Page 49 of A Duke But No Gentleman
“No worse than any other day, Lord Norgrave.Thank you for asking,” the duchess politely replied.
He suspected the older woman did not approve of him.If so, he doubted Blackbern fared any better with the lady.
“Mama, with your permission, I would like to show Lord Norgrave our gardens since it is a temperate afternoon,” Imogene said, stepping in front of him as if she thought he needed her protection.
“An excellent suggestion,” her mother murmured.
Imogene hesitated.“Would you care to join us?”
“I will have to regretfully decline.Of late, my left ankle has been troubling me.”The duchess waved her and Norgrave off.“Enjoy your walk.”
Once they were out of the drawing room, Imogene linked her arm through his.“I cannot believe you are here.How did you know I needed rescuing?”
He wondered how she would react if he stopped and kissed her.Since he did not want to ruin the moment, he resisted his impulses and patted her hand.“I am pleased to be of service, my lady, though I cannot fathom why you needed saving from your sweet mother.”
Imogene laughed as they descended the stairs.“Mama is weary of the endless stream of suitors who have been filing through our drawing room.She laments that I have not narrowed my choices to one or two gentlemen.”
“So few,” he teased.“You are young and deserve to be courted by dozens of suitors.”
As long as Imogene chose the right gentleman at the end of the season.
With Blackbern out of town, Norgrave intended to use the duke’s absence to his advantage.He might have taunted his friend into agreeing to the wager, but his time with her had convinced him that the lady had value beyond a quick fuck.He had already surmised that Imogene had tender feelings for his friend, but he was confident that nothing would come of it.
He, on the other hand, had higher aspirations for the future, and with Imogene at his side, he would achieve them.
“Perhaps I should have you speak to my mother and father,” Imogene grumbled, obviously frustrated by her family’s interference.
Norgrave believed that with a little effort, he could sway the duke and duchess to his side.“I am honored you view me as an ally.”
They crossed the front hall.
“Of course,” she said cheerfully.“You are a good friend.”
Damn it, how could she not see that he was more than a friend?Once she discovered the shallowness of Blackbern’s affection and scrubbed the stardust from her eyes, she would finally see the man willing to stand by her.
Imogene paused at the hall table to retrieve the bonnet she had removed earlier.As she picked it up, her reticule hidden underneath it tumbled to the floor.She muttered something about clumsiness and knelt down to gather up the items that had spilled on impact.
“Allow me,” he offered, kneeling beside her.He picked up her reticule and suddenly stilled at what he had discovered beneath it.Before she could react, he grabbed the key.
She nibbled her lower lip in dismay.“If I may have it, I will—”
“I recognize this key,” he said, holding it just out of her reach.His gaze was solely focused on the last item he expected her to have concealed in her reticule.“Did Blackbern give this to you?”
Imogene stared at him.Guilt shimmered in her eyes as she nodded.“I was not supposed to tell anyone.”
His hand closed around the key.Blackbern was not careless with his possessions.Until this moment, Norgrave had been the only one who had a key to the duke’s house.Even if Imogene did not fully comprehend the meaning behind the gesture, he saw it with brilliant clarity.
Blackbern had been lying to him.
At some point, his friend had won their little wager by seducing Imogene.Instead of gloating about it to Norgrave, he had given the lady the key to his mother’s house.
Blackbern had finally fallen in love.
The realization roiled in his gut like an oily tar.
“I have not used it,” Imogene confessed, his silence making her nervous.“Tri—Blackbern insisted that I keep it.”
“Our friend is generous that way.”It was a measure of his control that he stood and offered her the key instead of backhanding her with his closed fist.“Forgive me, my lady, I regretfully cannot enjoy your mother’s gardens.I forgot about a prior commitment.”
