from a modest inheritance when his father dies, he’s not what Mama would consider a ‘prominent fellow.’”

Knowing what it felt like to not be consideredprominent, Lavinia felt a soft spot open up in her heart for Susan and her suitor. “Well, I hope the day goes as well as you hope it does,” she replied sincerely.

“Thank you, Sister,” Susan said as the two women rose and walked to one another. “And I hope the same for you. Now, come, let us get ourselves downstairs. Your family will be here any moment!”

“Vinnie! Vinnie!”

Lavinia heard Agnes’s familiar voice echoing up the staircase as they descended, followed quickly by her father’s “Agnes, keep your voice down, please. It is not polite to shout.”

At her side, Susan squeezed her arm tightly. “Looks like they are early,” she whispered, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

Picking up their pace, the two of them rushed down the stairs, bursting into laughter when both Rebecca and Agnes squealed with joy when they saw her. Quickly, Lavinia was encompassed by the arms of her sisters, and bursts of giggles echoed through the foyer.

“Who is this?” Agnes excitedly, throwing her arms around Susan with the same enthusiasm.

“Our new sister,” Lavinia replied gleefully, her smile stretching wide across her face. “Rebecca, Agnes, this is our new sister-in-law, Susan. Susan, these are my younger sisters.”

“Oh, it is such a delight to meet you both!” Susan replied happily.

As the four of them hugged and laughed, Lavinia caught sight of her father and another familiar face. Gently, she untangled herself from the small group and walked over to them.

“Papa, Timothy,” she greeted warmly. “It is so good to see you both.”

“My darling girl,” Kenneth praised emphatically, holding her close. “You look so wonderful. Marriage suits you well.”

“Thank you, Papa,” Lavinia whispered emphatically, hugging him back.

“Indeed,” Timothy agreed. His tone was dry, but he wore a polite smile as he waited to reunite with her. “And where is your husband today? Will he be joining us?”

For a moment, a dark cloud threatened Lavinia’s happy day. The fact was, she had no idea where her husband went or what he did during the day. She only knew that he was gone and that when he returned, he came to her room for a reason she most certainly could not share with her friend or father.

“My son will be joining us this evening.”

The announcement came from the stairs, to which they all turned. There, standing on the landing, dressed in finery, was Arthur’s mother, the Dowager Duchess. Her eyes were trained solely on Timothy as she began to descend.

“He is a very busy man, my son,” Marianne continued as she walked closer. “And your patience for his arrival is much appreciated.”

She walked right past her daughter, Agnes, Rebecca, Lavinia, and Kenneth, before stopping only a short distance from Timothy. For a moment, she simply looked at him, her eyebrow arching high as her sharp eyes took in the man questioning her son’s whereabouts.

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