Page 50 of Dancing with an Enigmatic Duke
He eyed her curiously. “What is it that you need?”
“It is not what I need, but something that you should know, Your Grace.” Francesca made a show of lowering her head as if it pained her to say the words. “I have seen Lady Callum pay much attention to Lord Hawley as of late. I worry that she may be harbouring a fascination with him and he with her, Your Grace.”
If Lord Torrington was surprised by her words, he did not show it. “So, this is what you have to tell me? The same rumour that is going around every parlour?”
“I did not know that you had heard, Your Grace.” Francesca frowned. “I just thought that you should know. It did not seem fair to you.”
He drew in a deep breath. “Thank you for your concern, but I am capable of seeing things with my own eyes. If you would please keep that in mind in the future, it will save you useless worry on my behalf, Miss Durant.”
Before Francesca could say aught else, the duke was gone, and she was left to look at the man’s retreating back. “What an odd man,” Francesca whispered.
***
Despite that he had heard the rumours himself, Nash left the grating Frenchwoman with a twitch in his eye from her words. He knew of the talk, and he knew it was not without founding. After all, Lady Callum had confided in him that she thought perhaps Edward might be a worthy partner for herself.
So why did it irritate him so that Miss Durant had sought him out, yet again? Perhaps that was the whole thing. The woman was persistent and dogged in her pursuit of him. He thought it harmless enough and refused to bring it up with Lady Callum.
After all, many women flirted almost as second nature. The French were known for their notorious love lives, perhaps it was just a difference of culture. The season and his false engagement to Lady Callum would be at a close soon enough that there was no need to bring any more drama into the situation.
He came into the study unannounced, which barely registered a response from Harcourt as he had done it so often. “Are you still pouring over papers? You shall lose your eyesight, but then that might help you find a bride.”
Harcourt looked up at him with such a look of confusion that Nash could not help but laugh. His ill-mood was forgotten as he enjoyed the look of exasperation.
“What are you on about?”
Nash sank into his customary seat and sighed heavily. “My dear Harcourt, my schooling brother, if you cannot see the ladies then it will make them far more attractive. I assure you of this since I have seen the flock you must pluck your bird from.”
“You are in a fine mood, are you?” Harcourt said, closing his register and looking at his friend. “Is that a new coat?”
Nash looked down at himself. “It is. Charles picked it up for me as I had neglected to do so.”
“I think you should pay Charles more.” Harcourt tugged as his cravat. “I should really have Charles come and show my man how to tie one of these. I think that my fellow used to work at the gallows.”
Nash guffawed at the look on Harcourt’s face more than his words. “I always loosen mine as soon as I am out of Charles’ sight. I think he knows and just pretends not to.”
“Are you going to see my sister before you leave?” Harcourt asked with a smile. “I think Gerald is waiting on standby just in case. I do think he has grown fond of my sister.”
Nash raised his hands helplessly. “Who would not grow fond of her? She is a woman of very singular quality. I do not know any who are quite like her.”
“See, despite the rumours I knew that you had not given up.” Harcourt leaned back with a deep satisfaction on his face.
With a sigh, Nash folded his arms across his chest. “Tell me that you too have not become a gossip?”
“It is hard not to overhear things, Nash.” There was a shrug of Harcourt’s shoulders before he continued, “And while you two seem smitten enough when you are together, you do tend to wander off at balls.”
Nash scowled at his friend. “Lady Callum and I have an arrangement that allows her to do what she enjoys and allows me to also do what I enjoy.”
“And that is a wonderful model for marriage if I ever saw one, but people just like to talk, Nash.” Harcourt raised his hand in surrender at the look on Nash’s face. “Fine, we shall not talk about it any longer.”
“I am indebted in you if you can actually accomplish that,” Nash snapped back.
Harcourt snorted in laughter. “Oh come now. You just told me to go blind. Yet, you are going to be grumpy because you are happy and people like to talk.”
Nash stood up. “I think I shall call on your sister and pray that she has not given into vaporous rumours.”
Even as he laughed at Nash’s words, Harcourt rang the bell. When Gerald appeared, he instructed him to take the duke to find Lady Callum. Nash rolled his eyes at his merry friend and the smile on his face.
The search for Lady Callum led them to the gardens where the lady sat watching birds flit to and fro through the vines hung with the fruit. “Good morning,” Nash called before Gerald even had a chance to introduce him. Out of respect, Gerald fell back and walked a bit away to give them space, while keeping them within his line of sight.
