Page 26 of The Duke of Distraction
“How I wish I could come to your side of the house instead of the boring saloon with cards.”Lavinia rolled her eyes.
Sarah laughed.“Is there any reason you can’t?”
“I don’t know, but I plan to find out.You’re my best friend.I’d rather be where you are even if I don’t partake in some of the entertainment.I can’t imagineallthe games involve kissing.”
They hadn’t last night.“You’re correct.You should come.”
“Now I won’t have to die of envy.”Lavinia grinned.
“Envy?I’m the one who should be envious.”And she was when she watched Lavinia and Beck together.Or the Dartfords.Or Sarah and Lavinia’s friends Nick and Violet, the Duke and Duchess of Kilve, who were also here.
Lavinia’s gaze softened with empathy, and she touched Sarah’s arm.“You’re going to fall in love.I just know it.You may already have met him.Or kissed him.”Her mouth quirked up in a smile, and Sarah chuckled.
“Maybe.And maybe not.Maybe I’m not meant to fall in love.Plenty of women don’t, and plenty of women remain unwed.You were once prepared to become a spinster, and I still am.Hopefully, you will still be my friend.”She said this with a lilt of humor.She knew Lavinia would always be her friend.
Lavinia took her hand and squeezed it.“Always.”
“I have to tell you something,” Sarah said, wincing.“I’ve been a bit of a bad friend.”
Lavinia’s dark eyes clouded as she released Sarah.“You could never be a bad friend.”
“I’ve been a bad friend in much the same way you were when you didn’t tell me about your and Beck’s relationship.”Sarah was referring to when Lavinia had learned Beck was the Duke of Seduction and hadn’t told Sarah about it—or the fact that she and Beck had become friends and then more than that.
“Well then, you aren’t a bad friend at all.You’re merely paying me back.What have you been keeping from me?”Her eyes widened.“Does it involve a gentleman here?”She glanced around.
“No,” Sarah said with a laugh.“You know how I like to make my own hats from time to time.”At Lavinia’s nod, she went on.“I’ve been increasing my purse so that I may open my own millinery shop.”
Lavinia’s jaw dropped.“You’re going into trade?”
“Quieter, please,” Sarah whispered as she looked about to see if anyone had heard.It didn’t seem so.“I won’t work there, and the shop won’t have my name on it.Dolly from Marsden’s Millinery is going to manage the shop and will execute my designs.”
“So you won’t claim credit for them?”Sarah shook her head, and Lavinia frowned.“That’s a shame.An outrage, really.”
“It’s not about gaining accolades,” Sarah said.“It’s about securing my future.And doing something I love.”She smiled then, as she always did when she thought of building something of her very own.
“You will have the best millinery shop in the history of millinery shops,” Lavinia said, her eyes bright with pride.
“The drivers should prepare to begin,” Felix announced through the horn.
“It’s almost time,” Sarah said.“I’d better place my wager.”She dashed over to the table and blurted the first name that fell from her lips.As she made her way back to Lavinia, she prayed she’d made the right choice.
A moment later, Felix called for the start and clanged the bell.Dartford and Wakeham raced forward, their vehicles all but even as they dashed toward the first turn.Sarah’s heart pounded as both drivers took the curve as fast as they dared, faster than they’d seen in any race yet.Both phaetons tipped, and there was a collective gasp followed by exhalations of relief once the eight wheels of the vehicles were back on solid ground and racing toward the second curve.
Wakeham seemed to take this turn just a bit more cautiously, while Dartford pressed even faster.His phaeton teetered again, but he kept masterful control and then drove into the lead as they rounded toward the finish.
“Come on, Dartford!”someone yelled as Wakeham seemed to gain on him as they neared the end.But it was Dartford who finished first, and Sarah finally exhaled fully.
Lavinia laughed.“I take it you wagered on Dartford?”
“I did.”Sarah grinned, and they made their way—along with everyone else—toward the finish line.
As with yesterday, there was ale and wine and much revelry for some time.A pair of men hauled Dart up onto their shoulders and paraded him around to the cheers and adoration of everyone present.No one was prouder or more pleased than Lucy, however, as she gazed at her husband with glowing pride—and love.
Sarah caught sight of Felix a few feet away and went to congratulate him on a successful event.“You really will have to do this next year.”
“So I keep hearing.It was terribly fun, wasn’t it?”he asked with a smile.“Did you win again?”
“I did.”
