by Lisa Doughty
Esme would have decided about the Duke, by now. According to Roddy, they were inseparable all day. That was a good sign. Cordelia believed if there was a powerful connection from the start, it was hard to shake. Her mind threatened to drift back to Rhys. Her time with him had been life altering. If Lady Esme had experienced a quarter of the emotions Cordelia had, her feelings toward the Duke would be clear. The maid opened the door, curtsied, and let them in.
“Lady Esme is expecting you. I will inform her that you have arrived, my lady.”
When Lady Esme appeared, she sucked in her breath. “Lady Cromwell!” You look breathtaking!” she said sincerely, as she dropped into a shallow curtsy.
“Me? No, not me! Rodrigo, is there no end to your talent?” Cordelia exclaimed. Lady Esme was stunning in a green dress that matched her eyes. The demure style completely suited her. Cordelia’s worry that her dress would make her the center of attention faded away. No one would outshine this beautiful woman. “There are no words,” she said sincerely. Cordelia put her hands to her chest in appreciation, giving Rodrigo a grateful glance. Relief washed over her, while confidence bloomed in Esme.
“I know. Rodrigo is an artist. I only hope I can do justice to his work.”
“There is no question of that, Lady Esme.” Cordelia’s expression made her blush beautifully.
“My work here is done,” Rodrigo said, with obvious pride. “I will see you both downstairs. I want to be there when you enter so I can bask in the glory of it all,” he stated, in his usual flamboyant style. He bowed and left.
“Let us sit a minute before we go down, shall we? I wish to hear of your day. Tell me everything,” Cordelia said, as if they were the best of friends. She took Esme’s hands and led her to the settee. “Tell me of your Duke.”
“He is hardly my Duke, Lady Cromwell.” She looked away, blushing.
“That is not what I heard. I was told that you were inseparable today,” she stated, confused by Esme’s response. Insecurity was not what she had expected from this spirited young woman.
“Oh, Lady Cromwell…”
“Cordelia please.”
“Thank you, Cordelia.” She smiled sincerely, and Cordelia could tell that Esme was happy to have a personal connection with her. “At first I thought he was perfect. All morning he was attentive, witty and personable. One could forget he was a Duke, if it wasn’t for the attention he attracts at every turn. Once, when we were on the other side of the pond and alone, I thought he might even kiss me. Then, we heard someone approaching, and we ran away, laughing. It was a wonderful moment,” she said, dreamily.
“That is good, is it not?”
“I thought for sure it was the beginning of something. That is, until Rhys started talking to him about horses. I excused myself for the shortest moment, and when I returned, the carefree man I had spent the morning with was gone. When I asked Rhys about it, he told me the Duke was being honorable and I should appreciate the respect he was showing me.”
“Oh, I see.” At first Cordelia was speechless, but then she became angry, for Esme and herself. How could Rhys be so different in every circumstance? He had been insatiable with her, then kind and caring to an anonymous stable boy, and now curtailing the Duke’s relationship with his sister! “Men can cause all kinds of mischief if we leave them alone, can they not? Whether they be a father, brother or husband, when they get together, there can be no good outcome. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Their outlook is so, so...”
“Dry?”
“Exactly!”
“I agree!”
“Do you like him, Esme? The Duke?” Cordelia asked.
“I think so. This morning, I found him irresistibly attractive, but this afternoon, he was so different. I want the other man back. I do not care to become a duchess if the man I spent time with this afternoon is the one I must marry,” Esme said emphatically.
Cordelia replied carefully. “Over the last year, I have come to know the Duke. He truly is the man you knew this morning, witty and fun, quick to laugh, and generous to a fault. I do not know from personal experience, but I suspect he is also passionate, and is dying to meet the right woman. That he showed you that much of himself tells me his ducal guard was down because of a mutual connection. You need to find your way back to that man. Ignore your brother, and be yourself. The real Duke will surface again, I assure you. Trust your instincts.”
“I will. I think you are right, I met the real Beaufort this morning when there were no preconceived notions about us. Unfortunately, now our time together is limited. Rhys and I leave for Charlesbourg first thing the morning after the ball. I only have tonight and tomorrow to know him. I could kill Rhys!”
