Page 70 of The Spinster and Her Rakish Duke
“Perhaps,” she conceded. “But at least now he might think before launching into florid descriptions of a lady’s eyes astwin pools of celestial radiance reflecting the divine spark of her immortal soul.”
Ewan’s startled laugh drew several curious glances from nearby guests. “That was disturbingly accurate. Has he been inflicting his verse on you during our morning rides?”
“Every day,” she confirmed cheerfully. “Though I must say, his sonnets about dawn over the eastern meadow were quite lovely, if one edited out approximately two-thirds of the adjectives.”
Before Ewan could respond, a familiar voice called out, “Samantha!”
Jane hurried toward them, looking enchanting in a gown of pale yellow muslin that complemented her fair coloring perfectly. Behind her, at a more sedate pace, came Lord Tenwick, his usual sardonic expression softened by something Samantha had not observed before when he looked at her sister.
“Jane!” she exclaimed, embracing her sister warmly. “How wonderful to see you. You look absolutely radiant.”
“As do you,” Jane replied, stepping back to study her sister with keen eyes. “Marriage clearly agrees with you. There’s a glow about you that wasn’t there before.”
Samantha felt herself blush, acutely aware of Ewan beside her. “Nonsense. It’s merely the warmth of the day.”
“If you say so,” Jane replied with a knowing smile that suggested she wasn’t fooled in the slightest. She turned to Ewan with a curtsy. “Your Grace, thank you for bringing my sister today. I’ve missed her terribly.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Ewan assured her, bowing over her hand. “Though I fear we’ve been remiss in our social duties lately. Valemont has kept us rather… occupied.”
The slight emphasis he placed on the final word sent another wave of heat to Samantha’s cheeks, and she was grateful when Lord Tenwick joined their circle, creating a distraction.
“Lady Jane has been kindly showing me Lady Worthington’s famous rose garden,” he explained, his gaze lingering on Jane’s face in a way that immediately caught Samantha’s attention. “Her knowledge of horticulture is quite impressive.”
Jane dimpled prettily at the compliment. “Hardly that. I simply enjoy flowers and have pestered various gardeners with questions since childhood.”
“An admirable pursuit,” Lord Tenwick replied with unusual sincerity. “I find curiosity one of the most attractive qualities in a person.”
The exchange, innocuous as it was, carried undercurrents that made Samantha glance at Ewan, who raised an eyebrow slightly in acknowledgment of what they were both observing.
“Perhaps you might continue your tour,” Ewan suggested smoothly. “I believe Lady Worthington’s collection includes some rare specimens from the Continent that would interest you, Ralph.”
“Indeed,” Lord Tenwick agreed, offering his arm to Jane with a smile that transformed his usually sardonic features. “If Lady Jane would be so kind as to continue as my guide?”
“I would be delighted,” Jane replied, taking his arm with a grace that belied the slight tremor in her fingers that only a sister might notice.
As they walked away, Samantha turned to Ewan with wide eyes. “Did I just witness what I think I witnessed?”
“If you mean Ralph looking at your sister as though she hung the moon and stars, then yes,” Ewan confirmed, his expression a mixture of amusement and surprise. “I’ve never seen him so… earnest before.”
“Nor Jane so composed,” Samantha mused, watching the pair’s retreating figures. “Usually, she’s all effervescence and enthusiasm.”
“Perhaps they balance each other,” Ewan suggested, his hand coming to rest at the small of her back in a gesture that had become familiar and comforting. “Much like another couple I could name.”
She glanced up at him, catching the warmth in his gaze. “Are you suggesting we’re well-matched, Your Grace?”
“I’m suggesting,” he replied, his voice dropping to that intimate register that never failed to send a shiver down her spine, “that you’ve brought light to places long shrouded in darkness, just as Ralph might benefit from your sister’s sunshine.”
The simple poetry of his words, far more affecting than Percy’s elaborate verses, caught her off guard. “Ewan…”
“Come,” he said, guiding her toward a more secluded part of the garden. “I believe I spied a rather charming gazebo overlooking the pond. Much more peaceful than this crush.”
They strolled together in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging pleasantries with acquaintances but primarily focused on each other’s company. The gazebo, when they reached it, was indeed unoccupied, offering a respite from the hustle of the main party.
“Ah, solitude at last,” Ewan sighed, settling beside her on the cushioned bench. “I’ve been wanting to get you alone all day.”
“Have you indeed?” she teased, though she felt a familiar flutter of anticipation at his tone. “We were alone all morning, if memory serves.”
“And a delightful morning it was,” he agreed, his eyes darkening with remembered pleasure. “But I find that even a few hours in company leaves me craving your undivided attention once more.”
