Page 34 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke
With murmured apologies he worked his way along to the first vacant chair and sat down.He was in front of one brunette and, if he turned his head just a little to the left, as though scanning the empty dais, he could see Thea out of the corner of his eye.
Her expression was not encouraging.Did she think he had deliberately placed himself in front of her?Did she believe he had engineered that collision just now?
Hal twisted in his seat and smiled at the twin behind him.‘I hope I am not obstructing your view, ma’am.Assisting the Admiral left the choice of seats somewhat restricted.’He kept his attention firmly on her face.
She blushed prettily.‘Not at all, Your Grace.I can see perfectly well, thank you.’
‘Forgive me for addressing you without an introduction.Perhaps Lady Thea would be kind enough to make us known to each other.’
‘Of course.’He knew Thea well enough now to recognise irritation behind the sweet tone.‘Miss Antonia, the Duke of Leamington.Duke, Miss Antonia Chelmsford.And on my other side—’
Both twins laughed.‘We have confused you again,’ the nearest one said.‘I am the elder by five minutes, so I am Miss Chelmsford.Clara.This is my sister, Antonia.But we answer to both names, you know, Your Grace, we have had to learn to.’
Hal stood up and turned to shake hands.
‘I believe they are about to start,’ Thea said repressively.
With a smile for his two new acquaintances, Hal sat down and fixed his attention on the stage.The back of his neck prickled.Was Thea fixing her gaze on him, radiating disapproval, or was he simply fantasying, imagining an interest in himself that she simply did not have?
Instinct told him that her reaction to the discovery of his identity meant that she had stronger feelings for him than she was prepared to admit, but perhaps that too was wishful thinking.
Hal settled as comfortably as a long-legged man could on the spindly little chairs and turned his attention on the dais, where Lady Beale was leading out the Italian contralto to enthusiastic applause.He had heard the singer before, in Vienna, and knew they were due to be royally entertained.Even so, the short hairs on his nape still prickled: it was not easy to forget the close proximity of Lady Thea Campion.
The music was sublime and Hal let himself drift away with it, his eyes unfocused on the wall behind the pianoforte.The first songs were romantic, heartfelt, and he felt again that sensation he had experienced when he had leaned out of the tower, looked down the dizzying space to see Thea’s upturned face.Heartfelt…heartache?
What was the matter with him?He had found the woman who would make him an ideal duchess, he had taken a liking to her and he had managed to give her a dislike of him.That was something that could only be rectified by careful planning, strategy and patience.He must show Thea that she could trust him and then he could begin to build on that tentative friendship that had formed before she knew who he was.And after that—
The applause roused him from his reverie and the pianoforte player struck a rousing chord, the music sweeping into something that sounded Middle European, exciting, rhythmic.He had a sudden mental picture of Thea in his arms, dancing to this music, sweeping around the floor, her cheeks rosy with exhilaration, those lovely eyes laughing and excited.
Dancing.That he had not included in his half-formedplans, but he would now.Surely Thea would love to dance?He knew he wanted to dance with her.
He would open up Leamington House, throw a ball, create a stage for Thea to shine on.Could he do that even though he was in mourning?He had respected and admired his father and had been sincerely sorry to have lost him comparatively young, but he could not feel that cutting himself off socially for a year was necessary to show respect.Certainly nobody seemed shocked to see him here.
Yes, he would hold his ball.There would be waltzes and he would make certain that Thea danced two of them with him.And he had another idea, nothing to do with dancefloors, as the singer changed tempo again and began to sing of roses, moonlight and nightingales.
There was a great deal to plan and he could not put off employing a new secretary any longer.
Chapter Eleven
‘He was there.Leamington was at the recital,’ Mama said the moment the carriage door closed behind them.
‘Yes, Mama, I know.I spoke to him.’
Thea smoothed the folds of her evening cloak around her legs, her gloves running over the satin with the softest of whispers.
‘And he sat right in front of you.A most marked attention, I thought.’
‘He was in front of Clara Chelmsford.And he had very little choice, because old Admiral Barwick was demanding his attention until virtually all the chairs were taken.He actually ordered the Duke to go and fetch his ear trumpet, would you believe?’
In the gloom of the carriage she could see the swoop of a light-coloured glove as her mother dismissed that irrelevance with a gesture.‘Leamington is not avoiding you, that is the important thing.It would be disastrous if he showed displeasure, or even cut you.’
‘I am sure the Duke is too much of a gentleman to do any such thing.’
‘I suppose you are right.But anyfroideurwould be noticed, would be disastrous.’
‘We encountered each other and it was perfectly civil,’ Thea said firmly.‘There is nothing to worry about, Mama.’
‘Other than finding you a suitable husband now you have wantonly refused the most eligible man in the country,’ her mother said with a snap.