“Just so. If you wish, I can talk to the Duke.”
“No, please do not. I wish to see if we can get past this ourselves.”
“As you wish. Shall we go down, then? I seems there is no time to waste.”
Esme took a fortifying breath, then nodded. Once in the hallway, Cordelia linked their arms, and they started for the stairs. It felt good to have Esme hold her hand tight, as they walked toward the staircase.
“If I could have a sister, I would wish her to be just like you,” Esme whispered, pulling her closer. Cordelia’s heart pinched.
“Thank you, Esme. That is the highest of compliments. I did not have any siblings before I adopted Emelia and Rodrigo. At least you have had your brother.”
“Hardly the same, I think. He is lovable, but still a man.”
“Lovable?” Cordelia asked, surprised at her choice of words.
“Oh yes, lovable and loyal beyond belief. I know Rhys seems gruff and overprotective, but there is a soft center under his hard exterior. Do you know he has never spent a night apart from me since the death of our father? He may seem aloof and arrogant but trust me when I tell you that is all an act. He has a big heart behind those scowls. You see, he has had to take care of everything since he was seventeen, including the business, the title, and his ten-year-old little sister. He has had to harden himself to endure it. Sometimes, I think he’s had too much to shoulder. He cannot let himself enjoy life.”
Cordelia took a moment to process Esme’s words. He was such a complicated man! They approached the staircase. It was time to stop her mind from wandering to Rhys and compose herself. She needed to steel herself to face everyone, including him.
“Hmmm,” Cordelia pondered. “Or, he could just be gruff and arrogant because he wishes to be,” she teased.
“Or that!” Esme laughed, and squeezed her arm. Cordelia squeezed her back, laughing with her.
When they reached the staircase, Esme sucked in her breath. Cordelia followed Esme’s gaze down the stairs. The Duke and Rhys were looking up at them. The Duke had a sexy smile as he stared at Esme, while Rhys' face was placid, as he immediately locked eyes with Cordelia.
“Lord help me, he is much more handsome than I remembered,” Esme whispered, in awe.
“Yes, he is,” Cordelia agreed, not taking her eyes off Rhys. Lord help me too, she prayed. She could not read his expression, nor could she move. She let go of Esme’s arm as she started to descend the stairs first. The Duke leaned over and said something to Rhys. He leaned in to answer, but his eyes never left hers. Move, you ninny! She grasped the railing and willed her feet to move. She lifted her skirt slightly and started down, not taking her eyes from him either. In her peripheral vision, she saw the Duke climb the bottom two stairs and offer his hand to Esme.
“Good evening, your grace,” Esme said with a nod, as she accepted his hand. She descended the last two steps and dropped to a curtsy. “Thank you.”
When Cordelia reached the bottom, Rhys stepped forward and extended his hand. Hers shook as she reached out to take it.
“You are a vision, Lady Cromwell,” he said quietly, and her resolve fled. She tried to smile at him, but her bottom lip quivered.
“As are you, my lord.”
Chapter 34
The
y silently walked hand in hand behind the Duke and Esme. Esme light-heartedly chatted to the Duke as they walked. The Duke was being himself with Esme again, and Cordelia smiled. Rhys, on the other hand, was silent and unreadable. Cordelia did not know what to think. Now that their affair was over, would they be able to be cordial? She wished he would say something, anything that would give her a clue about what he was thinking. He looked at her, and to her surprise, he threaded her arm under his, placed her hand on his forearm, then put his hand over hers possessively. Cordelia looked at their hands, then at him. Rhys smiled at her, squeezed her hand, and his eyes drifted down to her chest. Cordelia swallowed. The way he looked at her made her feel naked.
“Another one of Rodrigo’s creations, I assume?” he asked, with a hint of disapproval. He looked forward, ignoring her again. What did he mean by that?
“Yes, of course. The man is a visionary, is he not?” she asked, as she smoothed her hand down the front of her skirt. His eyes snapped back to her as she smoothed her dress.
“I am not sure I want to share this vision of his with the young poppycocks in the other room,” he said quietly, as he looked at her décolletage.
