Page 61 of The Duke Meets His Match

“Vat?” she exclaimed, any remains of the coquette he’d witnessed before vanishing in an instant. She turned to face him fully, and her grip on his arm tightened. “I do not believe you!”

“It’s the truth, nonetheless.”

“You cannot say that! Vee have come all this vay, on a dreadful journey, leaving my beautiful Schönberg-Nusse and friends and my—” she stopped abruptly,leaving George wondering what—or whom—she’d nearly mentioned. “I vould never have agreed to any of this, but Papa insisted; he said he must have the assurance from the English that his home, my home, vill be safe from the vile, little Frenchman. It must happen! It is the only option. That fool you call your prince promised. Papa promised. It must be so!” Her eyes welled up, much to George’s chagrin.

Dealing with a crying woman was not his favorite activity during the best of times, but he was completely helpless knowing how to deal with a crying Germanprincess. He was suddenly grateful Susan wasn’t prone to crying, although hesuspected all females were inclined to weep a bit at times. “Forgive me, Princess Sophia,” he said in as soothing a voice as he could muster. “I do not wish to cause you any distress, and I suspect that you are as much a pawn in all of this as I, butI am firm in my refusal. I cannot and will not be moved. I’m sorry.”

“You do not understand,” she cried, tears streaming down her face now. Shelet go of his arm and, instead, gripped both of his hands in her own. Tightly. “It must vork,” she said with intensity. “I vill give you an heir. Two, if you like. And then you are free; you understand? You are not old and disgusting. I vill do that for you. And then you are free, and I can be free too. You can be vith the voman you brought today, or you can choose another. I do not care! But vee must marry! Vee must!”

“Princess—” George said.

“What a cad you are, Aylesham, causing our lovely foreign princess to cry so. Lord Cosgrove at you service, Your Highness.” Lord Cosgrove, a terrible rakewhom George could barely abide, walked over and bowed to the two of them.

Princess Sophia quickly dropped George’s hands and dashed away her tears before turning to face Cosgrove, her expression regal and lovely, even as a few tears still streaked down her face.

Cosgrove took her hand in his and placed a lingering kiss upon it. “We met yesterday, Princess Sophia, if you’ll recall.”

“I remember you, of course, Lord Cosgrove,” she said.

“I’m glad to hear it,” he said with a too-charming smile. He handed her his handkerchief. “I knowIrememberyouvery well. I see you have captured our fair country’smostillustriousbachelor, and so quickly too. I commend you.”

“Vat is this ‘illustrious’?” she asked, dabbing at her eyes.

“Notable, esteemed, exalted—” Cosgrove began.

“Pursued, ensnared,” George murmured to himself, fingering his quizzing glass.

Cosgrove shot a sly glance at him. “Aylesham, I believe I see a gentleman over there beckoning to you.” He nodded, gesturing to an area behind George, but George wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of turning around. “I wonder if you should see what he wants. And while you are thus occupied, perhaps Princess Sophia would allow me to show her more of the garden? Perhaps I may have more success lifting her spirits than it appears you have.”

“Aylesham vas to tell me of the sights of London. Perhaps there are some that might interest me; I do not know. I am beginning to doubt it very much.” She glanced accusingly at George before shrugging at Cosgrove.

“Get yourself a drink, Aylesham, and see what that gentleman wants. In the meantime, I will discuss theattractionsof London with Princess Sophia.” He offered her his elbow, and she slid her hand into its crook.

“Thank you for speaking to me,” Princess Sophia said to George, blinking back the few tears that remained, her face blank as she spoke the words. “I expect vee shall speak again.”

George watched as vile Lord Cosgrove and Princess Sophia disappeared intothe crowd. He didn’t need to look for a gentleman behind him beckoning tohim. Cosgrove had used the weakest of ruses.

George needed but a moment to collect his thoughts now that he’d been freed of Princess’s Sophia’s company. He needed to find Susan and see how she had been faring on her own.

He searched the crowd for her but couldn’t see her. He spied Prince Ernstand Princess Eugenia—they had progressed farther into the garden and werenow in conversation with some of Prinny’s other guests. Prinny wasn’t withthem, and that made the knot in George’s stomach tighten.

Where the devil was Susan?

***

Susan had barely walked away from Lord Frome when she encountered the Prince Regent. “Ah, you’re still here are you? Miss—?” He waited for her to say her name, pointing out once again that she had not been included when everyone had been formally introduced to each other, and her presence had barely been acknowledged.

“Jennings,” she said. “Miss Susan Jennings.”

“Oh, that’s right,” the Prince Regent said with a succinct nod. “An acquaintance of Aylesham, apparently.”

“Yes,” she said. Having never conversed with royalty before today, she had only Lady Walmsley’s instructions to go by. Better to start small and get a feel for the conversation, she decided, even though the Prince Regent knew very well that she and George were betrothed.

“Walk with us, won’t you, Miss Jennings?” the prince said.

It was a command disguised as an invitation. Susan swallowed. “Certainly, Your Royal Highness.”

He clasped his hands behind him, and they headed in the opposite direction of the one George and Princess Sophia had taken.

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