by Fanny Finch
She moved back toward the door, grateful that she and Lord Carne were not alone on the veranda. He knew it was not appropriate for her to be seen with him alone. It made her feel disrespected. It put her reputation with the ton in jeopardy. He should know that.
He opened the door for her and she went through, searching the room for Camilla or her step-mother. The Duchess of Corning was on the other side of the room, her back to Emma, with Katherine, the Duke of Lox and the Duke of Rabney.
She was surprised when a streak of jealousy passed through her. The Duke of Lox, to his credit, did not look extremely happy. His eyes were wandering around the room over Katherine’s shoulder. He spotted her and a look of pleased recognition passed over his face. He said something to the duchess, who turned and looked at Emma.
She did not look pleased. Emma wondered why, feeling anxious. She rewound the evening in her mind but could not think of anything she had done wrong. Had the Duke of Lox said something unpleasant about her? She would find out later that evening. The duchess was sure to tell her what she had done wrong as they went home.
“Excuse me, my lord. The duchess is waiting for me, I believe.”
Lord Carne was standing next to her and leaned slightly to whisper without looking at her. “She does not look happy, my lady. I do hope it is not because I came in from the veranda with you. I did not intentionally go out there seeking you. I would not have done that without permission.”
“I understand, my lord. If that is why she is upset, I will inform her that it was not an intentional meeting.”
“I do apologize if that is the case. Have a good evening, my lady.” He bent at the waist and took her hand, bowing to her.
“Thank you, my lord,” she replied, looking down at him. When he looked back up at her, she was not looking at him anymore.
Emma crossed the room to her step-mother, her heart hammering in her chest. The two dukes were still talking to the Duchess of Corning. If they had said something unpleasant, she did not want her step-mother to say something about it in front of them. That would put her in the spotlight where she did not want to be.
The Duchess of Corning was not known for such antics, however. She was a respectful woman, even if she did pressure Emma greatly when it came to finding a suitable husband. Emma was sure the woman was doing it for her own good.
“Lady Wentworth,” the Duke of Lox bowed to her when she made it to their small circle. Katherine moved back, staring at Emma as if her sister’s dress was on fire.
“Your grace.” Emma curtsied to him and to the Duke of Rabney.
Chapter 3
“Lady Wentworth, did you have a chance to meet the Duke of Lox and Duke of Rabney?” the Duchess of Corning asked. Emma looked at her. Her step-mother knew full well that she had met them and danced with both. Emma had been hoping that Camilla would be talking with the Duke of Rabney but Camilla was nowhere to be found.
“I have. Do you know where Lady Fielding has gone? She has not left yet, has she?”
“I believe she and her mother have gone, yes,” the Duchess of Corning responded. “I have just invited the dukes to our home for dinner the day after tomorrow.”
Emma smiled weakly at both men. “That sounds lovely. I am sure we will all have a good time. You will have a chance to meet my father.”
The Duke of Lox nodded. “I am anxious to meet the man who has so many beautiful women in his home. He is a lucky man.”
“Thank you, your grace,” the Duchess of Corning lifted her hand fan and spread it out, covering her smile. “That is kind of you to say.”
The Duke of Lox looked at Emma. “As I was telling your daughter during our dance, I only speak the truth. However, I must go. The Duke of Rabney and I have business to attend to early in the morning and I must get some rest.”
“It was so good to meet you, your grace,” Katherine spoke up, holding out her hand to him. He took her hand and bowed.
“And you as well, Miss Katherine.”
The Duke of Rabney repeated his friend’s actions as the two of them said goodbye to the ladies. Emma was a little nervous that when the Duke of Lox left, the Duchess of Corning would scold her. She should have known the grand lady would not behave that way in public but it did not keep her from fearing she would.
True to form, the Duchess of Corning held out her hands to the girls as if she was rounding them up. “The carriage is waiting, girls. Let us see to it.”
The women moved swiftly across the room, following the dukes who had just left them. Emma watched the Duke of Lox from behind, running her eyes over his body, admiring the way he swung his greatcoat around his shoulders and pinned it under his neck. There was no need for the extra layer, as it was a warm night.
Emma draped her shawl over her forearm instead of wearing it. She did not want to get overheated. Her stomach was grumbling from hunger.
She would have Cook make her some pastries if there were any available, and drink some tea before bed. It would settle her stomach and put her mind in a better position to think. There were so many distractions around her and the queasy feeling had not dissipated after she left Lord Carne behind.
He was being uncommonly friendly toward her. Emma desperately wanted to talk to Camilla about it and was disappointed her cousin had already left. She would have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her.
