Page 29 of A Fake Courtship with the Duke
“I’m sorry,” she mouthed.
Richard shook his head, scratching the cat behind the ears and earning him a brief moment of purring.
“No harm done,” he mouthed back.
He gently put the cat, who raced to join his mistress while he continued to survey Richard closely, back down on the ground. Then, he took a seat on a two-seating bench, across from Miss Anne’s mother and sister. Miss Anne sat down beside him, idly scratching her pet, and Richard was glad to see that she was beginning to relax a little.
“Well, it certainly seems like our little Mischief likes you,” Miss Charlotte said with a giggle. “Do you have any pets?”
The viscountess’s expression soured again, but she didn’t say anything, opting instead to sip her tea. Richard shook his head, glancing down at Mischief, who had temporarily become distracted by a loose ribbon on Miss Anne’s dress.
“I have no cats or dogs,” he said. “Although, I do have horses, and I love them. I like animals, though. They keep things interesting. To be sure.”
Miss Charlotte giggled, gazing at the cat fondly.
“That’s one way of looking at it,” she said.
Miss Anne gave her sister a playful glare.
“He’s a good cat,” she said. “He’s just still young and playful.”
The viscountess gave Miss Anne another of her warning looks. But she simply looked at Richard and smiled.
“Did you come calling on Anne to invite her somewhere today?” she asked.
Richard shook his head, beginning to feel irate with how cold and harsh the viscountess sounded when speaking to and about her own daughter.
“Not today, my lady,” he said. “I have an important business meeting this evening.” He paused, turning to Anne. “I did want to know if you would do me the honour of accompanying me to the promenade tomorrow, though.”
Miss Anne looked genuinely surprised, as though she hadn’t been expecting such an invitation. She appeared to be thinking it over, and Richard was happy to let her take whatever time she needed to answer him. Before she could, however, the viscountess interjected with a too-wide smile that reminded Richard a great deal of his own mother when she was calculating and plotting.
“The honour would be hers, Your Grace,” she said, seemingly cornering Miss Anne into compliance. The air grew heavier with unspoken words as Miss Anne stared at her mother with reddened cheeks. Richard could see that there was something she desperately wanted to say, but she was biting her tongue. He could also see precisely what Susan had meant about how pushy and controlling the viscount and viscountess were.At least, when it came to Miss Anne. Miss Charlotte, it seemed, got far less of their parents’ criticism. Richard didn’t want Miss Anne to think that he pitied her. But part of him did, because he understood how that felt.
“Yes,” Miss Anne said at last, giving him a weak smile. “I would be delighted.”
Richard grinned, hoping to show that it was her word he was waiting for and not her mother’s before responding.
“Wonderful,” he said. “I shall be looking forward to it.
With tea nearly finished and Miss Anne clearly mortified at the way her mother was behaving, Richard considered leaving. But it was as though the viscountess could see or sense his readiness to leave, as she quickly rose and clasped her hands together in front of her.
“Your Grace, I was just thinking that you might like to hear a little pianoforte music,” she said, her voice suddenly dripping with all the honey in London. “Our Anne is a wonder with music, and I’m sure she would be thrilled to entertain you.”
Richard started to shake his head, knowing very well why her mother would want to force her to perform for him. But at this suggestion, Miss Anne looked relieved. She rose from her seat, giving him another apologetic look as she hurried past him and to the pianoforte bench, sitting down and carefully looking at the sheet music on the stand. Richard said nothing to protest her playing for him. But he held his breath, certain that she would be about as much of a ‘wonder’ with the pianoforte as Mischief would be.
He was once more surprised by Miss Anne, however. It seemed as though she hardly had to touch the keys to make the instrument play the sweetest notes Richard had ever heard. And the serenity on her face belied all the anxiety and tension that had been weighing her down just a short time before. Clearly, she enjoyed playing. And Richard enjoyed hearing her play.
As Anne's delicate fingers danced across the keys, the room filled with the sweet melodies of a Beethoven composition. Mischief, seemingly sensing the tranquility in the room, clambered onto Richard's lap. Caught off-guard, chuckled softly, patting the animal’s head. He allowed the cat to settle in, his contented purring adding to the room's newfound tranquility. Even the viscountess didn’t look reproachfully at the feline. Although Richard suspected that was because she was more interested in how impressed he was with her middle daughter.
Richard's eyes remained fixed on Anne as she played, her passion evident in every note. He was, in fact, rather impressed by Miss Anne Huxley. He found himself increasingly captivated by her, as her beauty and grace were undeniable. Her soul shone through in the way she clearly loved her pet, as well. Yet, an inner reminder nagged at him. He wasn’t there to truly try courting Miss Anne. Their seemingly budding romance was nothing more than a charade. And he knew he would do well to remember that.
Chapter Fifteen
For a moment, Anne was swept in the way of the magic of playing the pianoforte. The tension in her family’s home, Mischief’s close call with her mother’s vase, and even the duke didn’t exist. It was just her and the music, and she was happy to get swept up in the joy and passion of it all. It felt like the music was caressing all her raw nerves and soothing the parts of her mind that remained constantly anxious since her parents had started to try to pressure her to marry her cousin. Mischief was healing to her soul, and music settled her most troublesome thoughts.
She was only brought back to reality when her Beethoven piece concluded, and the drawing room fell into complete silence as the final notes lingered around her. She glanced around to see that her sister’s mouth had fallen open and her mother’s gaze was fixed firmly onto the duke, who was staring intently at Anne. She held her breath, knowing that whatever he said would determine her own mother’s words and mood.
“I am in awe, Miss Anne,” the Duke finally said, his words and eyes full of genuine admiration. “Your musical skills rival those of professional musicians. I have never heard such talent apart from on a stage.”
