Page 69 of The Duke Meets His Match

Chapter 14

“We did it! I canscarcely believe we were successful!” Susan exclaimed as George set his hat on the opposite seat of the carriage and ran his fingers through his hair.

“You know, I think I may be able to breathe again. I don’t think I’ve taken a real breath in days,” he said. He toyed with his quizzing glass in a fanciful manner and then held it up to his eye and looked at her through it. “You, my dearest Susan, were magnificent, by the way. My Athena.” He chuckled and let his quizzing glass drop. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you spoke German?”

“You never asked,” she replied drolly.

He laughed outright. “Here, allow me to get that out of the way.” He reached for her parasol and leaned it up against his side of the carriage. “And let’s rid you of that little bonnet too, shall we? Although, I will say it becomes you very well.”

She reached up to remove the hatpins from her bonnet, but he gently moved her hands aside, kissing each one as he did so.

“Allow me,” he said. He quickly dispatched the pins and settled the tiny bonnet on the seat next to his own hat. Susan thought it was lovely to see them side by side in that way.

George then settled back into the carriage seat and closed his eyes. “I’mfree,” he said, letting out a deep sigh. “What an amazing feeling it is to know I am actuallyfreeof Prinny’s schemes. I doubt even Prinny can justify a scenario inwhich, one, I pay Prince Ernst for the so-called privilege of marrying his daughterso that, two, Prince Ernst can pay Prinny for the so-called privilege of having his daughter marry an English duke so that, three, Prince Ernst is in a position to pay Prinnyand mesome grand amount, supposedly benefiting us both greatly, which was what Prinny originally promised me. Essentially, I would be paying everyone, including myself. Saying it out loud makes it even more nonsensical.” He ran his hand through his hair again, chuckling and shaking his head.

Susan smiled at him. She’d never seen the distinguished Duke of Aylesham look so relaxed, so entirely comfortable in his own skin as he did right now. She loved hearing him laugh and watching the tension leave his face.

She twisted the ruby ring on her finger. She could free him entirely right now if she chose.

“And the look on Prince Ernst and Princess Eugenia’s faces when youbeganspouting German at them!” George laughed again. “It was brilliant! I shall remember that moment for the rest of my life. I suppose I should have at least suspected that as James Jennings’s sister, the possibility existed that youmight speak some German—” He stopped himself midsentence. “No, that’s not true,” he said. “I believe you are the first woman I have met without family connections to the German states to speak it. Now,Frenchis another matter—allthe young ladies speak a bit of French, of course.”

“James and I studied languages together in our youth,” Susan said. “He is the true linguist, not I ... but I would never let him believe it and studied hard to best him. I even succeeded a time or two.”

“I imagine you did, at that.”

“Which reminds me,” she said. “You never did tell me what your connection to my brother James is all about.” She’d been so utterly preoccupied, it had slipped her mind until now.

“You never let anything get past you, do you?” George said.

She stared at him with as straight a face as she could.

He laughed. “Very well. For now, however, I am simply going to say that the war has made allies and friends of many whose paths may not have crossed otherwise. He and I—and Phillip Osbourne, as you’ll recall from our memorableencounter last year—have been working together primarily for the ForeignOffice.”

“I’m sure there’s more to it than that.”

“There is, of course. Much more. But if I were to assure you that we shall wade into the subject more deeply at a later date, would you allow us to simply celebrate our victory over Prinny this afternoon?”

“Poor Prinny,” she said, trying to hold back an unladylike grin.

“Such a disappointment this all turned out for him.” George chuckled. “Youknow, he waxed philosophical this afternoon, telling me that everyone wantssomething. I’m certain he and Prince Ernst wanted easy fortunes. I suspect that was Cosgrove’s motive too.”

“What did the women want?” Susan asked.

“Hm, nowthatis more of a challenge, I confess, for I have little experiencedelving into the minds of females. Were I to guess, I would say that PrincessEugenia wanted what Prince Ernst wanted—the security and prestige that comes with wealth and connections. And I think Princess Sophia wanted anyone who wasn’t the Duke of Aylesham. What is your opinion?”

Susan pondered his question. “I think Prinny is probably correct—everyonewantssomething. But I think sometimes theheartwants things it can’t quitearticulate, and we innately pursue what wethinkwill satisfy that implicit want.”

“I’m intrigued,” George said. “Enlighten me.”

“For instance,” she said, “Prince Ernst wants to restore his wealth andstatus amid the chaos on the Continent, sohethinkshe wants his only child to marry status and money and establish a personal alliance with England. I won’t venture a comment on the Prince Regent.”

“I can do that,” George said. “Prinny wants everything, thinks he deserves everything, and wants it easily. Ergo,hethoughthe wanted me to marry PrincessSophia so he could obtain money for his debts without having to grovel toParliament once again.”

“I shall never repeat your words, Your Grace,” Susan said with a smile,placing a finger over her lips. “I shouldn’t want you on worse terms with the Prince Regent than you undoubtedly already are.”

“Thank you,” he said. “It is comforting to know I have your support.”

“You will always have my support,” she said softly.

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