Page 62 of Devoted to the Duke (The St. Clairs 1)

Chapter Twenty

Jeremy paced acrossthe room, stopping occasionally to look out the window.

“Will you sit?” Cor asked, clearly irritated.

Rachel merely looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.

After he’d returned from buying the special license, he’d informed both women that he’d asked for Catherine Crawford’s hand in marriage and that she was coming with her sister and the Morefields to tea today. Rachel plied him with a thousand questions. Cor merely nodded her approval.

He took a seat, his heel tapping rhythmically, causing his knee to bounce up and down.

“You must really care for Lady Catherine if you’re so nervous,” Rachel pointed out.

“I do,” he snapped, wishing she and the others would arrive.

“Of course, he does, Rachel,” Cor said soothingly. “Your brother has always made careful decisions where his family is concerned. I’ve already met her and approve of the match.”

“You’ve met her, Cor?” Rachel asked. “Tell me everything about her,” she enthused.

“She’s beautiful. Charming. Intelligent. She will make for a wonderful duchess. Do you have anything to add, Grandson?”

Only that he might die if he didn’t see her—didn’t kiss her—in the next few minutes.

“No. You’ve described her well,” he said. “She lost her mother several years ago and has been caring for her invalid father. He recently passed.”

Hearing a noise, he hurried to the window. “They’re here,” he said, his voice steady but his heart racing with anticipation.

Without a word, he bounded out of the drawing room to go meet her, hearing Rachel ask, “Where on earth is he going, Cor?”

He raced down the stairs and threw open the front door. One footman opened the coach door as another set down the steps for the party to descend from the carriage. Jeremy took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself.

Morefield climbed out first and nodded to him before assisting his wife. A petite blond followed. Her green eyes immediately found him and she grinned unabashedly. She had to be Leah Crawford. Jeremy nodded politely and stepped forward, easing the footman out of the way so he could accept the hand Catherine held out. When his fingers closed around hers, serenity filled him. Their eyes met and she gave him a radiant smile.

He handed her down, refusing to release her hand. They drank in one another.

“I quite like him, Catherine.”

Jeremy turned. “I like you, too, Lady Leah.” He tucked Catherine’s hand into the crook of his arm and offered the other to her sister. “May I escort you inside?”

Leah took it. “Thank you, Your Grace.” She glanced at Morefield. “Were you as batty over Charlotte as Everton is over Catherine?”

Morefield laughed as he took his wife’s arm. “Probably so.”

Leah sighed. “I hope when I have my come-out that I will find a gentleman who adores me in exactly the same way.”

Jeremy said, “You and Rachel will make your come-out together. The two of you will take London by storm in a couple of years.”

“Then by all means, let me meet your sister so we can begin strategizing how to conquer theton.”

He looked up and saw that Rachel had come out from the house, as well. She now tugged Leah away from him.

“I’m Rachel St. Clair. Jeremy has told me we’ll be fast friends. I rather like the idea of plotting how to navigate theton. Come meet Cor.”

The two girls hurried inside and the couples followed them. Cor awaited them in the drawing room.

“I’ve rung for tea,” she said. “Come see me, Lady Catherine.”

Catherine went and greeted Cor. Jeremy watched as Cor kissed his fiancée’s cheek. He’d never seen her show any type of affection toward Mary.

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