Page 60 of Her Cursed Duke
“The honor is all ours, Lord Thornbury. Thank you for your gracious welcome,” Silas said with a smile.
Someone came to pull the Earl away moments later, and he left after bowing again.
It seemed as though Beatrice had been waiting for his departure because as soon as he was out of sight, she huffed and began to complain. “I should just break the kneecaps of that godson of mine. He assured me he would arrive on time so we did not leave together. But look, he’s nowhere in sight, still.”
“He’s likely just running a little late. It’s all right, I know he’ll be here.” Prudence assured, a little surprised by the courage in her voice.
Beatrice started to speak but was cut off by another guest who wanted to catch up. She glanced apologetically at Prudence and her family, but they reassured her that it was fine and wandered off on their own.
“Would you like us to keep you company until the Duke arrives? We don’t mind,” Agnes offered gently.
“No, it’s all right. You both can go and enjoy yourselves. He’ll be here soon,” Prudence told her confidently.
“Are you sure?” Agnes pressed, although her hand had slipped into her husband’s, ready to let him whisk her toward the dance floor.
Prudence thought about the note that had accompanied the flowers Aiden had sent her earlier in the week. At the very bottom, he had added three words that soothed her anxious heart and eased her worries, words she heard in his voice when she read them.
I miss you.
And so, she wanted to believe that, to a certain degree, they had grown to care deeply about each other. And so, she would continue to trust in the feelings she had.
“I am absolutely certain. Off you go,” she said, shooing them away.
Prudence watched as her sister was dragged to the dance floor, smiling a little when Agnes let out a startled laugh as her husband twirled her in his arms, rocking them from side to side slowly once she was safely nestled in his embrace.
Moments like these filled Prudence with longing. As she watched them dance, she couldn’t help but wish she had someone who loved her as much as Silas loved her sister. She hoped she would mean enough to someone to make them look at her as Silas looked at Agnes—as though he was staring at his sole reason for existing.
“Is it you?”
Prudence blinked and turned around, a little startled to find three young ladies watching her with strange expressions. Confused, she asked, “I beg your pardon?”
The one in the middle sighed, as though stating her reason for approaching Prudence was a burdensome idea. “Are you the one the Duke of Serpenhood is courting?”
Oh. This again.
Prudence raised her chin subtly, ensuring they could hear her clearly and confidently when she replied, “Yes, I am. Is there a problem?”
“Perhaps there is—likely with your mind. I fear something might be broken in there if you really thought it wise to mingle with a cursed man,” the girl on the left said with a sneer.
“I fail to see how that is any of your concern, seeing that it is my time and my company that is being used up for our courtship,” Prudence stated innocently, glancing between them.
“Look here, we are trying to do you a favor. I’ve heard about you and your family. You are not new here, neither are you a mere commoner. Do you really want your family name to be tainted by someone so doomed? Do you have any idea of the havoc he has wrought? The harm he has caused?” the last girl queried haughtily.
“Doyou?” Prudence snapped, her patience running thin. “Because if there’s one thing I know, it is that all anyone around here knows how to do is run their mouths. There is no proof, absolutely no evidence, that the Duke is directly responsible for any of the crimes he has been accused of. Yet, he is put down, time and time again, because none of you have anything better to do than to bully a man. After all, he is more powerful and wealthier than you would like—especially as someone you have deemed wretched.”
The girls stared at her, and then the one who had spoken up first took a step toward her. “How dare you—” she spluttered.
“Lady Prudence, there you are.”
Prudence felt her heart thrum with hope as she whirled around, her eyes wide.There he was, in all his handsome glory, approaching her with a mischievous smile on his face.
“Your Grace,” the girls stammered, hurrying to curtsey, blushing in shame when he placed himself between them and Prudence, his gaze fixed on Prudence the entire time.
“Your Grace,” Prudence greeted with a slow curtsey, unable to take her eyes off him.
“My apologies for being late, my lady,” he said softly as he bowed to her. “I let the time get away from me, and there were more people than I expected when I arrived, so finding you was a difficult task.”
Prudence shook her head a little, wondering if the heat in her cheeks was as obvious to see as it felt.
