Page 34 of Bound to a Wicked Duke

Madeleine chose not to argue with him. It would not have done any good. They were in a better place with one another. She did not wish to ruin that with an argument about whether she wished to marry or not. She gave him one last squeeze then stepped back. “I believe that I will spend some time reading before the evening meal.”

Cecil nodded in approval. “I am off to White’s. Perhaps I will instill a bit of fear into my fellow noblemen while I am there.”

Madeleine chuckled, waving him off to more pleasant diversions. She turned to Emily. “Will you and the Viscount be joining us this evening?”

Emily shook her head. “We are committed to dine with the Viscount’s sister.” She spoke of her husband with such love in her voice. Her eyes glowed at the thought of him. “We are to finish discussing the plans for our garden party.”

Madeleine stepped forward and took her sister’s hands in her own. “I am pleased to see your happiness.”

Emily flushed with pleasure. “I am so very happy,” she admitted. “Charles brings me such joy. I miss him when we are apart from one another.”

“Then I will bid you adieu, my beautifully blissful Viscountess,” Madeleine teased her with a smile. “I thank you for your support with Cecil.”

“It was time,” Emily replied firmly. “It should not have been allowed to continue for so long.”

The sisters shared a brief hug then Emily departed for her own townhouse where her husband awaited her return. Madeleine retreated to the library to find some solace in the stories found therein. It had been a taxing day, greeting and rebuffing her many suitors.

Her sudden influx of suitors had been an unwanted and unpleasant side effect of her ruse with the Duke of Greyhall. If a man as powerful and wealthy as the Duke of Greyhall wanted her, in the eyes of the ton, that made her all the more valuable on the marriage market.

She dreaded what the next social event was going to be like. England was full of men such as Herbert Mowbray, who wished to claim a woman as their own but lacked the charisma to draw them in without a wearying persistence.

I need to be careful. Eventually, Father is going to discover that Percy has no intention of marrying me. I pray that I am able to think of a better plan to maintain my independence by then.

Madeleine knew that if she were truly honest with herself, marriage was the only option for a woman of her age and class, but she was in no way ready to admit defeat. As far as she was concerned, such societal logic and practical reasoning could wait.

CHAPTER TEN

Percy was sitting at White’s speaking with one of his business associates when Cecil came through the door. He stood glaring at all of the unwed men in the room, his gaze landing lastly on Percy. Percy lifted his brow in question. Cecil came over to join him. “Should I ask why you were glaring angrily at all of the unattached men in the room?”

“I am attempting to incite fear into their souls,” Cecil admitted, his voice determined.

Percy laughed. “Dare I ask why?”

“I have spent the last several hours acting as chaperone for my sister’s many suitors. I had assumed that your courtship of my sister would bring such visitations to an end; however, it appears to have had the opposite effect.” Cecil frowned grumpily. “It is as if they are roaches crawling out of the walls.”

Percy’s amused nature shifted into annoyance immediately, but he gathered his emotion quickly and forced his smile to stay in place.

“It cannot be that bad,” Percy retorted, offering a dry, false chuckle.

“Believe me, it is that bad.” Cecil gave him a disapproving look. “Where have you been? It should be you that is sitting there beside her scaring them all into submission.”

Percy chuckled, shaking his head. “That duty, my dear friend, falls to you. Were I there, you would still be sitting there beside us as chaperone.”

“At least I would enjoy the conversation if you were there,” Cecil grumbled under his breath. “The unwed masses of the English ton have turned into simpering dolts where my sister is concerned.”

Another young, unwed gentleman of the ton walked into the room, and Cecil stared him down to the point where the man immediately turned around and left.

“My Lord,” the club steward cleared his throat from behind Cecil. “My Lord, my apologies, but you are frightening the other gentlemen. There have been complaints.”

Percy stood and motioned for Cecil to follow him.

“Then perhaps the offended gentlemen should accept when they are not wanted,” he replied on Cecil’s behalf. “Regardless, Lord Gillett is not himself at the moment. We shall retire to more conducive environs for his current temperament.”

“As you say, Your Grace. Thank you, Your Grace.” The club steward nodded in acceptance of the apology, and Cecil followed Percy out onto the street.

“There is a pub near here with a decent steak and kidney pie and a stout pint of ale. You should be safe from all of your sister’s gentlemen callers there,” Percy promised with an amused glint in his eye. “And we should not be asked to leave if you persist in giving everyone that you pass the evil eye.”

Cecil snorted. “I suppose attempting to instill fear into the unwed gentlemen of the English ton was not my best idea.”

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