Page 46 of The Duke of Distraction
“I’d be happy to buy it—or any other—for you.”
She gave him a reproving look.“You can’t buy me things.Anyway, I don’t buy hats.”Because she made them all herself.But she hadn’t wanted to since her parents had died.
“And why would you?”he said with a smile.“Perhaps you should purchase some supplies, then.Some ribbons?Some silk flowers?”
“I don’t need anything, thank you.”She went to look at gloves.
He followed her.“I was hoping you could show me how to make hats.”
“You were?”She wasn’t sure she believed that.“Why would you need to make a hat?”
He shrugged.“You never know.I might find myself somewhere with no headgear to speak of and find myself in desperate need.”
She cocked her hip and stared at him.“So you’d be without a hat but have all the materials and implements required to make one.Seems like that could happen.”
He snorted.“Your sarcasm is killing me.”
She turned, notching up her chin.“I learned from the best.That would be you and Anthony, in case you didn’t realize.”
“Oh, I realized,” he said, chuckling.“Let me get some supplies.The sooner you get back to making hats, the sooner you’ll feel like yourself.”
He could be right, but she wasn’t going to do it.Instead of telling him so, she strode from the shop.
He trailed her outside and touched her elbow.“Why did you leave?”
She turned to face him, giving in to her irritation.“I don’t want to make hats.And I don’t need to ‘get back’ to anything.My life is different now.”
He frowned, his brow creasing.“It doesn’t have to be.You can still open your shop in Vigo Lane.In fact, it might even be easier—”
“Just stop,” she snapped.“I am not opening a shop in Vigo Lane.”Her parents would have hated it, and she wasn’t going to dishonor their memory in that way.
He clasped her elbow and drew her to the side of the walkway.“Why deny that which would make you happy?”
“Making my parents proud will make me happy.”
“So now you want to marry,” he said flatly.
“I always wanted to marry.”She couldn’t help feeling—or sounding, apparently—defensive.
He didn’t appear convinced.“I believe you wanted to fall in love.Is that still a requirement?”
“It is…important.I’ll accept a husband with whom I can be happy.Love isn’t always necessary.”She was now completely parroting her mother.Her throat constricted.
“I want you to be sure you know what happiness is—for you.”He pressed his mouth into a determined line.“Come on, I’m taking you somewhere.”
She moved toward the gig.“Where?”
He helped her up.“It’s a surprise.”
She looked down at him from the seat.“I hope it’s not another millinery shop.”Maybe it was the Grotto.
“It’s not.We’re going back to the estate.”He circled the vehicle and climbed onto the seat beside her.
Not the Grotto, then.
As Felix took the reins, she was aware of his annoyance.Rather than upset her, it made her more resolute.She couldn’t live her life like he did—pursuing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.He allowed someone else to run his estate and had no intention of providing an heir.He had no sense of duty whatsoever.
It was no wonder he couldn’t understand that she needed to satisfy her parents’ wishes.It was, to her, more important than she could have ever imagined.
Fielding had sent a lovely note and flowers after her parents had died.Perhaps he was still interested in courting her—he’d said as much at Darent Hall.Marrying him would mean traveling to India for an indeterminate amount of time, but there were worse things.And her parents would be so pleased to see her wed, even if he didn’t have a title.They’d be especially thrilled if he was awarded a position with the government.Yes, Fielding might do nicely.
She’d write to him as soon as possible.
