Page 45 of Courting Scandal With The Duke
He strode to the nearest window and pushed up the sash. Not much more than a crack, but enough to let in a bit of a breeze. The curtains wafted gently into the room.
‘That is better, isn’t it?’
Miss Simon gazed at him for a moment and then her expression changed to relief and she smiled. ‘Much better.’
She looked lovely. Happy. As if—
Right then, the Countess joined them. ‘Miss Simon. I have you to thank for my presence here today. Your mother said you most particularly asked that she send me an invitation.’
Miss Simon’s smile once more became nervous. ‘Mother said it was too short notice, but I am very glad you decided to come.’ She glanced from Xavier to the Countess and then down at hertoes, apparently at a loss for further words. Then said in a rush, ‘I was going to show His Grace the garden. All the spring flowers are in bloom. It is quite lovely. Perhaps you would like to see it?’
The Countess looked surprised. ‘I am sure I do not wish to intrude upon your tête-à-tête.’
‘No, no. His Grace does not wish to see the gardens, do you?’
It seemed Miss Simon was now hoping to speak to the Countess alone. What was the minx playing at?
But she was right, he did not wish to be alone with Miss Simon. He had absolutely no intention of proposing to her today. It was far too early in their acquaintance, and he certainly wasn’t going to allow his hand to be forced.
‘Miss Simon is right. I have no interest in flowers.’
‘I for one adore spring flowers,’ the Countess declared. ‘It is such a delight to see colour after the drab of winter.’
It was a delight to see her after the drab of debutantes.
Xavier clamped his jaw shut before he said something stupid.
When they stepped through the French doors from the drawing room along a path and into a small walled garden, Barbara gasped at the dazzling array of colour.
Spring bulbs of every variety and hue met her gaze in every direction.
‘How beautiful.’
‘My uncle loves Holland bulbs. For years, he even tried to grow a black tulip,’ Miss Simon said. ‘He thought he could make a fortune.’
‘I think the Duke will be sorry to have missed this.’
‘Well, to be frank, I am glad he did not join us, My Lady. He scares me to death.’
‘My dear Miss Simon, the Duke is a gentleman. Nothing to be scared of, I am sure.’
‘You seem so at ease in his company, I thought perhaps you might be able to offer me some advice. All Mama says is “be your sweet self.”’
‘I think your mama is probably right.’
‘Countess, I c-can’t be myself when he frowns at me so.’
‘Please, call me Barbara, if we are to be friends.’
The child looked up at her. ‘I am Isabelle.’
‘Isabelle, you must be doing something right, because he definitely seems interested in you.’
Isabelle’s eyes sheened with unshed tears. ‘All I can think is, why me? I always thought Adam and I… We are neighbours, you know, and dreamed of— But now all Mama can think about is being the mother-in-law of a duke and the advantages it will bring to my younger sisters.’
Saddened, Barbara plopped down on the nearby bench. Had not she herself gone through something very similar? Commanded to wed where she had no interest?
Isabelle sat beside her and dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief, sniffled then blewher nose. ‘At first, I was flattered. I mean, he is a Duke and he is not terrible looking, I suppose.’
