Page 87 of The Duke's Spinster Bride
It had been days since he had last seen Andrea. He had tried to put her out of his mind, but everywhere he turned, there was some cruel ghost.
A painting she had moved, a book she had ordered. Her perfume lingered on his sheets; he had taken to sleeping in his study just to avoid it.
He patted his left breast pocket, where he had tucked the silver pocket watch. He still had not opened the small box. That was in his trouser pocket, though he had no idea why he did not simply hide the thing in his desk.
I wanted to do something nice for you.
“Really Frederick, is that anyway to greet your grandmother?” The Dowager Duchess clucked in disapproval, glancing at the state of disarray around them.
Frederick ran a hand across the stubble that lined his jaw.When did I last shave?Forcing himself to his feet, he moved towards his grandmother who was surveying him as she leaned on her cane. His shoulders and back cracked as he stretched.
“My apologies, Grandmother.” He inclined his head to her. “It is… It is good to see you.”
“I wish the same could be said of you. You look awful.” She wrinkled her nose. “Which reminds me of the most salacious bit of gossip I heard…”
Frederick frowned at her. “Gossip?”
“Yes.” His grandmother waved to a passing servant. “Could you be a dear and have some tea and biscuits sent to the drawing room?”
The servant cast a look at Frederick who nodded. “Of course, Dowager Duchess.”
“Excellent! There is nothing worse than swapping scandals on an empty stomach.” His grandmother looped an arm through his, pulling him out of the study and towards the drawing room. “And this is quite the scandal, let me tell you.”
He surveyed her out of the corner of his eye.What is going on?He forced himself not to look at the coat stand that held one of Andrea’s riding cloaks as they passed it. He stiffened and swallowed.
A hand went to touch his breast pocket, but he caught hold of himself and jerked his hand to his thigh.
His grandmother gave no indication that she had noticed him stiffen. “You know, I had a thought about my annual ball.”
Frederick narrowed his eyes at her. “What about it?”
“I am bored of pheasant, I think this year we ought to try something more exotic. I mean obviously we will still have to get in something more… pedestrian for some of the more beige members of the ton, but that does not mean the rest of us cannot get something a little more exciting.” She tapped a finger to her lips thoughtfully and then looked at him with a quizzical eyebrow. “What, no quip?”
“I am all out of them, today.” Frederick shrugged.Surely she is going to bring up Andrea at some point?
“Pity, you are usually my most amusing grandson.” She let out a theatrical sigh as they entered the drawing room and she sat down on one of the sofas, gesturing for him to take a seat in an armchair.
He sat stiffly, trying to ignore the feeling of walking into some kind of trap. He watched her for some sign of the subject he knew she would broach.
“Ah, and there are the refreshments.” His grandmother clapped her hands together as a servant entered the room with a tray of biscuits and a teapot, with cups and saucers.
The servant placed everything on the table, bowed to him and then his grandmother and then left.
“I suppose you are expecting me to pour the tea?” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Honestly, youth and their manners.”
Is this some kind of dig?The lady of the house was the one who was supposed to pour tea, and that was Andrea. The smell of jasmine threatened to overwhelm him but he pushed it away, forcing himself to smile at his grandmother even while the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
“Now, as I was saying. You will never guess what Miss Carmichael saw between Lord Yately and the Widow Mary.” She poured out two cups of tea, paused and then added a healthy measure of something from a hip flask to her own drink. “She found the two of them ensconced in quite the embrace. She practically swooned when recounting it, not that I put much stock in that. The woman truly has a flair for the dramatic.”
Frederick snorted. “As though you do not care for such things.”
What game is she playing?Suspicion and frustration warred within him. He curled his fingers into the soft arm of the chair, fighting to keep the smile on his face from turning into a frown.Any moment now, she will talk about Andrea. She is just trying to trick me.
“You know I love nothing more than drama. Well, perhaps love, but the two are so often entangled.” She gave him a meaningful look.
He bit his tongue.Now we will get to the truth of things. No doubt, she is going to tell me what a fool I have been.Yet to his surprise, his grandmother simply sipped from her drink and said, “It is like I was saying to Lady Thistlby, you remember her of course, Frederick. The one with a daughter who looks like a plum?”
“I do.” He dug a knuckle into his forehead, his head ached.
