Page 72 of In Need of a Duke
“I won’t be long if you would like to wait inside the carriage,” Charlotte said.
“No, I would prefer to come in with you,” Ian said. “I am looking forward to seeing what you have been working on while I was away.”
Charlotte seemed surprised, and Ian felt his chest fill with some impossible pressure. Shock, maybe, that she would still be surprised he was there to support her—or maybe just denial. Either way, Charlotte was helped out of the carriage by the driver, and Ian fell behind while the rest of London buzzed around.
He offered her his arm, and she looped her hand across his elbow as they approached the school. There, by the door, was a simple brass placard. The plaque read,Gairdner’s Seminary for Young Ladies. Below it, in smaller letters,Generously supported by The Duke and Duchess of Dandridge.
At the sight of his name there, he swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat. If she knew that he had seen it, she didn’t let on as she grabbed the brass knocker.
A jolly woman, nearly two feet shorter than Ian, poked her head out, wearing a lacy cap. Gray curls framed her face. “Your Grace!” she exclaimed, her cheeks red, her green eyes shiny and full of mirth. “What a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in. The girls are in their lessons.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Pratt,” Charlotte said. Then she paused at the doorstep, looking between the woman and Ian, before adding, “May I introduce you to my husband, the Duke of Dandridge?”
“Good morning,” he said as the woman narrowed her eyes on him, gave a curt nod, then opened the door wider to allow them inside.
Very well. It seemed his reputation preceded him.
Once inside, he noticed the fresh flowers in the front hall, the sounds of Latin and French being recited, and the pianoforte being practiced down the hall. The school was buzzing with activity and life, full of energy that nearly vibrated through him, or maybe it was just that he had noticed his wife’s smile; she was so exceedingly proud. And in turn, he felt as if his heart had miraculously melted away another icy layer. There was hope for him yet.
“We won’t be long, Mrs. Pratt,” Charlotte said. “I need to visit Mrs. Davies, and then I’ll be on my way.”
“She’s upstairs in her office. And I am sure she will tell you more, but Miss Jones is at it again,” Mrs. Pratt replied.
Charlotte nodded, her lips pressed together. “I’ll see if I can talk to her. Come on,” she said, turning back to Ian.
He was too distracted looking around at the portraits on the wall, the fine paintings. This was not what he had expected. When he thought of his school, he thought of some lonely, dark place. Maybe that had just been his experience while he was sent away as a young boy to Eton. He never liked the place much. When he had first attended, he had been picked on by the other boys until he met Viscount Blackwell. But in time, he grew taller, larger, and smarter. He learned to fight in ways that the others did not anticipate, and then he was the one who protected the smaller boys. Perhaps that’s why he had such a dark reputation in London. He had a talent for pushing everyone away with his words and his fists.
He followed Charlotte upstairs. She raised her gloved hand and then paused, turning back to Ian with an arched brow.
“You’ll be civil, Dandridge?”
He clasped his hands in front of him and pressed his lips together to fight back the nagging urge to smile. “Of course.”
A shriek echoed from behind the door, then stifled laughter.
Charlotte laughed to herself, then knocked, turning to Ian. “It seems you’ll meet Mr. Davies,” she whispered. “They are disgustingly in love.”
“One moment,” Lily’s voice called out. “Just a moment.”
When the door swung open, a tall man with black curls and hazel eyes, Mr. Rafe Davies, Ian assumed, greeted Charlotte with a rakish grin before casting a quick glare toward Ian. “Your Grace, what a pleasure to see you. It’s been some time,” he said.
“Charlotte!” Lily exclaimed from behind the desk as she righted her hair, her dress still askew. She ran over and embraced her friend, and Ian remained still, keenly aware that he was not necessarily wanted.
“Please tell me you are well.” Lily cupped her friend’s face, shaking it gently left and then right. “You’re never allowed to ride ever again. Keep your feet firmly on the ground, please, and thank you for your consideration.”
“I thought the same, but she’s a skilled horsewoman. It would be like taking away her orchids,” Ian added awkwardly.
Lily swung her gaze at him and narrowed her eyes before returning her attention back to Charlotte. “Kate wrote to me about her visit to Stonehurst. I couldn’t get away from the school.”
“Yes, Kate and Gabriel visited.” Charlotte chuckled, rolling her eyes. She stepped aside and turned to Ian, flashing a sheepish smile. “Rafe,” she said, “allow me to introduce you to my husband, the Duke of Dandridge.”
“Your Grace.” Rafe nodded once more. “Good of you to come.”
“It’s been awhile. Good to see you, Lily,” he said. “I am excited to see what you have created with Charlotte.”
“I imagine,” she said, the tension swelling in the air. Rafe stepped aside from his wife, allowing everybody inside the office.
“Well, this is the office,” Charlotte said, trying to change the subject.