Her fear was that he would make his way to her father and make an arrangement for their marriage. He was wealthy, making a good income on his investments and his purse was heavy. But Emma was less interested in the size of his accounts than the size of his heart. She longed for passion and mutual respect.
The more she thought about the decline of her father’s health, the more she realized that Lord Carne would not be making a deal with her father. It would be the Duchess of Corning that would sign for her husband.
The thought filled Emma with dread. She had danced with Lord Carne regularly for the last three seasons and never had the inclination he had any intentions other than friendship toward her. Now, the thought of taking their friendship beyond that repulsed Emma. It was not that the lord struck her as being repulsive himself. It was more the idea of sharing herself with him and attempting to love him with all of her being that turned her away.
In her heart, Emma held not one modicum of attraction for Lord Carne that would make her even entertain the idea of becoming his bride.
"Emma,” her step-mother said in a low voice that implied she was unhappy. “Why were you on the veranda with Lord Carne? What did he say to you?”
Emma was caught off guard. She had not thought about that incident. She was probably subconsciously blocking it out. The previous seasons, Lord Carne had just been another face in the crowd. This season, there was something different about him.
“I…” Emma thought quickly, formulating her words carefully so she would not sound disrespectful. “I was not on the veranda with Lord Carne …” she said. “Not on purpose. I went out there for a bit of fresh air and he was returning from a walk, I assume. We had brief words and he opened the door for me. That is all.”
“What were his exact words?” The Duchess of Corning had narrowed her eyes and was scanning Emma’s face carefully. Emma was taken aback by the look on her step-mother’s face. What could she be so worried about?
“I am sorry, I do not even remember what was said. I did not want to be drawn into conversation with Lord Carne. He is being very forward with me this year but I have no interest in him.”
The Duchess of Corning said nothing. She simply stared at Emma a few more seconds before turning her eyes to look through the window at the night sky, leaving Emma completely confused.
The carriage bumped underneath her as she rode with her family back to Corning Manor. She saw the torches burning from a distance and thought how beautiful her home looked in the mist of the night, lit up only by firelight in all the windows.
The parlor would be cozy and warm. Her favorite chair was waiting for her. She
would have tea with her family and then off to bed. What would she dream of tonight? Who would she dream of?
In her heart, she knew who she would dream of. The Duke of Lox. His handsome face, his broad shoulders, his strong countenance. If she were to attract such a man and if that man were to have the heart of compassion she sought, she would be a very blessed woman. She could not deny she was attracted to his physique. His dancing was impeccable… beyond reproach.
But that one word he had uttered… it had been his undoing. Obedient.
She did not want to be a man’s slave instead of a wife.
Chapter 4
The Duke of Lox departed from the ballroom, glad to be free of the crowing mothers and their braying daughters. He was nearly certain the Duke of Rabney felt the same way. From the look on his face when he turned his eyes to him, he was surely not mistaken.
“I do hope this experience makes you understand why I rarely attend these events,” he said firmly as they walked quickly to their carriage.
The Duke of Rabney looked at his friend and nodded. “I most certainly do. We are the same age, sir, and still, we are bachelors. Our bank accounts are full and these events are filled with ravenous wolves out to decimate those accounts for the sake of others.”
“You speak so eloquently,” the Duke of Lox replied. “It would seem you have given this topic some thought.”
“I most certainly have.” The Duke of Rabney fell quiet for a moment. They reached the carriage and he said, “I must admit, however…”
The Duke of Lox could not help grinning wide. He already knew what his friend was about to say.
“Tonight was different, was it not?” he asked in a low voice as they pulled up into the cabin of the carriage. The Duke of Rabney looked at him through understanding eyes.
“Yes, my lord. It was different. And I do believe we are talking about the same young ladies.”
“I am relieved to hear you say ladies and not lady, sir,” the Duke of Lox said with a grin. “I did hope we were not vying for the same young woman.”
The Duke of Rabney shook his head. “No, my lord. These two young ladies were together when we signed their dance cards early in the evening. Lady Camilla Fielding of Cooksey is the lady of which I speak.”
“Yes, I thought as much,” the Duke of Lox nodded as he spoke. “And I set my eyes on the lovely Lady Emma Wentworth of Corning.”
“Exactly, my lord.”
“Then we are of like mind. I am glad to hear it.”
The Duke of Rabney nodded soberly. “We are well on our way to inheriting what is rightfully ours.”
The Duke of Lox nodded back at his friend and turned his eyes to look out at the cloudy night sky. The moon was bright when it was able to shine through the drifting clouds. At times, he would see the entire countryside and moments later, it would be nearly pitch-black as far as the eye could see.
