Page 60 of The Insufferable Duke
“Strange, I heard equal curiosity as to who the couple in gold were,” Julia said with a mischievous smile as Helena pushed her toward the door. “Many seemed to think that they could be courting.”
“Nonsense.” Helena took hold of the door handle, aware that Julia’s smile fell from her lips. “Do not be sad after the amusing night you’ve had, and stop staring at me so intently.”
“You are giving me lots of orders.”
“Then here is another. Go to bed, Julia.” She opened the door wide, and her sister rushed out though she giggled as she walked away.
“How does that old line go. Shakespearean, perhaps.The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
Helena closed the door harshly, shutting out her sister’s words. She capitulated into the door, leaning against it, as a sudden image of the Duke of Bridstone kissing her returned to her mind.
I know how I feel; I just do not wish to acknowledge it. God’s wounds, when did I fall in love with him?
CHAPTERNINETEEN
“So, how does it fit?” Christopher’s leg bounced up and down restlessly as he waited for his brother, sitting in a chair in the tailor’s shop. His eyes flicked toward the curtain that separated him from Robert.
“We’re nearly there,” Robert called out.
Christopher laid a hand to his leg, trying to stop that bouncing, but it didn’t work. He was too restless. Moving to stand, he tried to be interested in the bolts of fabric that were laid out across the shop, but he barely looked at any of them. He was busy thinking of what had happened two nights before at the ball.
I kissed her.
He’d never known a kiss like it, and he longed to experience it again, but he feared after taking such a liberty once that Helena might hate him forever now. He wouldn’t have been surprised had she slapped him for what he had done, but the certainty that she had kissed him back gave him hope.
There’s something there, something more than just attraction or amusement at all our bickering. It’s something deeper than that.
“Well, I’m here now.” Robert’s words drew Christopher’s attention.
He turned round to see his brother had stepped out from behind the curtain with the tailor following him and smoothing down the back of the tailcoat. Christopher smiled instantly as he looked at his brother.
It was a handsome suit indeed with the waistcoat featuring a fine mixture of green threads embroidered together. It complimented the crisp whiteness of the cravat well. The expensive dark black jacket and trousers, with the shining boots, proclaimed the grandness of the occasion.
“I think…” Christopher paused as his brother turned to the side. “I think you look like our father.”
“Do I?” Robert spun back to face him, smiling at the idea.
“You do.” Christopher walked toward him. “The suit is a fine one indeed.” He nodded his thanks at the tailor, who stood taller, preening with pride. “It is perfect for the wedding tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” Robert shifted to stare at his reflection in a floor-length mirror, turning his body back and forth. “I can scarcely believe it is happening at last, in truth.”
“Did you think our families would put a stop to it in the end?” Christopher chuckled as he leaned against the side of the mirror, watching as his brother adjusted small things that really didn’t need changing, such as flicking a lapel in place or buttoning and unbuttoning the tailcoat.
“It had crossed my mind.” Robert rolled his eyes at the idea. “When things first started between Julia and I…” He broke off sharply with a slow exhale escaping his lips.
“What is it?” Christopher asked with intrigue, rather gladdened that the tailor had retreated across the shop. He attended to another customer, giving the brothers the privacy that they needed.
“Well, when things began, I feared it was a dream that would never be realized.” He looked at his reflection. Christopher suspected his brother was a little wary of meeting his gaze. “The Moores and the Carters,” he scoffed, “they despise each other so much. Yet she is nothing like what we were told they were like. She is so very different — another woman entirely to who I thought she was.”
“Hmm.” Christopher answered noncommittally, for his mind was on another of the Carters.
He thought of Helena and how different she had turned out to be. He’d once thought her proud, but she wasn’t. She performed to the propriety and expectations her parents had of her, but that was all. It was plain too that any opinions she might have had of his personal life and his business were formed by believing in others’ lies. Her greatest sin was gullibility. There was no true maliciousness in her, and recent events had certainly shown she was pulling back from that gullibility.
“Are you all right, Christopher?” Robert chuckled and waved a hand in front of his face. “You seemed to be in a world of your own then.”
“Perhaps I was. I’m sorry.” He smiled and looked at his brother. “I’m truly glad for you, Robert. I want nothing more than for you to be happy, and if what makes you happy is Lady Julia, then rest assured, this wedding will be going ahead tomorrow.”
“I half suspected someone in the families would do something foolish.” He froze in his fidgeting with the tailcoat buttons. “What of our great-uncle? He is so vicious in his hatred; I believed he would cause some trouble.”
