Page 14 of A Wounded Duke's Passion
He turned abruptly around, putting his back to her.
“Oh!” The familiar voice cut through the air. “Bridget! Are you all right?”
“Rose,” Bridget breathed.
Her friend smiled, seemingly oblivious to the awkwardness of the situation and the potential scandal of it.
“I saw it happen,” Rose said, her face soft. “Did you want to borrow one of my gowns for the remainder of the evening? It would be a little short for you, but it would be dry, at least.”
“I am unsure if I wish to stay the remainder of the night,” Bridget confessed. “After seeing how the Marquess of Thornton behaved—”
“Do not worry about him,” His Grace interrupted. “I am sure he will be angry with me, rather than you.”
Bridget sighed. “I am not worried about his anger.”
The duke furrowed his brow. “What do you fear, then?”
She bit her lip. She should not tell him the truth. After all, she had not even told her own father that she knew of the proposed arrangement.
“I have a brilliant idea!” Rose exclaimed. “Oh, Bridget, it will be wonderful!”
“What?” Bridget asked.
“Your Grace,” Rose said, clapping her hands together. “The Duke of Norfolk wishes for Bridget to marry the Marquess of Thornton!”
“Rose!” Bridget exclaimed. “You cannot just tell him that! Even I am not supposed to know that!”
“Why?” the duke asked.
“It matters not,” Bridget said before Rose could reveal the entire truth to the Duke of Hamilton. “But they do.”
“And I am sure your parents would not insist on you marrying the Marquess of Thornton if you were being courted by a duke!” Rose declared. “You and His Grace should pretend to court. Then your parents will have no choice but to reconsider the arrangement!”
“That will not work,” Bridget said meaningfully. Her father would still be indebted if she did not marry the Marquess of Thornton.
“It will buy you some time,” Rose explained. “This is a good plan!”
“Excuse me,” His Grace interrupted.
He said nothing about Rose’s outlandish plan. He did not even ask for elaboration on why Bridget might be forced to wed Lord Thornton. Instead, he turned away and left with only those two words of warning.
Rose blinked, looking taken aback. “I thought it was a good plan.”
“It seems His Grace did not agree,” Bridget said.
“But to leave so suddenly...” Rose trailed off.
Bridget shrugged. She curled her fingers into his jacket and, after a moment, wrapped it around her shoulders. His scent, steady and warm, surrounded her like the softest counterpane. She wanted to simply sit on the balcony and breathe him in a little longer.
“Well,” said Rose, “let us find you something dry to wear.”
“Of course,” Bridget agreed.
But somehow, being drenched in champagne seemed like such a trivial matter given all the new and strange feelings that had come over her that night. Rose’s plan had provoked the most recent of them. It was a ridiculous idea, and yet Bridget found the thought of pretending to court the Duke of Hamilton to be very lovely, indeed.
Chapter 8
Anthony did not understand how the ton managed to attend so many functions. After only one ball, he felt as though he wanted to climb into bed and sleep for a week. Trying to sleep was futile, though, for his thoughts kept returning to Lady Bridget. After a few hours of trying not to think of the gooseflesh that had risen on Lady Bridget’s breasts in the night air and the sweet scent of champagne wafting from her skin, he had realized sleep was impossible and retreated to his study.
