Page 31 of A Bride for the Wicked Duke

“I see a friend of mine...” He indicated to his right, where another friend of his was walking down the path, one who was sure to want to speak with him. “Whom I am going to speak with quickly.” Rosalind grimaced, expecting him to drag her along. “As I do, I suggest you make yourself scarce...” He winked.

She frowned. “Scarce. What do you...”

He indicated over her shoulder. “I spy someone who I am sure you would rather spend your free time with.” Rosalind’s frown deepened as she turned, spying Lady Hawkins who was now waving, having just spotted them. “Go,” he said. “Before I change my mind.”

“Truly?” Rosalind beamed. “You do not mind?”

“Not even a little bit.”

Once, he might have. Not so long ago, he hated seeing his sister spend so much time with Lady Hawkins. But that was then, and a lot had changed. And once he and she had their lessons...if they do any good, for I sense it will take a lot to break Lady Hawkins of her bad habits.

Not that Gerald wasn’t going to try. In fact, a part of him was looking forward to it. Just as another part was dreading it for reasons he tried to not think about. Even to see her now, their eyes met briefly, he held them as he did not wish to look cowardly or nervous, but the way she looked down so quickly, her cheeks blushing, told him all he needed to know. That she felt the same as him.

He gave his head a shake, again not wishing to ponder such nuisances. He and Lady Hawkins had an agreement.And that is all it is. Perhaps he was attracted to her. Perhaps he thought about her in that way more than he should have done. But it made no difference! If anything, that was more of a reason to wish to see her gone from his life.

It was thus that as Rosalind hurried to meet with Lady Hawkins and her family, that he turned to his left and strode down the path in the direction of Lord Marlow, an old friend of his who was in the company of a pretty young lady whom he assumed to be the man’s younger daughter.

“Your Grace,” Lord Marlow greeted him with a friendly smile. “It is so good to see you on this day.”

“As it is you, Lord Marlow.” The two men shook arms and parted. “What brings you here?”

“The same as you, I imagine,” Lord Marlow said. “The day is too wonderful to be wasted indoors, and my daughter wished for some fresh air. Speaking of which...” He turned and indicated to his daughter. “May I introduce you to Lady Scarlett Wainright.”

“Your Grace.” She smiled and curtsied. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“As it is you, Lady Wainright.”

Lady Wainright couldn’t have been any older than eighteen, indeed attractive, and with the same white-blonde hair as her father and light blue eyes. She held those eyes on Gerald, probing him suggestively and Gerald caught his friend looking between them with a knowing smirk.

“The truth is, I was glad to run into you,” Lord Marlow said.

“Oh?”

“My daughter...” He smiled proudly. “She has just debuted this Season and I promised to introduce her to men of worth – it is all she has spoken about, truth be told. And who better than a duke.”

“Is that right?” Gerald said, sensing now what he had found himself in the middle of.

Gerald had to resist the urge to stifle a groan. Is this how it was when he pushed Rosalind on his own friends? That expectation that was brought in meeting an eligible lady whose only goal seemed to be to find a suitor. It was awkward, Gerald felt, and not at all something he was in the mood for.

“It is, Your Grace,” Lady Wainright said, holding him in her stare. “I am so pleased to meet with you. My father has told me such nice things about you and --”

Lady Wainright was cut off by the sound of high-pitched laughter coming from down the path. As one, they all turned to find the source, and Gerald wasn’t at all surprised to see that Lady Hawkins was the cause. She had the attention of his sister and her own younger sister as she gesticulated wildly with her hands, causing the two girls to laugh along with her, even if her own shrill laughter rose above theirs’.

Gerald watched them for a moment, finding himself smiling to see how his sister was enjoying herself. More than that, he smiled to see Lady Hawkins in her element. She wasn’t guarded as she so often was around him. She wasn’t antagonistic. She was relaxed and having fun, caring not for what was proper or what people might think. Being herself, because that is when she was at her best.

“Urgh,” Lady Wainright sighed. “She really is uncouth, isn’t she?”

“What was that?” Gerald turned around.

“Lady Hawkins, is that her name?” Lady Wainright had her nose upturned. “Forgive me for saying, Your Grace, but I am surprised to see you allow your sister to spend so much time with her. Surely, she ought to know better than to be seen with the likes of Lady Hawkins.” She giggled. “I would not let my horses near her, let alone a member of my own family.”

Gerald’s mood darkened, which it should not have. Technically, what Lady Wainright said was correct. At least regarding how crude and uncouth Lady Hawkins was. Times were that he would not have even noticed the comment, even agreeing with it! And yet… he felt himself grow angry, and he could not say exactly why.

“I appreciate your concern for my sister, Lady Wainright, but better that she spend her time with a friend who makes her laugh and reminds her why life is worth living, than with a cold shrew as I find so many young ladies of the ton tend to be.”

Lady Wainright’s eyes widened in shock, and her father blustered in surprise as if he had begun to choke.

“It was good to meet you, Lord Marlow.” Gerald offered a short bow. “And you, Lady Wainright.” He fixed her with a curt smile. “But I am afraid I need to be with my sister. To keep an eye on her, if nothing else, seeing the company that she keeps.” With that, he turned and strode away, leaving behind Lord Marlow and his daughter.And good riddance to the both of them.

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