Page 24 of Her Cursed Duke
“She is my pride and joy. Sometimes, she is also the bane of my existence, but more so the former than the latter,” Martha commented after hours of conversation.
“Grandmother, you cannot live with muffins as your only source of sustenance. I know you still view my refusal to eliminate other foods from your diet as treason, but I hope you will forgive me, at some point.” Prudence sighed at her fondly.
“Sometimes it seems as though she is six years of age, as opposed to sixty-seven. Imogen gets her childlike palate from her,” Agnes whispered to her husband, who brought their joined hands up to his lips in a bid to hide his chuckle.
Nonetheless, the Dowager Marchioness seemed to be delighted with everything she had seen and heard, and Aiden felt relieved that it had all gone well. He, however, was on the brink of boredom so terrible that he kept glancing toward the patio doorand wondering if it would be amusing to throw himself off the balcony.
He had no interest in any of the topics that had been brought up throughout thiscelebrationand was very upset that they had not at least offered some rum for his troubles. He was very pleased to see that Prudence had handled herself gracefully and felt hopeful about the coming days. His godmother definitely approved of her, and that made things much less uncertain for them.
It would be a sad affair when you call things off, though.
But he dismissed the thought, leaving it as a problem to be tackled in the future. For now, they all appeared to be getting along splendidly, and Aiden only hoped the harmony would carry on without any hitches.
“… my associate informed me of a horse race that is coming up in a week. Would you like to go and see it?”
Aiden sat up straighter as the words floated to his ears, piquing his interest. He shifted his gaze in the direction where Agnes and her husband were sitting, unable to feel remorseful over eavesdropping due to the hope and excitement bubbling within him over what he had heard.
“Darling husband, you do not need to ask. Of course, I would like that! It’s a shame we could not bring Scar along. I miss him so.” Agnes pouted, then smiled moments later when her husband gently reached out and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.
“I am certain he misses you, too. Do not worry, you shall soon be reunited with the love of your life,” he teased lightly.
“If he is the love of my life, what does that make you?”
“The man who was fortunate enough to be chosen by the love of his life.”
Agnes laughed, lightly smacking her husband on the shoulder. “You are a menace. But I am glad that you were told about the race. It would be quite exciting to watch one. I expect that the horses will be impressive, given that the horse breeders around these parts are very adept at their jobs.”
“Is that so—”
“Pardon me,” Aiden spoke up, moving to the edge of his seat so he could address the Duke and Duchess of Forestwood softly. “I could not help but overhear… You mentioned a horse race?”
Silas brightened and nodded curtly. “Yes. I have a business associate who lives around these parts, and he was kind enough to inform me that a race would take place in a few days. Are you a lover of horses as well, Duke?”
“Aiden, please,” Aiden said quickly, making Silas smile at his excitement. “Yes, I am. I have been unable to attend competitions as of late, and it would be very nice if I could attend this one.”
Aiden’s eyes flicked to Prudence, who had just returned from escorting her grandmother to her chambers, and he brightened, beckoning her over. She made her way to his side, and he burst out before she even sat down.
“Would you like to accompany me to watch a horse race in a few days?”
Prudence glanced at her sister and brother-in-law, noting that they were sporting matching smiles in anticipation. Aiden looked the most excited, and his eyes wore a glint she had never seen before.
“Are you sure you want me to come along?” she asked, curious. “I am not as much of an enthusiast as my sister is. You might find better company with them.”
“It is important to me, and I would like to share that with you,” Aiden replied with a small smile.
He seemed so… excited, which was the first positive emotion she had been able to properly see in him. And what a picture it made, his grey eyes losing their usual stormy darkness and taking on a brighter sheen that seemed to sparkle. Aiden always looked handsome to her, but now, he appeared even more so, looking less like the stubborn, cold Duke that had approached her and more like a dream. Prudence felt her will bend against her wishes and struggled to convince herself to consider it.
“You should come with us, Prudence. Since I will be going with my husband, it would not be fair for the Duke to be by himself throughout the event. Not when he has you.”
That made it harder for Prudence to say no, and she felt her resolve crack, shattering entirely when Aiden claimed her attention again.
He clasped his hands under his chin as he stared directly into her eyes. “Please? It would mean a lot to me if you came along.”
With a sigh, Prudence finally conceded. “All right. I would be honored to attend the race with you, Your Grace.”
To her utter surprise, he grinned and nodded, looking far too excited to have obtained her assent. That odd feeling of tightness in her chest returned, and she was suddenly overcome with the urge to reach out and pat his head. She curled her fingers into the fabric of her dress.
“Wonderful. Thank you,” he told her earnestly.
