Page 28 of A Fake Courtship with the Duke
“Good morning, Lady Huxley and Miss Huxley,” he said with a charming smile that sent a rush of warmth through her veins. “I do hope I’m not intruding.”
Anne stood feeling as dumbfounded as her mother looked. What was he doing there? And how had he guessed pink roses, of all flowers, to bring to her?
Chapter Fourteen
It was clear to Richard that he had, indeed, interrupted something between Miss Huxley and her mother. Miss Huxley looked like a frightened doe and the viscountess looked angry, bewildered and baffled. And at the center of it all was a ball of orange fur, almost the same color as Miss Huxley’s dress. It was squirming in her grasp, and she looked both worried and helpless to keep the animal still. Richard looked down at the ground, where a maid was now dabbing and picking up some damp flowers and he understood what must have happened. The cat appeared to have knocked over a vase full of flowers. And by the look on the viscountess’s face, she was far from impressed.
The younger Huxley daughter entered the room just then, her lips parted as if to say something. But the second her eyes landed on Richard, she curtseyed. The gesture brought the viscountess back to her senses, and she copied her younger daughter in a perfect curtsey.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” Miss Charlotte said. With a glance at her sister, who was notably more disheveled looking than she herself and their mother did, she continued. “Shall Mother and I have tea summoned for you?”
Upon hearing her youngest daughter speak, the viscountess put on a wide smile.
“Yes, let us do that, darling,” she said, her voice clearly strained as she gave Miss Anne a sour look. “We’ll see to tea right now, Your Grace.” Miss Charlotte and she signaled for tea, which Richard acknowledged rather quickly.
“Yes, thank you,” he murmured. He raised his eyebrow, trying not to laugh at the cat, which was still wriggling in hismistress’s arms. He held out the flowers to Miss Anne, giving her a bemused smile.
“If this is a bad time, I could come back another day,” he said.
Miss Anne glanced up at where her mother and sister were speaking with another maid, shaking her head firmly.
“That’s quite all right,” she said nervously. “This is a nice, pleasant surprise, Your Grace.”
Richard bit his tongue to keep from pointing out that it looked to be the worst surprise in that moment. The two of them stood in awkward silence for a long moment, and Richard tried to think of something to say to lighten up the mood a little.
“Would you like for me to put these in a vase for you?” he asked.
Miss Anne blushed furiously, shaking her head and freeing one of her hands from the squirming cat.
“Oh, forgive me,” she said, holding out her hand to meet his. “No, it is quite alright. I shall request one of the servants to attend to it.”
Richard nodded, surprised at how endearing she looked to him with her flushed cheeks and flustered appearance. She took the flowers, but not before their hands brushed against each other. A sudden surge of electric sensation coursed through his limb, and settled in his heart and stomach, lingering even after he had pulled his hand away from hers. The quiet tension increased as they stood there staring at each other. Richard had never tried courting any of the ton ladies before, but he was sure that none of them had ever even won a true, genuine smile from him. So, how was it that Miss Anne was having such a strange effect on him?
“How did you know that I like pink roses?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.
From the doorway where they both still stood, Richard noticed that Miss Charlotte and Lady Huxley both looked at Anne when she spoke. Her sister looked as amused as he felt, but their mother looked like she was minutes away from a lecture. Miss Anne blushed again, biting her lip before speaking again. “I mean, they are lovely. They’re my favourite, in fact. I was just curious as to what made you choose those.”
Richard gave her a reassuring smile, pointedly ignoring her mother as he spoke to her.
“Susan told me,” he said. “I thought that since the two of you have been friends for so long, she might be able to help me with flowers for you. I’m glad you like them.”
Miss Anne returned his smile with a small, grateful one of her own as she nodded.
“I love them,” she said, her voice soft and delicate, not at all as confident and strong as it had been at Gunter’s or at the ball the night before. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
Richard bowed, still remembering the lightning sensation when their hands had touched.
“It’s my pleasure, truly,” he said.
Mischief, sensing that his mistress was distracted right then and choosing to live up to his name, wriggled free from Miss Anne's embrace at last. He landed deftly on the floor with all four feet and curiously approached Richard. The cat, with his sleek orange fur, inspected his polished shoes before affectionately rubbing against his trousers, leaving a trail of fur in his wake. Richard couldn't help but smile, feeling an unexpected fondness for the playful feline.
“Anne, my dear,” the viscountess said. Her tone had softened, but one look at her eyes showed Richard the disapproving glare she was giving her middle daughter and the feline. “Won’t you have Mischief taken to your chambers and kept there before he can make any more trouble?”
Miss Anne flushed again, and she reached down to grab the cat. But Richard picked him up first, holding him to his chest and earning himself a few more strands of orange fur on his jacket to match his pants.
“That’s perfectly all right, my lady,” Richard said, again not looking at the viscountess as he addressed her. “I like animals. And he’s done nothing to offend me since I arrived.”Indeed, I reckon he is endeared to me, as time passes,he added silently, marveling at the fast connection not only with Miss Anne, but her rambunctious feline companion, as well.
The viscountess looked as though she hadn’t expected such understanding from him. But she plastered on a big smile and led the maids, who had returned with trays of tea and cakes, over to where Richard and Miss Anne still stood. Miss Anne gave him another sweet smile of gratitude, wincing apologetically toward her cat.
