Page 96 of The Duke's Indecent Match
Just because Lydia was a duchess, as far as Kalina knew, that did not change the way he would want her to behave.No one else had made such a blunt statement, which bordered on rudeness and so had always been easy to sidestep.
While she knew her silence damned her, there did not seem to be anything else she could say instead.
To her surprise, Lydia patted her arm where they were entwined, in a kind of consoling gesture.
“Ah.I’d wondered if it was true.If you ever need to speak to anyone who will understand, please feel free to come to me.”Her smile brightened when Kalina’s head snapped around to stare at her.“You did not know?”She leaned in, whispering.“Rumor has it, the Duchess of Windham trapped her duke into marriage as well.And at a house party no less.”
Kalina’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“You?”
“Me,” Lydia confirmed with a nod, then her attention was drawn to another woman coming down the pathway toward them with a mulish expression on her face.
Dressed in a pretty dark pink gown that dipped daringly low in front, almost scandalously low for a daytime dress, the pretty brunette was obviously on a mission.The Countess of Spencer had quite the reputation as anOriginal—though cut from a very different cloth than Lady Astrid—and despite her lesser rank, she was even more intimidating than some of the duchesses.
“Yes, Cynthia, can I help you?”
“Are we done with the gardens now?I want to play cards.”Cynthia glanced at Kalina.“Do you know how to play cards?”
“It depends on which game.”Kalina loved playing cards, but there were very few people who would ever play with her.Ashwin had quit in disgust years ago, which quite limited the options of games she could play with her parents.
“Have you ever played American poker?”Cynthia cocked her head.
“Yes… but I do not think my husband would approve of my gambling.”Now that matters seemed to have improved between them, she did not want to risk any act that might upset the boat again.
“Oh, we do not play for money,” Cynthia said, turning and gesturing for Lydia and Kalina to precede her.“We play for secrets and favors.”She winked, though she was obviously feeling impatient.Lydia just laughed and smoothly moved forward, pulling Kalina with her.
It did not take long to install themselves in the card room.Kalina found herself at a table with Cynthia and Arabella, the Duchess of Windham’s sister-in-law, and Tiffany.Cynthia and Arabella were clearly very close and both eager to play cards.At the other table, Lady Astrid had joined Lydia and Lydia’s other sister-in-law, Christina, as well as Lady Marley, whose first name was Daphne.Kalina had not had the opportunity to speak with either of them for more than a greeting, but it was clear the two were as close as Cynthia and Arabella were.
After winning several rounds of poker, Kalina made sure to lose one.Cynthia was beginning to look a bit pouty, as was Arabella, and even Tiffany was eyeing her a bit askance.
“How are you doing that?”Tiffany murmured when Kalina won the round after that—she truly had intended to lose, but Arabella had done a better job of bluffing than usual, and she had not realized the other woman had nothing in her hand.
“I’ve always been good at card games,” Kalina admitted, though she did not explain that such a statement was vastly understating her skill.Games of pure luck were not her forte, but if there were skill and an element of chance… somehow she’d always been able to keep track of the cards.Which had been played, which had yet to be played.She had not realized that it was not a universal skill at first, though she’d quickly learned.
Her father had always warned her not to boast about it.
“I would very much like to see you play cards with Matthew sometime,” Tiffany muttered, frowning down at her own hand.
It did not take long before Cynthia decided they should move on to whist—and she insisted on pairing with Kalina.Arabella, on the other hand, seemed to take the tack of wanting to beat Kalina after being so badly trounced at poker.Bemused, Kalina almost felt bad when she and Cynthia handily won.
By that time, masculine voices were coming closer, the gentlemen returning to join the ladies.Kalina could not help but tense when the men began to filter into the room and saw the ladies playing cards.She immediately sought out her own husband from the small crowd.Though he frowned when he saw the cards, his gaze lifted to hers and relaxed, as if he understood that she had not gambled away anything they needed.
She could only imagine how he felt about such things, considering his father’s reputation.
Knowing what she now did about the Duke and Duchess of Windham, she watched closely as the duke moved to stand beside his wife, his hand on the back of her chair.Though he was imposing in stature, the moment his gaze met hers, it softened.There was real warmth between them.Affection.
Maybe even love?
But Lydia had said she’d trapped him into marriage with her.
She’d offered to speak with Kalina, but she’d already given Kalina something far more important than advice or even a listening ear.
She’d given Kalina hope.
Nathanial
Unlike the luncheon earlier in the day, the Camden ballroom was packed, which came as no surprise.As a major event of the Season, everyone who could attenddidattend.The crush of people being masked also meant there was a sense of gaiety and freedom that came with identities being marginally hidden.Of course, most everyone was recognizable despite the masks, but they pretended not to be.
