Page 31 of The Duke Who Loved Me (The Duke's Estates 1)

And if it wasn’t the men, it was the women. They flocked to be seen with Cecelia and partake in the luster of her success. Along with her four new friends, who were always hanging about, she had acquired a constant entourage. The thought occurred to James that it was worthy of an actual princess. The idea was worrying.

Worst of all, Cecelia seemed to be enjoying her new status. He hadn’t thought it of her. She flirted. She laughed. She glittered. She was newly entrancing. In a flash of time, she’d gone from being a fixture in his life, a steady, available presence to be counted upon, to a dazzling star in society’s firmament. How unfair that this should happen just when he’d decided to marry her. And how unsettling to admit that the more others chased her, the more fiercely he wanted her.

James racked his brain for an occasion that would throw them together, allow them to be alone. He wanted to arrange a special outing, something she would particularly like. He ought to know what that would be. She must have mentioned things over the years. But he pondered alternatives without success. Surely shehadexpressed preferences. She must have. Had he somehow failed to notice? He had an uneasy feeling that this was not a good omen.

But he pushed this worry aside. He was engaged in an all-out battle. Look at the words people used about courtship. One laid siege to a celebrated beauty. One fended off rivals, cutting them out by whatever means necessary. Actual duels were even fought—or had been in less civilized times. He dismissed an attractive, fleeting vision of shooting Prince Karl. Out of the question, obviously.

One persisted in a romantic campaign until victory was declared by the announcement of an engagement. And he would prevail! He was accustomed to winning. He would get what he wanted.

He needed tactics, strategy. He couldn’t remember the difference between these two things, but thought he probably required them both. In whatever order was appropriate.

James returned to the idea of allies. Wellington had assembled allies to defeat Napoleon. He still thought that the four young ladies who trailed everywhere after Cecelia would be useful recruits to his cause. The question was: how to enlist them? They hadn’t shown any signs of taking his side so far. On the contrary, Miss Deeping and Miss Finch seemed inclined to mild mockery.

Remembering a quote he’d heard attributed to Wellington, “Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted,” James invited Henry Deeping to dinner at their club.

“I have decided to marry Cecelia Vainsmede,” he said when they were settled with their meal.

“She has accepted you? Congratulations, James.” Henry raised his glass for a toast. “I wish you very happy.”

Leaving his glass where it stood, James said, “She hasn’t yet.” He surveyed his friend’s expression. “You don’t seem surprised by my news.”

“Well, it’s been rather obvious you were after her.”

“It has?”

Henry raised his dark eyebrows. “After the way you and Prince Karl square up like gamecocks in front of her? Yes, James, it has.”

“That fellow has shown up at just the wrong moment.”

“To reach for what you thought was your own?” asked Henry.

“What?”

His old friend surveyed him with a wry smile. “You’ve been closely acquainted with Miss Vainsmede for years and never mentioned marriage. Not to me, at any rate. But now there’s a rival on the scene. Suddenly you want her.”

This was unfair. “I had decided to offer for Cec…Miss Vainsmede before this blasted prince arrived.” James almost told Henry that hehadproposed. But then he would have to admit he’d been refused. He decided to keep this defeat to himself.

“Indeed?” Henry sipped his wine. “I would have thought… You know how ferociously you respond to competition.”

“Why do people say such things about me?” asked James, remembering Cecelia’s similar remark.

“Because they’re true?”

“Nonsense! I’m no more competitive than the next man.”

“That would be the fellow you leave lying prostrate at your feet in the boxing ring?” suggested Henry.

“Will you stop joking?”

Henry held up his hands, signifying surrender.

James accepted it with a nod. “I have been developing my strategy. That is the overall plan of a campaign, you know. Tactics are the means used to carry it out.” He’d looked this up and was rather pleased with his new knowledge.

“Campaign?”

“To win Miss Vainsmede.”

“Ah.” Henry’s tone was still dry.

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