Page 32 of Dancing with an Enigmatic Duke
Lady Callum turned her head toward him. She was holding a book, which she put down on the table next to the oil lamp. The sound of her rustling skirts came to Nash as she stood up to greet him. “I would ask what held Your Grace, but I fear I do not wish to know.”
Nash laughed and shook his head. “You must think very little of what I get up to, Lady Callum. I was merely delayed by water over the road near the bakery on Stedman Street.”
“Be that as it may, my brother already had me out on the floor with one of the men who sent him letters.” She smoothed her dress down. Nash only then noticed that the woman had chosen to wear a dress made of a material that caught the light as if it were enchanted. “Is there something wrong with my attire?”
Nash met the woman’s eyes. “No. I just noticed the material. Is that silk?”
“Satin,” Lady Callum corrected. She ran her fingers lightly over the white overlay that covered the satin of the dark green dress.
Nash cleared his throat. “The colour suits you well.”
“I shall pass along your compliments to Francesca, as it was her choice of material.” Lady Callum took a deep breath. “Are we to really begin our alleged romantic entanglement by being found in such a way as this?”
He smiled. “Many couples stumble into courtships, Lady Callum. It is something quite common, and I think it would seem less planned if we are discovered than if we approach your brother with an engagement.”
“It is true that Harcourt would probably be suspicious of such a plan. After all, he knows your feelings on marriage quite well.” Lady Callum seemed to resign herself once again to the plan. “How we shall be found is the question that you have not yet deemed to answer. After all, it is imperative that we both keep our reputations intact.”
He waved off her worries as he joined her next to the bookshelf. “I thought perhaps we could be caught in an intimate gesture. Faith, give me a moment to explain.” Nash smiled as he saw the set of her jaw. “Nothing so vile as to get us into the papers, I assure you.”
“What did you have in mind then?” Her gaze was wary. She clenched her hands in front of her like a shield.
Nash took a step toward her and held out his hand. “Your hand, My Lady?”
For a moment, he thought she might not consent, but slowly her hands unfurled from each other. She held out her hand to him. He took her long fingers gently in his hand. “I thought perhaps a simple kiss would suffice.”
“A kiss?” Her words were whispered and tinged with apprehension.
He held up his free hand to appease her. “Think me not some scoundrel, Lady Callum.” He lifted her hand in his. He leaned over to brush his lips against her fingers.
The door to the library came open in a flurry of outrage as Harcourt came in. He stopped as if dumbfounded and for a moment Nash forgot he was still holding onto Lady Callum’s hand. Letting go, Nash turned toward Harcourt fully. “Harcourt,” Nash said simply.
“So, this is what all that babbling about the Baron of Grissom was about?” Harcourt shook his head and closed his eyes as if he could not believe what he was seeing. “And you.” Harcourt turned toward Lady Callum when he opened his eyes again. “The maid said she saw you slip off as soon as I left the ballroom with Lord Torrington. This is looking very much like you two planned this.”
Nash raised his hands in surrender as he looked over at Lady Callum. She looked like she was very much interested in what he was going to say as well. He looked at his friend once again to find Harcourt waiting with his arms folded.
“Harcourt, we were foolish to think we could hide this from you. It is just that this all just came about, and we were overcome by it.” Nash gave Harcourt a pleading look. “You would be well within your rights to be angry with us both, but allow us a moment to explain.”
Lady Callum chimed in. “Harcourt, he speaks true. We were merely talking.”
Harcourt looked at his sister and shook his head. “I have eyes, Emmeline.” His eyes went back to Nash. “You wish to explain, then I would be interested in listening. However, this is not the place to do so.”
“I agree wholeheartedly.” Nash nodded his head along with Harcourt’s wise words. “I could come by your home tomorrow if that is acceptable?”
Lady Callum looked dissatisfied. Nash knew that she had been hoping for a quick conversation that would settle things. He really should explain to her how horribly redundant the world of society could be at times.
Harcourt cleared his throat and brought Nash’s eyes back to him. “We shall see you tomorrow. I trust you to keep this quiet until then.”
“Of course,” Nash said in a rush of breath. He would never betray a confidence let alone one that held his own interests. “It would be just as bad for me if this ended up in the papers prematurely.”
Harcourt put his hand on Lady Callum’s shoulder and waved for her to head towards the library door. He gave Nash one last confused look before following his sister.
Nash sat down on one of the tables and a smile spread over his face. In truth, Harcourt had caught them unawares, but it had all worked out.
***
The next day Lord Pentworth’s household was buzzing with the news of what had happened. It was evident to Nash when he arrived that every member of staff must know what had transpired as their eyes followed him. Truly, Nash needed to talk to Harcourt about his penchant of speaking in front of the help as if they did not have eyes and ears. After all, that is how things ended up in those gossip papers.
The sound of his boots on the clean tiles of the floor reminded Nash to breathe. He had been through scandals before. Although, not usually involving ladies. Those were the scandals of rogues and scoundrels not businessmen like himself.
