Page 13 of A Duke for Hire

Lord Carrigan smiled as he let out an awkward chuckle, and instead of answering her question he asked her one.

“So, Miss Kinderson, what are your interests?”

Of course he won’t answer,she sighed inwardly.

Seraphina hid her disappointment and like with all the other calls she received, she finished the rest of the visit with kindness and good manners.

“I should like to see you again,” Lord Carrigan told her as their time drew to an end. “Pray, do you have an escort for the Carter’s garden party yet? If not, I should be delighted to do so.”

“I thank you kindly for your invitation, my Lord, but that is still a few days away and I am not yet sure I-”

“She would love that, Lord Carrigan,” Mary answered for her, coming back into the room.

“Wonderful news,” Carrigan answered cheerily, not even bothering to look to Seraphina for assurance.

He then said his goodbyes, more so to Mary than Seraphina, and then left. As soon as he was gone, Seraphina plopped unceremoniously down on the couch, confused as to why she was feeling the way she was. She and her mother had both wanted nothing more than to be able to gain the approval and attention of the eligible noblemen. Now that she had it though, she found them all surprisingly lackluster. And after the way they had treated her before, she could not bring herself to believe the kindness they were now showering upon her was true.

“Sit up straight, Seraphina,” Mary chastised. “Just because your visitors are gone does not mean you can act like a ragamuffin.”

“Sorry, Mama,” Seraphina apologized, immediately adjusting her posture. “I just did not realize hosting could be so exhausting.”

“I shall go have the cook prepare you some coffee,” Mary replied, smiling brightly. “I have no idea what you did at Lord Briarwood’s dinner party, but it was clearly a success. I have no doubt that there will be a few more suitors turning up at our door.”

“Today?” Seraphina asked, grimacing as she glanced at the clock. “Is it not growing a little late to receive calls?”

Mary gave her daughter a hard look, and in a dry tone replied, “After two years of receiving no callers at all, surely you can extend yourself another hour or so, Seraphina.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Seraphina replied softly, blushing.

“Pardon me, Madam,” Eugene, their new butler announced as he came into the room, “But there is another suitor here to call on Miss Seraphina.”

“Marvelous!” Mary gushed, clapping her hands together. “Send him in, Eugene.”

“Get up,” she then hissed, even as Seraphina was already getting to her feet. “I shall go get you your coffee.”

She waited until her mother rounded the corner before Seraphina let out a sigh, straightened her gown, and looked upon the entryway with a bright, if not forced smile. However, it dropped immediately into a look of surprise when of all people, her dance partner from the other night walked in, holding a small, prettily wrapped parcel.

“You,” she gasped, a rush of excitement going through her.

“And you,” he replied, bowing his head as he smirked.

“You are really a nobleman?” Seraphina asked. She could not believe it!

The man let out a chuckle, the sound of which she quite liked.

“I told you I was the Duke of Merrivale,” he replied with a smirk, “It was you that decided not to believe me.”

Seraphina felt the color drain from her face and her legs begin to wobble as she mentally went through the moment they had first met. She had assumed, even after Theo’s explanation, that someone had simply played a trick on her.

“You…but, you are rumored to never leave Merrivale,” she stuttered.

The Duke shrugged casually.

“It was time to make my way back to London. I was not so inclined to the idea at first, but now I am finding it beneficial.”

“Oh. Ohhhh, my heaven’s, Your Grace, I amsosorry,” Seraphina burst out, going into a deep curtsey, “The way I talked to you- the way I forced you to dance, it was so rude of me! I cannot imagine what you must think of me!”

To her surprise, the Duke chuckled, and held out the prettily wrapped box to her.

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