Page 4 of Wicked Is the Duke
"The boys are at Eaton, and my sisters are at a finishing school. I believe they need to be taught outside the confines of home in order to give them a rounded education."
"I agree. There is only so much a governess or tutors can teach, and there is the need for them to be among their peers."
"True, especially for my brothers."
She laughed lightly. "You forgot to mention your sisters, Your Grace. Do you not think women should be educated beyond running a household or doing needlework?"
"I believe women should be allowed to pursue their education as far as they want. Unfortunately, a lot of polite society wouldn't agree with me."
"Something that is changing, Your Grace."
He arched a brow. "I agree; times are changing, and my sisters are changing with the times."
She sighed. Her gaze was across the room where her brother Robert stood watching. "As much as I hate to end our fascinating discussion, Your Grace, I must ask you to return me to my brother."
"He's overbearing?"
"I wouldn't call it that exactly. It's been the two of us for so long, Robert sometimes forgets I'm not a child."
"Then let's not give him cause to be upset as I would like to call on you."
She nodded with a smile, and taking Blackmont's arm, allowed him to lead her back to her brother.
Chapter Two
Henry groaned as hisvalet flung open the heavy, dark green, draperies in his bedchamber. It mattered not that the sun wasn't shining. For that he was grateful. The bright light was more than his senses could handle. Too much drink always did that.
He sat up on the side of the massive four-poster bed for a moment. He had several matters requiring his attention today. It never ended, part of his responsibility to his dukedom.
First, however, he would have a large bouquet of flowers sent to Miss Grover's home. He knew there would probably be a long line of suitors wanting to see her, so flowers would have to suffice in lieu of his presence.
He would speak with her brother Robert and let his intentions that he wished to court his sister be known. He didn't want to appear too anxious as so many of the young bucks did, but he felt an urgency to see her.
"Your bath is ready, Your Grace," Smythe announced. The valet had been with him through thick and thin and knew what he wanted, sometimes before Henry himself actually knew.
Henry mumbled his thanks and padded across the room, naked, to his bathing chamber. He climbed into the large porcelain tub and submerged himself to his neck in the steaming water. Picking up the bar of wintergreen scented soap and a cloth, he began to wash. His thoughts wandered to Anna. How magnificent she felt in his arms as he’d danced with her. She was not the usual young woman. She could think on her own, something her brother encouraged her to do. It was a refreshing change from the usual fare of debutants and young ladies, their most stimulating conversation was about the weather or a book. If they actually read anything of substance. Submerging his head beneath the water, he washed his hair.