He thought about his dance with the young Lady Wentworth. She was somewhat of a puzzle to him. When they started the dance, she was like all the other females… prancing, giggling, flirting. When he’d asked a question or two, she’d answered with intelligence and understanding. She did not boast in any way, nor did she lie to put herself in a more favorable light.
She simply told the truth.
And when he had mentioned her step-mother…
He suddenly realized he should not have mentioned the Duchess of Corning. He assumed too much. What if the relationship they had between them was not a good one? If the problem stemmed from Lady Wentworth’s apparent stubborn-headedness, he could understand.
After his comment about having spoken to the Duchess of Corning, Lady Wentworth seemed to become very quiet. She was no longer interested in what he had to say and would answer his questions honestly but bluntly with no embellishment or flair. She complimented him on being a good dancer when the music came to an end but it went no further than that. She showed no signs of having complimentary feelings toward him.
Unfortunately for him, there was nothing he could do until the next event and simply hoping that Lady Wentworth would be there. Unless he chanced by her in the streets. The chances of that happening were slim. The Duke of Lox rarely ventured into the shopping district of town, which was the most likely place to find a female.
Maybe he would have to try out new things. There was no reason he could not meander out that way at some point in time.
He grinned at the twinkling stars outside. Perhaps she was looking through the window of her chambers, staring at the same glittering black sky. The thought made his smile widen. He pulled in a deep breath.
It was strange to feel this way. It was so different. He was not quite sure if the feeling was real or not. He had never experienced it before. He found himself thinking about the woman, wondering if she was all right and had a good time at the ball. It was not his business in the least.
But he could not help wondering.
That made his decision to woo her stronger and he wondered what he could do to impress her. She had seemed anxious to get away from him, so he had to assume he had some explaining to do. Some promises would be made, he was sure of that. He would promise to never speak of the Duchess of Corning ever again if she would consider him worthy.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. It would be a mistake to entrust his heart and soul to this woman quite yet. He had one more season to go before he was required to marry or lose the majority of his money.
He did not think ill of his uncle, who was the executor of the late Duke of Lox’s will, for enforcing the marriage requirement. His father, rest his soul, had told him before he passed on that if Nigel didn’t have a family, he would not need such a large inheritance. The money would go to charities that favored women and children.
On the other hand, the sooner he was married, the sooner he would receive his inheritance.
Of all the women he had danced with for the past four seasons, Miss Wentworth was the only one who caught his eye the way she did. He couldn’t help wishing he had bought Brisbourne and moved to the area sooner. When she placed her hand in his, his other hand firmly against her side, he felt a sense of completeness he had never experienced before. He wanted to know everything about her.
His initial question, asking her if she had ever been out of the country, was completely due to being nervous. It was the first thing that came to his mind. He had searched his mind for something interesting to say and there it was, coming at him like a board in a windstorm, smacking him in the head.
And she had responded with dignity and class. He admired her honesty. He knew many women who had told odd, lengthy tales of journeys only to find out later they were completely fabricated stories, told to make the young woman out to be more than she was.
This included matters of the purse. He was not interested in the type of pushy woman who would insist he pay for all the extravagancies of life without lifting a finger to do anything other than eat. He wanted a real wife, not a slave, not some kind of concubine.
“What are you thinking, Baldwin?” the Duke of Rabney asked. “I can see by the look on your face you are contemplating something.”
The Duke of Lox slid his eyes over to his friend and nodded. “I am. I am thinking a great deal about the young women you mentioned earlier. I must admit I do not believe I have ever… felt this way about a woman before.”
The Duke of Rabney frowned as one in disbelief. “No, Baldwin, that cannot be possible.”
“I do not know why it should be such a surprise, Christian. I propose you think back to when we were just twenty years of age. We were informed together that our inheritance dictates we marry within five years or risk losing it all. For the last four seasons, we have been searching but have never found a compatible match.”
“That may be because we were perhaps not really looking? I know several women you have introduced to me that seemed like a fine match.”
The Duke of Lox gave his friend a sarcastic look. “Surely I look different
on the outside after having danced with Lady Wentworth.”
The Duke of Rabney scanned his friend and then nodded. “Yes. I do admit you look different. You appear much more relaxed.”
“I feel somewhat anxious, if I may say so. But I am glad I appear more relaxed. I am thinking about my future. Perhaps a bit late in the game but I am finally considering it.”
The Duke of Rabney gave his friend a dubious look. “You are thinking of marriage to Lady Emma already? Our plight may be important, Baldwin, but do not jump ahead of yourself.”
“I will be cautious, Christian. And yes, I wish to win her heart. I fear I have my work cut out for me.”
“Your dancing this evening was immaculate, Baldwin. You need not worry about that. I was impressed and I have seen you dance many times before.”
