Page 32 of A Fake Courtship with the Duke
Richard snorted, glancing toward the open doorway.
“Off being disappointed in me, naturally,” he said dryly.
Susan gave him a sympathetic look and a nod.
“I know she is hard on you,” she said. “Which is why I wanted to make sure to thank you for going along with this charade. It’s for Anne, naturally. But it’s just as much out of concern for you. I hold an ample affection for both of you, and it pains me deeply to witness the detrimental actions of our respective families towards you. Nevertheless, I extend my profound gratitude, dear Brother. You truly are a good man.”
Richard nodded, giving his sister a wan smile.
“I wonder if that’s true,” he said. “However, Miss Huxley is hardly the worst company in London.”In fact, I think she might be some of the best company,he added silently and unbiddenly.
Susan gave him a wink, her smile turning a bit mischievous.
“Are you ready, Brother?” she asked.
Richard looked at the clock, noticing that a whole hour had already passed since he awoke. He rose from his seat, offering his sister his arm and grinning.
“Let’s go retrieve Miss Huxley,” he said.
***
Another half hour later, Richard and Susan found themselves standing in the elegant hallway of Anne's residence. The grandeur of the home was undeniable, even for a small townhouse belonging to that of a viscount and his family. It had a warm feel to him, with the warm but inviting colors andbeautiful fresh flowers in every corner of every hallway and room that he could see.
The butler led them to the grand hall to wait for Miss Huxley. It, too, seemed very welcoming, and though the townhouse was far smaller than his own family’s mansion, it appeared to be far more spacious. It was truly a lovely home, something he hadn’t noticed in his previous visit. It occurred to him that he never spent much time in the homes of people of lower status. Not out of any sense of snobbish ideals. He had simply not had many friends of lower stations, apart from Thomas. In truth, he had not had many friends at all.
As they waited for Miss Huxley, Richard's ears perked up at a familiar meow. With delight, he looked down to see Mischief trotting up to him with his bright orange eyes. The cat stopped at his feet, sniffing him and issuing another soft meow before affectionately nuzzling his leg. A rare chuckle escaped his lips, surprising even himself. He reached down to scratch the feline, immediately feeling the animal purr under his fingertips.
When he righted himself, Susan was looking at him with wide, inquisitive eyes.
“Excuse me, Your Grace,” she teased with a grin. “But in all my life, I never knew you to be a cat person.”
Richard blushed, giving his sister a playful glower. But before he could deliver a witty retort, his breath was stolen from his lungs.
Anne Huxley descended the stairs wearing a dress of the prettiest shade of orange that Richard had ever seen. It had very intricate swirling patterns that would not look out of place next to the embroidery on his own suit. If someone didn’t know better, they would think that the two of them had planned matching outfits. And he didn’t mind that idea at all.
The way her auburn hair shimmered, seemingly highlighted by the orange in the dress, was like the heavens themselveswere sending down special rays of sunshine to make it shine. He didn’t realize he had forgotten to breathe until his chest began to ache. Was she more beautiful than she had been the previous day? Or was he just seeing her for the first time?
Richard was momentarily spellbound, unable to tear his gaze away from her. He took a step forward, his heart pounding, and in a move that surprised even him, he delicately kissed Anne's gloved hand. Surprise flickered in Anne's eyes, but she allowed the intimate gesture to extend for a few heartbeats, a silent connection passing between them.
The moment was broken, to Richard’s chagrin, by Miss Huxley’s mother appearing, with her daughter’s lady’s maid, at the foot of the staircase. She dipped into an unnecessarily deep and formal curtsey, giving him a broad smile.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” she said, her voice dripping with all the honey in all of England. “And to you, as well, Lady Susan.”
Susan returned the curtsey and greeting. Richard reluctantly pulled his gaze off of Miss Huxley to bow to her mother. It was clear that she was determined to do everything to leave a favorable impression on Richard. In truth, he cared very little about Viscountess Huxley. He was still captivated with her middle daughter, and he was anxious for the morning ahead.
“And good morning to you, as well, Lady Huxley,” Richard said, trying to give the viscountess the validation she clearly so desperately sought. Then, he turned to Miss Huxley, offering her one arm and his sister the other. “Are you ready?”
Miss Huxley blushed, her green eyes sparkling with merriment and something else he couldn’t quite identify.
“Yes, Your Grace, I am,” she said, taking his arm as gently as a butterfly would graze an ungloved hand.
Richard grinned at her, trying to compose himself as he led the women, lady’s maid and all, out to the waiting carriage.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was alive with jovial chatter. It was such a change from his normal heavy, brooding mood that it was astonishing to Richard at first. But it didn’t take him long to relax and start smiling, especially as the lady’s maid was lovingly fussing about Mischief tearing a thread in her apron earlier that morning.
Miss Huxley giggled, patting her lady’s maid on her hand.
“Oh, Martha, I apologise,” she said. “If you’d like, I’ll mend it for you. It is solely my kitten's doing, thus my responsibility. It’s the least I could do.”
