Page 15 of The Duke Meets His Match

“Such a compliment you bestow upon me,” she replied in the same bored tone as his own, “when all I did was match your own expression.”

Touché again, harpy.

***

Oh, but it felt good to get the last word, Susan thought as the waltz continuedon—interminably, to her way of thinking. The Duke of Aylesham was the most arrogant, insensitive, churlishboorshe had ever had the displeasure of meeting.

Thiswas why she had been perfectly content to remain in Lincolnshire forthe past eight years. She’d had her fill of gentlemen like the high and mightyDuke of Aylesham and their assumptions that a lady should swoon with delight at receiving their merest attention.

She thought she might be able to live off the verbal riposte she’d given him for years.

As they danced—not speaking—she tried to look over the crush of people to see if she could spot any recognizable faces in attendance. Anyone to whom she might excuse herself from him and go to upon finishing the waltz.

“Is there someone in particular you are searching for?” he asked.

“No,” she said, returning her gaze to his. How was it possible that his eyes could appear as though they took in everything but gave nothing away? “No,” she repeated. “But I have remembered I promised to take punch to Lady Walmsley and Lady Starr.” Her errand had completely fled her mind upon encountering His Loftiness.

“Then we shall,” he said.

Instead of finishing the waltz, he immediately dropped his hold, offered her his arm again, and escorted her to the refreshment table, handing her a cup of punch and picking up two more. “Tell me where they are,” he said—no, hecommanded. Could His Loftiness not even pose his words as a question?

“Follow me,” she said in reply—no, shecommanded.

She weaved through the guests on the side of the dance floor to the area where she’d left Lady Walmsley and Lady Starr. Fortunately, they were still there. Hopefully, the duke would simply hand the ladies their cups of punch and dismiss himself.

“Oh,lookat who is with your Miss Jennings!” Lady Bledsoe exclaimed,having apparently joined them, as His Loftiness bowed in greeting to all the ladies separately before handing a cup of punch to each. “Aylesham! I’msoglad to see you doing as I asked and mingling with the other guests—and that you have found Miss Jennings.” She sipped her punch. “Mm, just what I needed after so much chatting. It seems not that long ago when our Aylesham here wasa young cub, always serious but so endearing. Do you remember, Margaret?”

“Of course I remember,” Lady Walmsley said. “A handsome lad you were too. Tall for your age—it always seemed as though your weight couldn’t keep up with your height.” She chuckled. “Your granduncle Aylesham was always so proud of you. Such a dear man, he was. My Walmsley was particularly fond of him—a pity he never married. Lost his heart to a young lady who chose another, and he never recovered. You must miss him dreadfully.”

“Indeed, Lady Walmsley,” the duke said, nodding in deference to hercomments. “I do miss him.”

Susan waited for him to say more—some stinging retorts to Lady Walmsley for her personal comments about him, for example.

“He was nearly that way again, Margaret,” Lady Bledsoe said. “Too thin, I mean. After his close call with death earlier this year, if you’ll recall. Pneumonia. I was afraid we were going to lose the boy this time.”

“Oh, my dear Judith!” Lady Walmsley exclaimed, giving Lady Bledsoe’s hand a quick pat.

Susan looked at His Loftiness with narrowed eyes, searching for any signs of illness she’d previously overlooked but saw none. Perhaps just a tad too thin.

“I am well now, Lady Bledsoe. You have no need for concern,” he said.

“I dearly hope so!” Lady Bledsoe began fanning herself furiously. “He is like a son to me, Margaret, as you well know. Like one of my own children.”

Was she actually blinking back tears? ForHis Loftiness?

“I do know that, Judith,” Lady Walmsley said, patting her knee. “She was very worried, indeed, Your Grace. I can vouch for that. Your letters were, of course, reassuring—”

“But people can say whatever they want in letters,” Lady Bledsoe said. “I needed to see the boy to be sure he was being truthful and not trying to paint a rosy picture for my sake. I wanted to go to him to assure myself, but we were told not to come.”

“I didn’t want your own health put at risk,” he said.

“It wasn’t until he arrived back in London that I could see for myself that he was well,” Lady Bledsoe said. “It was such a relief and a burden lifted from my heart.”

“A true burden lifted,” Lady Walmsley said, nodding in agreement.

Susan had been struck dumb listening to this conversation. To her, the dukelooked impervious to everything. He hadn’t even smiled during the conversation;he’d simply responded when he’d deemed it appropriate.

Her loathing of him came down a small notch, however, considering that he’d at least treated the elderly ladies with deference.

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