Page 32 of A Spinster to Reform the Duke
“I would do it again any day,” Alexander said hurriedly. With the words, Timothy shot a glance at Lady Rebecca, wondering what she thought to his friend’s suit of her sister now. Naturally, she may have suspected him of dishonest intentions before, it was understandable given what happened to her, but after the lengths Alexander had now gone to, Timothy hoped Lady Rebecca could see the man he truly was.
In answer to his wondering, he could see Lady Rebecca staring at Alexander, her brow crinkled in ridges as if he was some hard puzzle that had to be figured out.
“We shall see each other soon, I hope,” Alexander said to Lady Eliza alone.
“Yes. Our father is to hold a soiree soon. I will ensure you receive your invitation before the week is out,” she promised, leaning forward, taking his hand again.
“Something tells me we are not taking our leave just yet,” Lady Rebecca whispered to Timothy, tempting him to smile as they observed Lady Eliza’s and Alexander’s long, drawn out goodbye.
“It seems you are not,” he acknowledged, turning his focus to her and bowing. “Until next time, my Lady.”
“Until next time,” she repeated his words. Instead of moving toward the door of the carriage, she glanced at Alexander, seemingly checking his back was turned and covering the view her family would have of the two of them, before she stepped forward. Timothy realized with surprise just what she was doing as she took his hand. “I wanted to thank you.”
“Again?” he said with a tease.
“Again,” she nodded. “Not everyone would be as kind as you have been today.”
“Might I suggest you have been keeping company with the wrong kind of men, my Lady.”
“That is something I already know,” she said with wit and released his hand. Now Alexander turned around and offered his hand too, aiding her into the carriage. Timothy found himself longing to be in that place, being the last one to touch her before she parted, but it was too late.
As the door to the carriage closed and they stepped back, the coach jolted forward, carrying the family away. Alexander waved eagerly, even taking a few steps down the driveway so he could wave a little longer at Lady Eliza, who was leaning out of the carriage window, quite far indeed, just to keep her eyes on him.
“She’ll fall if she’s not careful,” Timothy said in jest, pulling a laugh from his friend.
“I am just glad she is safe. Good Lord, Timothy, my heart was in my throat earlier today,” Alexander turned back, showing the true extent of his fear.
“She is safe. Come, let us get you a drink,” Timothy said, taking his friend’s shoulder and steering him inside. “You are bewitched, my friend, are you not?”
“Bewitched? Can you blame me?” Alexander chuckled, shaking his head as they moved into the house. “I have never known a woman like her.”
The words made Timothy falter, glancing back out of the door at the retreating carriage. He could have applied the same words to Lady Eliza’s sister. He had never known anyone like Lady Rebecca. As he followed Alexander again toward the sitting room, hunting out the drink’s cabinet, Timothy found one question plagued him, as his mind kept turning back to the moment when Lady Rebecca had taken his hand before stepping into the carriage.
Why did she take my hand? What did that mean?
Chapter Eleven
“Did you not think Esther charming last night?” Catherine’s question nearly went unanswered for Timothy was too distracted in the modiste’s shop. “Timothy? Did you hear me?”
Timothy looked up from where he had been perusing the materials, glancing to where his mother was looking through swatches, selecting silk for her new gown.
“You promised to accompany me on this outing and to aid me in my choices. I was also hoping for good conversation as well, I will confess.”
“Apologies, Mother, my mind was elsewhere.” Timothy followed her around the shop as she moved onto the next table, full of different bolts of material. “What did you say?”
“I was saying, didn’t you think Esther was charming last night?”
Timothy thought back to the night before. His mother had invited round her old friend, the Countess of Elkins, along with her daughter, Lady Esther Baxter. The dinner had been pleasant enough and afterwards Timothy had been persuaded to play whist with Lady Esther.
“Yes, very charming,” he said noncommittally, turning his focus back to the materials before him. “This one is nice, mother.”
“It is indeed. You need someone with blue eyes for such material to work though, I am not that person.” She pointed to her own grey eyes.
Timothy found a pair of blue eyes appeared in his mind.Lady Rebecca.It would certainly suit her very well indeed, perhaps as a shawl of some kind. Something light for the spring months now they were so far into spring that the tulips were blooming, and the roses were beginning to bud.
“Esther would make a fine Duchess, I am sure.”
Timothy stiffened at his mother’s words.
