Page 31 of The Duke of Seduction
Chapter 6
Mist fades fast, banished by her light,
She glows with warmth and joy so bright.
No storm, nor hurricane can stand
To resist her love; close at hand.
-FromAn Ode to Miss Jane Pemberton
by The Duke of Seduction
Due to anotherstorm the day before, Lavinia did not walk in the park, which meant she did not see Lord Northam. She had, however, spent a great deal of time thinking about him. About how he’d lied to her. About why he’d done so. About how much she liked him.
She’d never had a male friend before. It seemed odd for that to be the case—Lavinia tried to make friends wherever she went—but given Society’s rules, it was deuced hard to cultivate a friendship with a member of the opposite sex. God forbid they spend time together without thinking sexual thoughts.
Which wasn’t to say Lavinia hadn’t entertained a few inappropriate ideas. All of them springing from that first moment of their acquaintance.
His mouth. Her neck.
Sensation danced along her spine, and she shivered.
“Are you cold?” her mother asked, looking up at the flinty sky as they approached Hyde Park. “Perhaps we should return home.” She’d been vacillating all afternoon as to whether they should go. It was quite chilly, and yesterday’s storm would ensure the park was muddier than usual. They always stuck to the paths, of course, but on a crowded day, that wasn’t always possible. However, Lavinia doubted this would be one of those occasions.
“I’m not cold,” Lavinia said, glad she’d brought her muff. “I’d like to continue. If the weather turns, we could be stuck inside for days. Best to take advantage while we can.”
“True. We needn’t stay long either. I can’t imagine there will be many people in attendance.”
Lavinia slid her an exasperated glance. “Sometimes it’s just nice to go for a walk, Mother.”
“Yes, of course. But we needn’t do it in the sodden park if we don’t care to be seen.”
Biting her tongue, Lavinia strolled through Grosvenor Gate and immediately saw Miss Lennox with her mother. “Excuse me, Mother. I want to offer my congratulations to Miss Lennox. I haven’t seen her since her engagement.”
“I’ll go with you,” the countess said, dampening Lavinia’s enthusiasm. “The first banns were read on Sunday, I believe.
They approached Miss Lennox and her mother. Both women were pale with dark hair, but whereas the older woman’s eyes were brown, the younger’s were a vivid green.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Lennox, Miss Lennox,” Lavinia’s mother said.
Mrs. Lennox smiled warmly. “Good afternoon, Lady Balcombe.” She shifted her gaze to Lavinia. “Lady Lavinia.”
“We wished to offer our best wishes for Miss Lennox’s upcoming nuptials. Mr. Sainsbury is quite a catch!”
Lavinia wasn’t sure that was true. The man was heir to a barony, but he’d always struck Lavinia as one of Society’s Insincere—those people who behaved one way in polite conversation and another when you weren’t watching. Except Lavinia was always watching. Her position along the wall made that rather easy to do.
“He’s quite charming, yes.” Mrs. Lennox sent a smile toward her daughter, who looked as though she were rather bored. Was she? “Phoebe is so fortunate. The wedding is in just over a fortnight. There is much to do, of course.”
“I can imagine. My eldest son is married, but it’s different when it’s your daughter.”
“Yes, I would think so. Phoebe is my first and only.”
Lavinia moved closer to Miss Lennox. “Are you enjoying the preparations?”
“Yes. As Mother said, there’s plenty to do,” Miss Lennox said without even a touch of zeal. Perhaps she didn’t enjoy planning a wedding. “And yet here we are at the park.”
Mrs. Lennox laughed softly. “So you can see Mr. Sainsbury.” She turned to Lavinia. “How does it feel to be the latest beneficiary of the Duke of Seduction’s prose?” Her guileless expression seemed to indicate she expected a favorable response.
