Page 85 of The Duke's Indecent Match
Kalina
The silent carriage ride with her husband was unnerving but thankfully short.She did not know what to say to him, and he did not seem to be interested in speaking with her.Staring out of the window as the streets rolled by, he appeared to be deep in thought.
Kalina stared down at her gloves and the lace ruffles on her sleeves, examining them even though she did not need to.
She wished she could think of something to say.
Something engaging.
Something that would make him smile.
And forgive her.
And fall in love with me.
She might as well wish for the moon on a string.
He jerked to attention when they reached Lady Darning’s home.Kalina was not surprised when Lady Darning’s eyes widened and brightened when they arrived.The lady and lord stood just inside the door, greeting their guests before they were escorted to the music room.
Kalina had been introduced to Lady Darning before, but had not met her husband until now.The lady was several inches shorter than Kalina, generously curvy, with brown hair that was expertly coiffed.Beside her husband, she appeared even shorter than normal.He was a good inch taller than Hereford with broad shoulders that filled out his jacket, movements that hinted at extensive musculature, and a completely bald head.
Unlike some of theton, he did not bother trying to hide his lack of hair, but stood proudly without anything covering his pate.
Just as she had with Lady Darning, Kalina liked him on sight.
One of the reasons she’d pushed to accept the invitation to Lady Darning’s musicale rather than Lady Sterling’s luncheon was that she’d remembered how Lady Darning had been kind to her and her mother when they’d met.Lady Sterling had not been unkind, but neither had she been welcoming.
If Kalina was going to raise a lady’s cachet with her and Hereford’s first public appearance, she’d rather it be Lady Darning.
“Your Grace.”Lady Darning curtsied low as Lord Darning bowed to the appropriate degree.“We are so honored by your attendance.”Lady Darning rose, her eyes gleaming with interest.“I seem to have attracted quite a few dukes to my musicale today.I must admit, I did not expect such an august turnout, even with the Duchess of Clarence’s agreement to play.Especially so soon after your wedding.”
She was prying for information, though doing it very politely, and Kalina did not blame her at all.It was going to be a hot topic for a while yet, no matter the groundwork their friends had laid for them.
“We are always happy to support our own,” Hereford said, smiling.“Besides, I never miss a chance to listen to Tiffany’s talent.”
“This will be my first time hearing her.Ilene insisted I could not miss it,” Lord Darning said with a fond glance at his wife.Whether he was a music lover himself, it was clear he was happy to indulge his wife in her request—or command, as it were.
“You will not regret it.”
Hereford’s words proved true.Seated between her husband and Lady Astrid in the audience, Kalina found herself entranced by both the opera singer and Tiffany’s piano playing.She was aware of the whispers that had flitted through the other guests when they realized she and Hereford were present, but once the music started, they hardly impinged on her conscience.
She was too enthralled by the performance.
Which was a relief.
Another benefit of this outing being a musicale was that the expectation was that they wouldnottalk very much.
Once the music ended, there was conversation, of course, but it revolved around the performance they had just watched.A few ladies tried to delicately pry for more information about Kalina and Hereford’s marriage, as Lady Darning had, but none of them pressed very hard.Most were too excited to talk about what a talent Lady Tiffany had.
The matchmaking mamas were clearly relieved that she was safely married off already, rather than enchanting the eligible gentlemen of thetonwith her music.Kalina noted that Gregory was sticking quite close to his wife’s side as she accepted the compliments of several of the gentlemen who had attended the performance.
The ladies opted to walk around the corner to Clarence House, as it was such a lovely day and not a very far walk.The gentlemen followed a little farther behind, escorting them from afar.Once they reached the house, the gentlemen announced that they would be going onward to their club and leaving the ladies to their tea.
Gregory and Tiffany said their farewell to each other, an affectionate exchange that bordered on scandalous, given they were on the street.Hereford bowed to Kalina and went to join St.Albans, while Ormonde appeared to be trying to do the pretty with Lady Astrid, while she was impatiently attempting to shoo him off.From the glint in his eyes, Kalina thought Lady Astrid might have a better chance at moving him along if she was not quite so determined to order him about.
Delilah stared at the front of the house while Grafton stared just as avidly at her, as though he was willing her to look at him.Monkey Sinclair had been left at home, so as not to disrupt the musicale, and it felt almost odd to see him without the little creature on his shoulder.His attention to Delilah was less odd, but Kalina also found herself rather exasperated with the man.
If he was not going to propose to her, indeed, if he was preparing to propose to another, he needed to leave her alone.
