Page 44 of A Fake Courtship with the Duke
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had the vague sensation that their lingering eye contact was pushing the boundaries of social decorum. In these conservative times, such an intense connection was dangerous, almost scandalous. But at that moment, he couldn't bring himself to care about propriety or the judgmental eyes of society. Wherever the notion had come from, it wasn’t from his conscious. He would stand there, lost in her eyes if he wanted to. And right then, he wanted nothing more.
His mother, naturally, broke the spell between the pair. Her distinct throat-clearing cut through the silence like a shrill crow’s caw, shattering the delicate bubble of intimacy that had been forming around Richard and Miss Huxley. Richard blinked as if waking from a dream, and the disapproving glances from his mother were impossible to ignore. She had been watching them closely, her eyes full of rebuke.
Feigning a nonchalant nod to his mother, as though he hadn’t been staring at Miss Huxley in a way that society could consider to be unbecoming, Richard led his companion away from the boat and toward the entrance of Vauxhall Gardens. It was as lively a scene as ever, with many clusters of tonmembers milling about everywhere. Conversations resonated around them, bouncing off the plants and hedges, the sounds of merriment adding to the allure of the place. Richard thought about what Susan had said, about the place having an air of romance about it. He experienced a brief moment of longing, wishing that Miss Huxley was truly his partner, so that they might share in the romantic vibes of the Gardens together.
He couldn’t help glancing at Miss Huxley again, noticing how she seemed to be beginning to relax and get the same starry-eyed look that his sister had. He smiled to himself. It was just as important to him that Miss Huxley enjoy herself as it was for Susan to have a good time. And with his mother being so haughty and rigid in her manners, he knew he would have to put all his effort into making the evening lovely for everyone.
The group moved along the promenade at Vauxhall Gardens, their path illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns and the occasional burst of laughter that punctuated the evening air. Miss Huxley’s hand rested lightly on his arm, sending wave after wave of tingles down his spine. Each time he touched her, the connection he felt to her intensified. He could no longer give credence to the idea that he was imagining things. There were feelings between him and Miss Huxley. Even if he wasn’t sure what they were, or what to do about them.
Their destination, a designated supper box, was still a short walk away, but the world around them seemed to dissolve into a muted blur. Richard found it impossible to focus on anything except for Miss Huxley, especially when she laughed at something Susan had said to her as she grabbed onto her friend’s other arm and tugged it like an excited child. On his other side, his mother held her head up high, but the firm set of her jaw told him that her displeasure was only increasing. She had been so obtuse and cold that he noticed when her expression changed. And when it did, it filled Richard with immediatedread. He knew what had changed his mother’s mood even before he saw them.
As they approached a junction, the Westbrooks came into view, locking eyes with his mother and himself, respectively. Lady Victoria beckoned for her daughter to join her in a curtsey, which was returned with a flourish by the dowager duchess. Susan and Miss Huxley followed suit reluctantly, but Richard refused to bow. He glowered at his mother, but as always, she failed to notice. He didn’t need to guess whether she had arranged such a run-in on purpose. He was sure that that was one of the things his mother had been discussing with Lady Victoria at dinner the evening before.
“What a pleasant surprise,” the dowager said, insulting Richard’s intelligence as she looked at him pointedly. “It’s lovely to see the two of you again.”
Richard mumbled something that sounded like a polite greeting, knowing very well that no one would notice his unhappiness. Naturally, Lady Victoria began gushing over his mother’s blue dress, while Lady Eleanor looked at him with a smug expression of incredible self-satisfaction, as though she had just won a round of a game that Richard hadn’t even known was in play. He supposed she thought she had. Surprising him at his own sister’s birthday celebration surely gave her the impression that he was pleased with her efforts to get close to him. But all the encounter had done was deepen his distaste for the young lady and her mother. He intended to do everything he could to ignore the pair. And he would absolutely refuse to allow them to join his family and Miss Huxley for dinner.
“Eleanor, darling, I must say that you look positively radiant tonight,” his mother said with a smile. The atmosphere suddenly became heavy and three pairs of eyes turned to Richard as if awaiting confirmation from him. He felt a visceral twinge, recognizing his mother's jabbing slight directed at MissHuxley. Instinctively, he reached with his free hand and gave Miss Huxley’s arm a deliberate squeeze, offering her silent reassurance and a display of solidarity. His desire to protect her flooded him, and he would ensure that he found a way to lessen the sting of his mother’s childish, insulting words.
