Page 15 of The Wrong Duke

“I —” she had started, unable to tell her sister that she was considering turning him away. “I’m sure he will,” she choked instead.

Her sister beamed. “So, it’s going well?” she asked hopefully.

“Very well,” she had lied. “I am sure that by this afternoon, he will be announcing to thetonhis intent to court me.”

“Thank God,” her sister had breathed a sigh of relief. “Last night, after you returned from Lord Brundel’s, I heard father talking to mother. He was drunk and...” She looked about to make sure they were alone. “...it turns out his debts are worse than we thought, Amelia. Lord Malnor is rich enough to cover them, he said. But if not him...” she trailed off, no need to say anything more.

“And Mother?” Amelia asked. “What did she have to say?”

Bridget’s lip curled. “What do you think?”

Amelia wasn’t doing this for herself. She was doing it for her sister. So that her sister might have a chance to marry a man whom she truly desired and not one of her father’s drunken gambling buddies. For her, Amelia would do anything she had to... and so, she did.

“Oh, Miss Baker!” Lord Malnor turned when he heard Amelia call for him. “I was wondering where you had gotten yourself off to.”

“Here the whole time, I’m afraid,” she chuckled. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“Who would want to!”

“Do you mind if I...” She indicated for her to join him in his walk.

“Please...” With a sweep gesture, he stepped across to allow her to step in beside him. “So long as you don’t mind the company.”

“Not at all.”

“I think he was referring to me,” His Grace then added with a knowing smirk.

Oh yes, His Grace was there also, having arrived at Hyde Park with Lord Malnor and then having stuck to his side as if glued to the man. From the second they stepped out of their carriage, he’d made sure to follow Lord Malnor about like a petulant pup, ignoring every other person who had come to the park this morning for a walk, happy to be mistaken as rude and a little arrogant rather than risk leaving his friend alone for even one moment.

Miss Baker eyed His Grace ruefully but then turned it into a smile for Lord Malnor. She walked on Lord Malnor’s left, while His Grace occupied the right. “Well, you did promise me a walk, if you remember?”

“I —”

“And that’s exactly what we’re doing,” His Grace said quickly. “And I’ve always said, the more the merrier.”

“Don’t mind him,” Lord Malnor chuckled. “He’s in a strange mood.”

“Just happy to be outdoors,” His Grace said and looked about the park as if to take in the day. “It is a glorious morning, isn’t it, Miss Baker? I’d be a fool to miss it.”

“You’re a fool no matter what you do,” she said under her breath but then spoke up, directing her attention on Lord Malnor. “I see your back isn’t hurting you this morning?”

“Thank God for that.”

“Unless it is still, but you dragged yourself from bed anyway,” she laughed lightly and slapped playfully at his arm. “So desperate to see me. I hope I don’t disappoint.”

Lord Malnor grinned. “Caught out! I was hoping you wouldn’t —”

“Lucky it’s summer,” His Grace interrupted. “I know from experience that the hand of God would be needed to raise him if his back truly was hurting him.” He elbowed Lord Malnor who frowned at the gesture. “But Miss Baker,” His Grace then continued, “I must say, you look lovely today.”

The sarcasm was present in his tone, and she didn’t for a moment think that he was trying to compliment her. If anything, he seemed to be enjoying himself, taking pleasure in creating an awkward tension between them, a clear attempt to ward off her advances.

“I wish I could say the same about you,” she shot back before she could help herself.

Lord Malnor frowned at the abrupt comment, but His Grace simply laughed. “Careful now, Miss Baker. Don’t want to risk saying anything you might regret.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, cursing under her breath for letting her tongue run away with her. That was, after all, what His Grace was trying to do. Frustrate her into saying something that would get her in trouble and turn Lord Malnor off her.

“Just jesting, Your Grace,” she said with a smile. “And thank you for the compliment. Although really, we should be saving such things about Lord Malnor.” She touched his arm and stroked it. “He is by far the more dashing of the two of you.”

---