Page 34 of The Duke Meets His Match

Susan herself was pleasantly surprised by what Miss Lily had accomplishedwith her hair. By trimming off a mere few inches and adding layers, she’d managedto free Susan’s natural curls in a way that looked, well,curlyas opposed to simply bushy. Pinning the curls up rather than twisting her hair into a tightknot softened her features. Susan thought she looked younger than her thirtyyears, and perhaps she might even look—dare she say it?—pretty.

At the very least, it was an improvement, and Miss Lily had taken the time to show Susan how to style her hair.

“You have enviable hair, Miss Jennings, and I think you’ll find it should be much easier to maintain with it trimmed this way. And please call on me anytime you wish assistance,” she’d said before she left.

“I do like what Madame Veronique and Miss Lily have done,” Susan said. “I owe that all to you, Lady Walmsley.”

“Tut, child,” Lady Walmsley said. “And you must cease this ‘Lady Walmsley’ business. I feel I’ve known you for an age. I’m Margaret. I should have told you to call me that from the very first.”

“As I will consider you a dear friend forever, I shall be glad to do so,” Susan said, “although perhaps Aunt Margaret might be more to your liking?” Out of respect, the honorary title seemed more fitting than merely using the lady’s Christian name.

“As you wish, my dear. I seem to be adopting nieces left and right, and it suits me greatly. Youarea sight though! I can hardly wait to see Aylesham’s face when he lays his eyes on you today,” Lady Walmsley—Aunt Margaret—said.

Susan briefly considered whether she should tell Aunt Margaret that Ayleshamhad proposed to her and was awaiting her answer. Having Aunt Margaret by her side during this—since her own mother was not here—would be a comfort.

No. It was better kept between the Duke of Aylesham and herself at present. Susan was a woman who could make her decision on her own.

And she had made her decision. For the most part.

Yesterday, when the duke had arrived and turned her entire world upsidedown, he had been wearing his finest clothes. It had given him an advantage over her. Today, she would have the advantage. She remembered Madame Veronique’swords about appearances and power. Looking in the mirror now, Susan felt asthough she’d put on a kind of armor, like a warrior before going into battle. She was going into a sort of battle against the Duke of Aylesham, and her new appearance gave her extra confidence.

She had lain awake a great deal last night, considering what she should do. She had gone over all the possibilities, both negative and positive, that marriage to the duke would bring. After hours of tossing and turning, she had finally arisen from bed, sat at the escritoire, and written a copious list of questions that had plagued her over and over again. Doing so had finally allowed her to sleep.

It had also clarified in her mind the concerns she felt were most critical to address with the duke. She wanted assurances from him. Her final decision was contingent upon his answers.

“Let’s take a turn in the garden, shall we?” Aunt Margaret said. “Or are you hungry? We can inform Mrs. Drake that we’d like lunch.”

Food didnotsound like a good idea at present. “The garden would be nice, I think,” she said.

Aunt Margaret looked at her knowingly. “The Duke of Aylesham has this effect on everyone, you know. I’m sure you’ll be able to chat and get to know each other quite easily once you get past the awkward beginnings.”

Aunt Margaret had no idea just how awkward all of Susan’sbeginningswith the Duke of Aylesham had already been. “I’m sure you’re right,” she replied.

“A good, hearty lunch will do you good, you know,” Aunt Margaret continuedas she made her way to Susan’s dressing room door. “Especially as you ate so little at breakfast time. I do notice such things, you know. A brisk turn in the garden, then, just to put a bit of color in your cheeks, and then a nice luncheon will bejust the thing.” She opened the door. “Foster! Oh, here you are already. Pleaseinform Mrs. Drake that Miss Jennings and I would like luncheon as soon as it can be prepared.”

“I am here, your ladyship, because you and Miss Jennings have a caller,” Foster said from the corridor beyond the door. “The Duke of Aylesham—”

“He’s here, then! So soon! Idolike the sound of that. Come, Susan, itappears lunch will have to wait. Foster, please inform Mrs. Drake that the Duke of Aylesham will be joining Miss Jennings and me for luncheon this afternoon. What a grand idea! Taking luncheon with him will be just the thing!”

Susan’s stomach wasn’t inclined to agree, but what was done was done. The battle was about to begin.

She took a deep breath and followed Aunt Margaret down the corridor toward the parlor, where the Duke of Aylesham awaited.

They were nearly there when Susan stopped in her tracks. “Wait,” she said.

Aunt Margaret turned around. “What is it, dear?”

“There is something in my room I need to fetch,” Susan said. “I wasn’t expecting the duke to arrive so soon.”

“I can’t imagine what it would be that you need; oh, very well, but be quick about it! We don’t like to keep the duke waiting, do we? In the meantime, I shall greet him and see that he feels welcome.”

“Thank you. I shall be only a minute,” Susan said. She dashed up the stairs and back to her room. The notes she’d written during the night were in the drawer of the escritoire, and she wanted them with her when she spoke with the duke. She slid the drawer open and took out the papers and then folded them so they would fit neatly in her pocket. Then—she couldn’t help herself—she paused and checked her appearance in the mirror one last time.

Her day dress of pale-green muslin was a delightful concoction, with slightly puffed short sleeves and a smocked bodice that flattered her figure and somehow managed to make her appear both youthful and mature. Madame Veronique was a gifted woman.

Susan patted a curl—anaturalcurl, freed from the weight of its previouslength—into place and marveled once again. Miss Lily and Madame Veroniquehad truly worked wonders, and Susan was beginning to understand Madame’swarning to her. She felt the suggestion of a power she never had before. Thereflection in the mirror told her she was more than merely presentable. Armed with that knowledge, she spoke to the new woman she saw in the mirror. “You are more than a mere viscount’s daughter. More than the tomboy who played hard and fought hard with five brothers and prided herself on outsmarting them most of the time. More than a disregarded spinster.”

She must hold on to this feeling of power. Madame Veronique had not issued a warning after all. She had given Susan insight, and Susan intended to use it to her advantage in her discussion with the Duke of Aylesham.

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