Page 8 of Her Cursed Duke
He suspected that she might have an agenda but resolved to watch it play out, as this curious little flower might be precisely what he needed to alleviate his boredom.
With a little sigh, Aiden ultimately decided to indulge her. “Do you really think so? I believe it is safe to assume that the majority of the people here did not come to celebrate me.”
“That cannot possibly be true.”
Ah. She is an optimist, then. How dull.
Aiden knew better than anyone what a dangerous thing hope was, providing false strength that would never be enough to fight the battles that lie ahead in the days to come. And she was clearly one of those who saw the world through stained glass, only ever seeing the best, even when only the worst prevailed. He had been that way before and was glad to outgrow such childishness.
Inhaling, he sought to remind her of whose company she had sought out and had been keeping for the last few minutes.
“Your lack of belief will not change who they think I am—a cursed noble who is known to cause calamity with a mere glance.No one would breathe the same air as I if they had the option to not do so. But I imagine it is hard to turn down an invitation from someone as persuasive as my godmother, especially with her status,” he stated in a flat, disinterested tone.
The lady was silent for a moment, and Aiden almost hoped she would deem her efforts to socialize fruitless and leave him. However, she surprised him when her pretty pink lips parted.
“Ah. They probably came for the berry tarts, then. Those are delicious and certainly worth attending any party.”
Aiden could not help but laugh, knowing that it was a tad ridiculous to insinuate that others would attend a party simply for the pastries available yet agreeing with her about how tasty the tarts were. They were most likely the highlight of this event for him.
“You raise a fair point,” he admitted good-naturedly.
“Of course, I do. As a lover of the finer things in life, I have made it my duty to be a connoisseur of the best,” Prudence said in a prim, posh tone.
“Only regarding food?”
“What else matters?”
He nodded, resisting the urge to smile, mildly irritated that this lady seemed to have charmed him, somewhat. “You have very particular values. I respect that.”
“Thank you,” she stated curtly. She took a sip of her punch before saying in a softer tone, “I hope something good does come from today’s party. You deserve to have a good time and celebrate your life.”
It is not worth celebrating to me, Aiden nearly said but held his tongue, opting to speak safer words instead.
“You are far too kind to me, but your sentiments are misplaced, as it does not matter anyway.”
Just as Prudence began to question what he meant, his godmother arrived in front of them. “Prudence, dear, is it all right if I steal Aiden away for a bit? There are some people I would like to introduce him to.”
“Oh, of course, Lady Foresthill. By all means,” Prudence said, putting a little distance between her and the Duke.
Aiden spared her a single glance before allowing his godmother to pull him away. Moments later, Agnes found her and took her hand, startling her.
“Are you all right, Prudence?” Agnes queried in a worried voice.
“Y-Yes, I am. I was just… a little distracted. How is Grandmother fairing?”
Agnes sighed, looking bothered. “Far too well, if you ask me. Without our supervision, she has started a poker circle over a game of cards. And Silas seems to have taken on the role of her protector.”
“Oh, she frequently does that at home as well. I cannot tell you how many maids and footmen have wagered their firstborns and lost.”
“I have so many questions, but—”
“Trust me, Sister, it is best if you do not ask,” Prudence said gently.
“Right… Well, in any case, they do seem to be enjoying themselves. Let us continue to do the same,” Agnes suggested, placing Prudence’s hand on her arm and leading her toward the fountain sitting right at the center of the garden. “So, what did you get up to while I was gone?”
Prudence thought back to her silly conversation with the Duke and the way he had laughed at her joke. She pursed her lips briefly as she shrugged. “Not much. Nothing of note.”
“This is Miss Carlton. I heard that she has excelled quite nicely in her violin classes.”
