Page 66 of Rakes & Reticules
He arched a dark eyebrow. “And you, Lady Amelia? Is this what you think of me?”
“That you are a prize? Yes, for certain. But not for the reasons you think.”
“What are your reasons?” He was frowning at her now, obviously displeased with her response. No doubt he assumed she was going to spout off about his wealth, title, and good looks.
“I can only speak to my first impression of you, but I expect it is fairly accurate. You are a prize because you are kind and intelligent.” She tossed him a wry smile. “Although I am not sure your offer to take me under your wing was very bright on your part. Now I will be constantly underfoot while you are trying to court the lovely ladies you have invited.”
“Do you not consider yourself one of those lovely ladies?”
“Me?” She shook her head and laughed merrily. “Dear heaven, no. I could never compete with those beauties.”
“How are you not their equal?”
Her eyes widened as she stared at him, for he appeared genuinely bewildered. Even while frowning in thought, he was ridiculously handsome. “Their equal? How can I possibly be mistaken for one of them?”
“You are of equal rank to any of them.”
“Yes, but that is where any resemblance ends. I cannot dance. I am an inept flirt. And even more inept at holding a conversation of any length. I do not know how to bat my eyes prettily or laugh charmingly. Most of all, I am hardly a beauty, certainly not in any classical sense. My hair is brown and my eyes are gray. My mouth is too broad and my nose is too pointed. So are my ears, pointed, that is. I think I have rabbit ears.”
He chuckled again in a warm manner that melted her bones. “Do go on, Lady Amelia. How else would you describe yourself?”
She was not certain this was an appropriate conversation to be having with a duke she had just met. Indeed, it was a nonsensical conversation since he could obviously see her and did not need anyone explaining her features to him. “There isn’t much more to say. I am remarkably average in every other way.”
Well, this is how she had been made to feel by her parents.
No matter how hard she had tried to impress them on the rare times she saw them, she always failed. They were never cruel or demeaning, but were best described as indifferent. Sometimes, that hurt most.
The duke pursed his lips as he escorted her into the parlor where her aunt was already seated with several other guests. Footmen were hovering over them, offering tea, lemonade, sherry, and light refreshments while their bags were being brought up to their rooms.
“My housekeeper will lead you upstairs in a moment, but let me say this about you before we are surrounded by others and do not have the chance to speak alone again. Your hair is not brown but a rich chestnut color. Your eyes are not gray but moonlight silver. Your lips are full and your mouth has a graceful arch to it. Your nose is exactly the right length for your face. If I have to look at one more button-nosed debutante, I shall hang myself. And as for your ears,” he said, his mouth twitching at the corners in the hint of a smile, “they do stick out a little, just as you say. But they suit your face and soften your appearance because you are a very serious young lady otherwise.”
She shook her head. “I am not all that serious. What you notice is me being tense around those in the Upper Crust. But I want to thank you because you have put me very much at ease. I am enjoying talking to you. It is having to talk to everyone else that has my stomach in a churn.”
“I am here if you ever need me.” He gave her hand a light squeeze. “Let me introduce you to my uncle, Lord Danvers, and my brother — my favorite sibling, by the way — James. Of course, he is my only sibling, so he doesn’t have much competition for that honor.”
She laughed, surprised by his small jest.
She ought to have added he had a sense of humor, something she found lacking in many of the noblemen she had met over the course of her Season.
“You will find my family good-natured and jovial,” he continued. “They also adore hearing themselves speak. So, all you have to do is smile or nod on occasion and they will consider you excellent company and compliment you to no end.”
He introduced her to his uncle and brother, made certain she and her aunt had all they required, and then moved on to greet more newly arrived guests. Amelia noticed he was soon surrounded by young ladies, including at least twotondiamonds, and all of them were vying for his attention.
To her relief, Lord Danvers and her aunt dominated their conversation, so she was not put on the spot. The duke’s brother interjected a comment a time or two, but all she had to do was smile on occasion or nod, just as the duke had suggested.
A few minutes later, a footman approached to escort them upstairs to their guest chambers.
“Yes, how lovely. I could do with a nap before supper,” her aunt remarked. “Come along, Amelia.”
The gentlemen rose, and Lord Danvers declared her to be charming.
She smiled graciously. “It was a pleasure chatting with you.”
The duke’s brother, properly referred to as Lord Marston, cast her a knowing grin, obviously aware she had spoken not a word in all that time.
The duke was still surrounded by his admirers, so Amelia realized he would not be able to break away any time soon to show her his antiquities collection.
Well, perhaps tomorrow.
