Page 58 of The Duke Not Taken

Mr. Swann was, as promised, a handsome man. When he was introduced to her, he’d smiled at Amelia with eyes as warm and brown as hot chocolate. But then he was immediately engaged in conversation with Prince Leopold. The two of them stood near the hearth laughing at a private jest like they were old friends.

Amelia stood with Lady Caroline and her brother, listening to the two of them argue about Maisie. From what Amelia could glean, while visiting her aunt, Maisie had been forbidden from taking porcelain china down to the river to make a boat of it, and had then used words that were inappropriate for a proper young lady.

“I can hardly be held responsible forthat,” Beck had complained. “There arefiveof them, for God’s sake, Caro. Who knows the things they hear?”

Amelia imagined what the old crone would have to say to that—she’d be beside herself with indignation. She smiled into her wineglass, thinking she might just write and tell her that at least one parent claimed he could not teach his children properly because there were too many of them.

“You sound as if they appeared at your door and you had no idea how they came to be there. I told you this would happen,” Lady Caroline said. “I told you that three children were far too many for an old bachelor.”

“Speaking of inappropriate talk,” Beck sniffed.

Lady Caroline rolled her eyes, and then shifted her gaze to Amelia. She frowned. “Are you all right, Your Royal Highness?”

“What?” Amelia looked down at herself. “Je.Why do you ask?”

“You look a bit sad.”

“Oh. I...your banter makes me realize how much I miss my sister, I think.”

“Darling!” Lady Caroline put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “All you have to do is pick one of the gentlemen Lady Aleksander is presenting to you and voilà, you can flit off to St. Edys immediately afterward.”

Amelia laughed. “If only it were that simple.” She looked across the room, and her gaze inadvertently landed on Marley. To her great surprise, he was looking at her, too. It startled her, and the heat that rushed through her unbalanced her. She turned back to Lady Caroline and forced a smile.

“I understand,” Lady Caroline said. “I was very particular in my time, wasn’t I, Beck?”

“I can think of words more apt thanparticular,” he groused. “Stubborn. Headstrong—”

“Yes, all right, you’ve made your point,” his sister interrupted. “What I mean is that I didn’t like to be told what to do and desperately needed someone who wouldnotattempt to tell me what to do. But really, what I needed was someone who wouldn’t beafraidto tell me what to do. Do you see what I mean?”

“Ummm... I’m not sure that I do.”

“My lord.” Garrett, the butler, had sidled up to Beck. “Supper is served.”

“Excellent. Ladies, prepare to have your tongue tickled and your belly satisfied.” He stepped into the center of the room. “Ladies and gentlemen, supper is served. We may go through to the dining room.”

The promenade was quickly arranged—Beck and Blythe, of course, as the hosts. Lady Caroline and her prince. And much to Amelia’s chagrin, she was to be escorted by the next ranking person in the room: the Duke of Marley.

He wordlessly bowed and presented his arm.

“We meet again. In a well-lit room, and without the benefit of music. It’s a new world,” she said.

“The world looks very much the same to me. May I see you to your seat?”

She put her hand lightly on his arm. She couldn’t touch him without thinking about that kiss. She could feel the flush of memory creep up her neck and onto her chest. Did he think of it? Or was that a service he went around performing at all the country balls?

They began to walk, neither of them speaking. It was absurd, strolling along like an old married couple with nothing to say. Amelia couldn’t stand it. “Have you nothing to say this evening?”

He kept his gaze fixed straight ahead. “Is there something you would like me to say?”

“I thought you’d at least make an attempt at the civilities. Inquire after my health. How long I intend to be in England, if anyone else has kissed me. That sort of thing.”

“You look in perfect health, Your Royal Highness. The picture of youth. And Lady Aleksander has told everyone from Cornwall to London that you will be at Iddesleigh through the end of summer. The rest of it is none of my affair.”

All of that was true. But it was the polite thing to at leastinquire.Amelia should have left it there, been grateful that for once she didn’t have to make small talk. On the other hand, she’d never been grateful for men not paying attention to her. Nor was she one to allow silence to fill a promenade. The question at the back of her mind tumbled out of her mouth. “Why were you looking at me in the drawing room?”

He glanced at her. “Pardon?”

“In the drawing room. You were looking at me.”

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