Page 10 of The Duke's Unclaimed Bride
“Well, that was… something,” Laurence murmured.
“Let us just call it a start,” James remarked. “You actually spoke to them.”
“Yes, and what a riveting conversation it was,” Laurence retorted sarcastically.
“It wasn’t that bad,” James admonished.
Laurence shot him a look and shook his head. “I need some fresh air,” he muttered, before walking toward the garden doors.
The gardens were blissfully empty, the chill in the air a welcome respite from the stifling heat of the densely packed bodies in the ballroom.
Laurence found a bench and slumped onto it, away from the ton’s merciless, prying eyes.
He was a man used to getting his way, yet somehow the thing he needed most seemed so far out of his reach. His failure to secure a wife would not only put his future at risk, but also the duchy’s.
“Why are you out here?” a voice rose from the darkness behind him, causing him to start and twist around.
What in…
There stood a small girl, her wild brown hair barely restrained by a set of uneven braids.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, furrowing his brow in consternation.
“I thought balls were meant to be fun,” she said, tilting her head, her eyes bright and curious.
“For some,” Laurence grunted.
The child did not move a muscle, and her gaze did not waver. She looked at him as though he were just another man, not a beast or a monster.
Nowthatwas curious.
“For some? Not you, then,” she said. “You’re not very fun, are you?”
“Excuse me?” His eyebrow arched.
“You look grumpy,” she said, giggling. “Only boring grown-ups look grumpy.”
He studied her, noting the utter lack of malice. Too young to know how sharp her words were.
“That’s because grown-ups have pressing responsibilities a child couldn’t possibly fathom,” he huffed.
“Even at balls?”
“Even at balls.”
The girl nodded thoughtfully, then her eyes lit up as they caught something behind the ballroom windows.
“I have to go!” she gasped. “Hope you have fun one day, Mr. Grump!”
“Wait—” he started, but she was already darting toward the doors.
Laurence watched her go for a long moment before striding after her.
“So, you see,” Edith said to the ladies who stood with her. “That’s why we need donations right now.”
Silence.
She swallowed hard, trying to keep her expression cheery despite their obvious lack of interest.