If Mother can do it, I can, as well,he realized, turning to Miss Huxley with the warmest, most charming, and sincerest smile he had ever given her. It wasn’t hard to summon the words he sought. They were true, after all.
“You look utterly captivating this evening,” he said, leaning in so that only she could hear him, so close that his lips grazed the curl that dangled just over her ear. The delicate rose hue that tinted Miss Huxley’s cheeks at his compliment filled Richard's heart with triumph. He had succeeded in erasing the blow that had surely been dealt to her by his mother’s words. And now, he got to witness her in all her magnificent beauty as she blushed and smiled shyly at him.
“Thank you,” she mouthed silently at him, clearly wanting to continue keeping their little conversation between just the two of them. Richard didn’t need to glance back to know that his mother and Lady Eleanor were glaring at him. But when he peeked past Miss Huxley at his sister, he saw the excited, approving expression on her face, barely concealed by the understanding that she needed to temper her reaction. She turned her face away quickly, but not before giving her brother an encouraging wink. It seemed that Susan thought there was more between Miss Huxley and her brother than a farce, as well. And Richard was quickly reaching the conclusion that that was true.
Behind them, Richard heard murmuring, and only then did he remember that the entire Huxley family was in attendance, as well. He glanced back to see Miss Huxley’s younger sister covering her mouth with her hand. She had clearly seen theinteraction between her sister and him. And the knowing look in her eyes told him that she approved, as well. The viscount and viscountess spoke quietly between themselves, but the viscountess gave him a nervous smile when he made eye contact with her. He recalled the way they spoke to their middle daughter and chastised her for things for which no one should be chastised. He turned back to face the two unwanted women, unsurprised to find that they were both staring at him.
With a sudden rush of resolve, Richard winked at Miss Huxley, inwardly shivering as her blush deepened and her beautiful green eyes glittered with sincere gratitude and delight. Then, he turned back to Lady Victoria and her insufferable daughter, giving them such a small, quick bow that it couldn’t be mistaken as anything other than sarcastic and disinterested.
“If you’ll excuse us,” he said, using all the authority of his station as he spoke. “We really must be getting to our dinner box. I’ve already made the arrangements for just the seven of us. I do apologise.” He made no effort to put any genuine remorse in his final words. Instead, he gave Lady Eleanor the briefest of smug smirks before leading Miss Huxley, followed by Susan and Miss Huxley’s family and, reluctantly, the dowager duchess. Beside him, Miss Huxley giggled softly, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. Richard couldn’t help smiling at her with deep affection at the sound of her musical laugh.
“Utterly insufferable, those two,” he whispered before his mother could catch up to him.
Miss Huxley nodded, smiling up at him sweetly.
“Thank you for being so kind,” she said.
Richard shrugged, looking at her earnestly.
“I was only being honest,” he said.
As their exchanges continued, Richard found himself caught up in emotional turmoil. What had started as a simple charade was evolving into something that was real and undeniable. Thelines that delineated reality from make-believe were becoming increasingly indistinct, leaving him contemplating the true nature of their budding relationship. It seemed that Thomas had been right, and that Susan and the younger Miss Huxley knew something he was only just beginning to see. But could he make a real relationship out of what started out as a fake one?
Chapter Twenty-three
The supper box that the Duke had rented was a vision of royal elegance the likes of which Anne had never seen. She had been with her family to Vauxhall Gardens a couple of times, but they had opted for the public dining option once, and the refreshment stalls the second time. The box’s chandelier cast a warm, golden glow upon the rich, purple walls.
Anne sat in awe as she looked around, waiting for the duke to order the meal for the evening. It was, unsurprisingly, Susan’s favorite meal: roasted duck, salad, freshly baked rolls, and champagne, with syllabubs and strawberry tarts coming for dessert. The savory smells around her made Anne’s stomach grumble. For the first time in as long as she could recall, she was excited about dinner.
The seating arrangement was so that her parents and sister sat in a line beside each other, with the dowager and Susan sitting facing them. Anne sat beside across from Susan, and Richard sat beside her at the head of the table. Susan gave her a mischievous wink. Anne blushed and tried to wave her friend away. But the duke noticed and once more gave her a wink of his own, stopping her heart.
“Have you ever been here before, Miss Huxley?” he asked.
Anne nodded, her expression sheepish.
“A couple of times,” she said. “But I never got to experience the luxury of a supper box.”
The duke grinned at her, raising his champagne glass halfway.
