Page 79 of The Duke of Ice
Her manner was so matter-of-fact, so…unemotional that it jarred him. Over the past several days, the miasma of melancholy that pervaded every corner of London had overwhelmed him. The pall had threatened to send him to cower in his bed for the duration of his stay.
Miss Kingman’s pragmatism was a welcome respite.
“Yes, that is a blessing,” he said.
“It’s frightening, though, isn’t it?” she said serenely, without a hint of apprehension to accompany her question. “Bearing a child, I mean. I’m not sure I’d want to try.” Her frame shuddered delicately.
“I’m sure your husband will want you to.”
She pursed her lips briefly and exhaled. “Yes, I’m sure he will.”
“I wouldn’t.” He surprised himself by saying this. “I lost my first wife in childbed. And the child later.”
“I’d heard that.” Again she refrained from belaboring the tragedy of it. “But what of your title? You need an heir.”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t meant to inherit—the title came to me after a series of unfortunate events.” He opted not to say tragic since she seemed quite fine with leaving emotion out of their conversation. “There are others it will pass to.”
“Well, then I can see why you aren’t inclined to marry,” she said with a smile. “How splendid.”
“Splendid?” He was confused by her remarks. “You sound as if you are not in favor of marriage. Forgive me for saying so, but I had the distinct impression at the house party that you were on the Marriage Mart.”
“According to my father, yes. He’s hoping to match me with a grand title—like yours.”
Sir Barnard had made that quite clear every time he’d spoken with Nick at the house party. “He just wants what’s best for you, I think.”
She let out a rather unladylike snort, showing him a side of her he hadn’t seen at the party. “He wants what will elevate his position. If he truly cared what I wanted, he’d let me choose my own husband. Or not.”
Yes, he had to conclude she was definitely not in favor of marriage. “You don’t wish to marry.”
She glanced back toward her groom, who was stationed several yards behind her. “I didn’t mean to be so forthcoming. Please forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I admire forthrightness.” It was one of the things he’d loved about Violet. When they’d first met, she hadn’t played the part of a blushing young lady out to woo a suitor. She’d been honest and plainspoken. He squeezed the thoughts of her from his mind.
“Thank you, Your Grace.” She patted her horse’s neck. It was a fine animal, and from what he could tell, she had an excellent seat.
“I’m terribly sorry for nearly colliding with you,” he said.
“You didn’t come very close. Anyway, I’m skilled enough to have avoided you if necessary. I like athletic activity. Aside from swimming. Although I think perhaps I should learn in case I go tumbling out of a boat again. Thankfully I had a knight—rather, a duke—to save me.”
“It was my pleasure. I enjoy the water, particularly fishing.”
“I love to fish. But of course, the ladies weren’t allowed to at the party.”
She liked to fish? “Have you ever fished in the ocean?” When she shook her head he said, “I live on the coast. It’s quite invigorating. Fishing in the waves is a bit different.”
“I’d like to try that someday.” Again, she looked over her shoulder. “I should be getting home. It was a pleasure to see you, Your Grace.”
“For me as well.”
“I hope our paths will cross again while you’re in Town.” She inclined her head then kicked her horse into a canter.
As he watched her go, her groom following, he realized he felt lighter than he had in days. Miss Kingman had been a welcome breath of serenity in the chaos of his life. He appreciated her undemonstrative demeanor and her candor. It was a pity she didn’t want to marry, for she really would make an excellent wife. She’d be a charming hostess, and she’d be undemanding. Furthermore, without children, one needn’t worry about losing them. He realized with a start that she was precisely the kind of woman he’d told Simon he wanted.
But was that still true after he’d rediscovered Violet and what they’d shared?
Hell yes.It was even more true now, since her accident. He wasn’t the man he’d been eight years ago, no matter how hard he’d tried to recapture that magical time he’d spent with her.
Damn. She would have gotten her hopes up, despite them taking each day as it came. He was angry with himself for going to Bath and opening her up to heartache. She deserved better. She deserved happiness and light and warmth—things he couldn’t give her. Maybe it was time to set her free from the past and free from her tether to a beast like him.
