Page 69 of Dueling with the Duke
Nicholas stood before her, and she could tell he wanted to say more—she could tell he had some feelings for her. He had made his choice, and she had made hers. She was at least glad that he respected her enough not to mess with her feelings again.
* * *
Bridget sat at the head table with Margaret and watched as the Duke got up and headed for the exit. He stopped to shake hands with his Uncle Albert, his mother’s brother who had traveled down from Newcastle. It would be easier to enjoy herself with him gone from the great hall, but she did not wish for him to leave.
The music had not started playing yet, but all she could think about was the dancing. She did not want to dance with anyone if she could not dance with the Duke, but she would have to.
For now, she enjoyed the food and a little wine. Her happiness did not matter. Only Margaret and Michael mattered that day, and they were joyful. The mothers-in-law were happy, too. Rebecca and Penelope sat together.
Bridget had not told her mother about the trouble her father had caused at the chapel earlier, but she could see the relief at Ralph not being in attendance on her mother’s face.
That changed a few minutes later when the Duke returned to the room with two footmen and her father.
“What is he doing here?” Penelope gasped.
“Father has arrived!” Margaret exclaimed. She stood up to go to her father.
“Stay where you are,” Bridget ordered. “It is your wedding day. Those in attendance should come to you and not the other way around. Stay and have some food and drink. I shall have Father come up and congratulate you.”
She looked at her father and was glad to see that he was in good shape. He was dressed well and held himself tall, even if he did look a little sheepish. The Duke moved with his two footmen and her father toward the corner of the room, not bringing the troublemaker fully into the center of the hall. When the Duke looked at Bridget, it was obvious he was waiting for her.
Bridget made her way through the numerous guests and went to her father. When she got close to him, she was surprised. She had not seen him look or smell so good.
“I had him taken care of,” the Duke explained. “He was a little worse for wear, but I found some of my father’s old clothes for him to wear, along with some cologne to cover the smell of alcohol. I shall have my two footmen attend to him the entire time he is here, and at the slightest hint of trouble, he shall be thrown out. The more trouble he decides to cause, the more forcefully he shall be thrown out.”
“Father?” Bridget prompted.
“I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t stay away,” Ralph admitted quietly.
Bridget shook her head. “I don’t know what to say, Your Grace. Margaret will be overjoyed that Father is here. Father, will you go to her and congratulate her on her marriage?”
“Yes,” Ralph said. With the Duke and two footmen beside him, he looked afraid to do anything without permission.
Bridget looked at the footmen. “He is not to have any alcohol. I won’t risk it.”
The footmen looked to the Duke, and he nodded.
“Before you go, Lord Lincoln, will you please tell your daughter what I managed to get out of you?” the Duke asked.
“I… I’m sure that can wait until later, Your Grace. I must speak with my youngest daughter,” Ralph said, his voice shaking ever so slightly.
“No, you will tell her now,” the Duke ordered.
No one was within earshot, but Bridget did notice some people looking their way. It was an unusual scene for the father of the bride, the bride’s sister, and the Duke to be conferring together in secret in the corner of the hall, when there was a celebration to be had.
“I might not have been entirely truthful,” Ralph began.
“Keep going,” the Duke pressed.
“My dear, you must know that I only acted in the best interests of the family.”
“Tell her,” the Duke demanded.
“When I said His Grace had a woman in London, that might not have been the complete truth.”
“Not the complete truth or not the truth at all?” the Duke hissed.
“It was… I had to tell you that, or else you might have gotten some silly ideas in your head and ruined everything. I was trying to save you from this man, Bridget. You must see that. I know you better than anyone, and I know the type of man you deserve—no offense to His Grace—but he has a certain reputation, and I knew you would regret it if you fell for him, because he would only hurt you.”
