Page 66 of The Duke's Spinster Bride
“It does not mean you have any sense of fashion either.” Cecily pointed out.
Frederick narrowed his eyes at her, gesturing to the deep purple coat he was wearing and tugging on the lapels. “Just because I like a splash of colour, does not mean I do not understand fashion. I simply do not care to restrict myself to the more sombre things espoused by Beau Brummel.”
“I rather like the colour.” Andrea added, just managing to stop herself from running her hands along the purple velvet coat.
“You see? Andrea likes it!” Frederick puffed out his chest.
“This is the problem with arguing with married couples, there are always two people against you.” Cecily threw up her hands in exasperation.
Andrea suppressed a giggle as Frederick and Cecily both frowned at each other.
“Only when you are wrong.” Frederick danced away as Cecily swatted at him, sticking his tongue out at her and making a face. “You will have to try harder to catch me, dear Cecily.”
Andrea laughed as Cecily scowled at Frederick. Her chest eased, feeling lighter than it had done in months, and she looped one arm through Frederick’s and another through Cecily’s.
“Am I going to have to treat you both like children and tell you to behave?” She looked between the pair of them.
“I was not the one misbehaving.” Frederick jerked his head towards Cecily.
Andrea watched as his cousin raised her eyebrows, a dangerous note in her voice. “Are you implying that I was? What are you doing here anyway? Do you not have more important things to do than make a nuisance of yourself?”
“But Cecily, that is his prime role! To be a nuisance.” Andrea teased, laughing at Cecily’s raised eyebrows and the shock on her face.
“You wound me, dear wife.” Frederick clutched a hand to his chest in mock pain.
Andrea rolled her eyes but could not keep the smile from creeping onto her face. Frederick grinned back before looking across Andrea at Cecily.
“If you must know, I had a few meetings cancelled and thought I might as well use the time to come and be with the pair of you. I could always join you at the modiste—who knows, I might be of assistance.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Cecily reached across Andrea and smacked Frederick with her fan. “Absolutely not. You will be nothing but a distraction and Andrea and I have far too much to do. Besides, I want you to be just as surprised as the rest of the ton when you see her.”
“I expect that under your careful supervision, I shall spend many a ball picking my jaw back up off the floor.”
“Now I know you are just being melodramatic.” Andrea ran a hand along her arm, shifting from foot to foot, but not looking away from Frederick’s gaze.
“I am not. I have no doubt that whatever you wear will be utterly breathtaking.” He reached up towards her, and tucked one of the flowers from the magnolia tree behind her ears. “Mark my words, Duchess, before the season is over I will make you believe me.”
Andrea’s chest tightened. “Is that a challenge?”
“Yes.” Frederick breathed. “You are beautiful, Andrea. And I will make you see it.”
He stepped away from them and swept into a bow. “And with that, I take my leave of you.”
As he sauntered away, Andrea could not help but think that maybe, he might be able to convince her after all. She watched as he stopped and greeted each servant, smiling and asking about their day.
“He is always looking after people.” Andrea muttered. “It is time someone looked after him.”
“Pardon?” Cecily canted her head towards her.
“Nothing. Just… I have a few things I need to tend to before the modiste.”
“If you are trying to put me off-”
“- my dear Cecily, rest assured I am not.” Andrea gave her friend a mischievous smile. “I am simply trying to surprise my husband, and to do that I need to resurrect Andrew Cowper.”
Andrea may not have had much of a sense for fashion, but she did know how to set up a bank account in a male name. Which is exactly what she would need to do, to surprise Frederick.
ChapterTwenty-Two
