Page 38 of The Duke's Accidental Wallflower
Chastity gasped dramatically. “Well, someone certainly knows how to make an impression!”
Minerva’s brow furrowed as she approached the bouquet, her fingers brushing the petals. The extravagant bouquet of flowers was lush, vibrant, and far too grand for an ordinary calling hour. The arrangement was stunning, with little red roses, blue delphinium, and deep blue clematis that seemed to overflow from the vase. It was the kind of bouquet one couldn’t ignore. “Who are these from?”
The maid handed her a small card. Minerva hesitated before taking it, her curiosity piqued. She unfolded the card, and there, in neat, bold handwriting, were the words:If his are not bigger, show him the door.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt her face flush with a mix of irritation and amusement. No signature was needed—she knew exactly who had sent them.
“Who are they from?” Samantha asked, leaning forward with interest.
Minerva’s mind raced. She quickly folded the card and tucked it into her palm. “Oh, just... flowers from a friend,” she said, her voice a little too high-pitched.
Chastity raised an eyebrow. “A friend? A very bold friend, if you ask me.”
“Indeed,” Samantha chimed in, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. “I did not know any of your friends had such extravagant taste.”
Minerva forced a smile, willing herself to keep calm. “It is nothing, really. A gesture of... goodwill.”
Chastity looked at her, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “Minerva, you are blushing.”
“I am not,” Minerva shot back quickly, trying to suppress the heat in her cheeks. “It is just warm in here.”
“Oh, is it?” Chastity teased, exchanging a knowing glance with Samantha. “Or is it because you have been hiding something from us?”
“I am not hiding anything!” Minerva snapped, but her protest sounded weak even to her own ears.
Samantha tilted her head, eyeing the flowers. “These are meant to match your eyes, aren’t they? Whoever sent them knows you quite well.”
“If my memory does not mistake me, the rosebuds and delphinium, with clematis, that almost sounds like forbidden love to me,” Chastity said, watching Minerva skeptically.
Minerva’s heart pounded in her chest as her sister and friend continued their teasing. She needed to steer the conversationaway from Evan and these ridiculous flowers, but no matter how hard she tried, the memory of his smirk, his voice, his infuriating presence stayed with her.
Just then, the doorbell rang again, saving her from further interrogation. The maid returned, this time announcing Lord Gillies.
Chastity grinned. “Saved by Lord Gillies’s impeccable timing.”
She couldn’t let thoughts of Evan distract her—not now, not with the man she was supposed to be considering for marriage standing right in front of her. But as much as she tried, the flowers—and the man who sent them—stayed stubbornly at the front of her mind.
Minerva felt her face flush with a mix of frustration and... something dangerously close to amusement.Of course he would do this,she thought, biting back a smile.
His audacity knew no bounds, and yet here she was, standing in her own drawing room, staring down at a bouquet of flowers far more ostentatious than any proper gentleman should have sent during calling hour.
How dare he?Minerva’s fingers tightened around the edge of the card, though she couldn’t entirely suppress the small, treacherous part of her that found the whole thing absurdly amusing.
She stood there for a long moment, staring down at the flowers, trying to decide how she felt. Evan was toying with her—there was no question about that—but what unsettled her was how easily he seemed to slip into her thoughts, even now.
You are waiting for Lord Gillies,she reminded herself firmly.He has the one you should be thinking about. Not Evan. Not the Duke of Colburn.
The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall, and Minerva quickly slipped the card into her pocket, her heart racing. She straightened, smoothing her expression into something calm and composed. If Lord Gillies arrived now, she did not want him to see the confusion swirling inside her.
The footman reappeared in the doorway. “Lady Minerva, Lord Gillies has just arrived.”
Lord Gillies stepped into the drawing room with the same composed demeanor that Minerva had come to expect from him. His dark hair was neatly combed, his cravat tied perfectly, and his coat pressed with not a wrinkle in sight. He was, as always, the picture of respectability.
“Lady Minerva,” he greeted with a warm, practiced smile as he bowed slightly. “Thank you for receiving me this afternoon.”
“Of course, Lord Gillies,” Minerva replied, returning his smile with one of her own. She gestured for him to sit, keeping her tone polite and pleasant, even as the lingering presence of Evan’sflowers tugged at the edges of her mind. “It is a pleasure to have you here.”
Minerva’s thoughts wandered as she glanced briefly toward the extravagant bouquet on the side table. She had positioned it just out of immediate view, hoping that it wouldn’t draw too much attention during Lord Gillies’s visit. But her effort proved futile.
