Page 54 of Intolerable
“I wanted to walk with Lord Wexford. To ask him something about Glastonbury,” Cassandra fibbed.
“I see.” Prudence didn’t sound as if she believed her. Still, she said, “Let’s catch up with them, and I’ll break off with Miss Shaughnessy.”
Cassandra sent her a grateful look. “Thank you.”
They hastened to join Ruark and his sister, Prudence moving to Miss Shaughnessy’s right and Cassandra coming up on Ruark’s left. Miss Shaughnessy was speaking to him in an elevated tone. “Some of the males can be quite aggressive in their behavior. They set their sights on a female and are diligent in their courtship.”
“What is it you’re discussing?” Cassandra asked pleasantly. “Sounds like the London Season.”
Ruark smiled and stifled a laugh.
“The ducks at Warefield,” Miss Shaughnessy responded, surprising Cassandra with the answer. “Mallards, in particular. The gadwalls behave differently.” She took what sounded like a much needed breath. “Gadwalls are fascinating to watch. They will steal food that another duck has worked to find.”
“How do you know so much about ducks?” Prudence asked, drawing Miss Shaughnessy’s attention as her gaze fixed on Cassandra and silently communicated that this was now the time to snare Ruark for herself.
Cassandra gently clasped his arm. He looked down at where she touched him and then met her gaze. Connection and electricity flowed between them, making her feel giddy.
“I didn’t realize your family was coming to town,” she said as they walked behind Prudence and his sister. Prudence had done an excellent job of maneuvering herself and Miss Shaughnessy.
“Just my mother and two of my sisters. My mother wants Kat to find a husband.”
“What does your sister want?”
“To discuss ducks.” He flashed a grin at her. “I’m not entirely certain, but I suspect she’d be delighted to be left alone with her books and research.”
“What does she research?”
“Anything, really. Her mind is quite hungry. She tends to go through very focused periods. Ducks were one of them, as you can tell. She’s also dedicated time to studying cows, horses, goats, dogs, cats, and just about any animal you can find at a country estate.”
“That’s where her love of animals comes from,” Cassandra said. “I do hope you’ll see that she gets to the museum. She’ll be delighted by the displays.”
“I will. Unless you and Glastonbury take her with you.” He sent a look toward her that was both expectant and…annoyed?
“I don’t know that we actually would. Indeed, I can’t say whether I will go to the museum with the viscount.”
“Why?” The single word clipped from his mouth.
“Because I’ve decided I don’t think we will suit.”
“And why is that?”
She clasped his arm more tightly. “There is someone else I vastly prefer.”
Chapter 13
Delight warred with dread as Ruark looked toward Cassandra’s profile. An alluring smile curved her lips, beckoning him to kiss her. Not that he would in the middle of bloody Hyde Park. Walking with her was bad enough—this wasnotdistancing himself as he needed to do.
He managed to ask, “Dare I ask who that is?”
She clucked her tongue. “If you don’t know, you’re not as clever as I’ve given you credit for. Just to be clear, it’s you.”
They were veering into dangerous territory. But they’d been there since kissing at her birthday party. No, they’d been firmly in Danger Land since the cupboard at the Phoenix Club. He had to steer them back to propriety. To the relationship they had before.
Was that even possible? He hadn’t ever tried with the others. He’d walked away and moved forward. How could he do that with his best friend’s sister?
He attempted to direct the conversation to safer ground. “I would be grateful if you could keep an eye on Kat at the assembly on Friday. You will be there, won’t you? Or has the duke forbidden your attendance again?”
“He hasn’t said Ican’tgo. My plan is to be there. I would be happy to assist your sister in any way I can.”