His eyes narrowed, as he stared at the tassel pinned at her cleavage. Was he angry about her dress? How dare he act as he owned her! Just because they had had an affair, it did not mean she was his possession! This brought back memories of the Earl inspecting her before they left the house. Never again! Gone was the man she had spent time with this afternoon. The arrogant cad was back! She was not going to take the bait this time.
“Share? Hardly, my lord. I am unavailable, if you will recall.”
“Damn right you are unavailable!” he blurted.
Her eyes snapped to his, and she stopped walking, forcing him to stop as well. What was his game? Did he think now that she was no longer a virgin that she would be flaunting herself at every man? Well, she had given herself to him on the first day. Of course, he would think that. He did not know her very well, after all.
“I realize that you may have a different perception of me, my lord, but I assure you that I never…have never…would never behave in the manner you imply.” She stated defensively.
“I know, Cordelia. It is just that this dress, well, it shares more than I like.”
Cordelia’s eyes narrowed. Just like a man to think he owned her now! He didn’t want her but didn’t want anyone else to have her either. They were all the same! Earl, Marquess, it did not matter. Women were possessions, nothing more.
“I am not your responsibility, my lord. Besides, this dress is not any more revealing than what I wore last evening. Not that I would require your permission to wear it, even if it was,” she stated firmly.
“Cordelia, I…” Rhys looked confused. His eyes darted between hers before he continued. “I am sorry if I overstepped, Cordelia. I realize I have no right to an opinion either way.”
He said it with such sincerity. The look on his face made her think he wanted to say something more. His hand closed tighter over hers. She had to look away as her heart pinched. He was so handsome, and she so wanted that look to mean something else. But it was no use to wish for something that would never come to pass. Also, there was no use in being hostile with each other, she decided.
“Thank you, my lord. Actually, your opinion means more to me than you know,” she confessed, just above a whisper. She raised her chin and composed herself before she continued. “Shall we join the others?”
Before they entered the parlor, she pulled her arm from his. Cordelia did not want tongues wagging about the fact that they had entered together. He would be gone in a day, and she did not want to give the gossipmongers any ammunition. Being considered merely one of Rhys’ many conquests did not set well with her, even though she was.
While Rhys headed straight to the footman with a tray of champagne, she became immediately surrounded by guests eager to talk with her. By spending all her time with Rhys, she had neglected her clients. It was time to put them first. She politely steered the ladies to one of the seating areas and told the gentlemen that she would be with them shortly. They obediently stepped aside and let the ladies pass.
Rhys caught her eye and held up a glass of champagne. She shook her head and mouthed later. Cordelia watched, as he settled himself at the back of the room.
“Oh, Lady Cromwell, so much has happened since we talked last, right ladies?” The group nodded and looked at her expectantly. Instantly, Cordelia realized how important it was for her to consistently interact with her clients. She could tell there was much they did not understand by the insecure looks on their faces. Since she had been in a constant state of confusion with Rhys, she now felt less than capable of administering advice. Nevertheless, she straightened her spine and acted confident. One thing she did know about matchmaking was that, more often than not, all one had to do was listen.
“Tell me all, I want to hear,” she said, and leaned in giving them her full attention. Everyone scooted to the end of their seats. Lady Verness was the first to jump in.
“How do you tell if they truly like you or they just want someone to…to…”
“Kiss?” one of the ladies interjected.
After that question, the floodgates opened, and Cordelia could hardly keep up. The conversation took on a life of its own. Every single lady had something to say, one talking after the other in rapid succession.
“Yes! And once you kiss them then, lordy…”
“That is all they want!”
“That’s not all they want…”
“Phoebe is right!”
“Well, my Edmund has been a perfect gentleman.”
“That’s because you caught him with Lidia! He has no other way to get back into your good graces!”
“I cannot abide a man who is a philanderer!”
“Then you will never make a match, Agatha. All men are philanderers.”
“Not my father. He is devoted to my mother.”
“That’s what I want too!”
“He may be devoted to her now, but he has not always been so…”
“Ladies! Ladies!’ Cordelia interjected not liking where the conversation was headed. “You are over thinking things! Do not be swayed by the gentlemen’s past or worry about what may or may not happen in the future. What you are feeling today is what is most important, is it not? You have only to decide whether you can come to have feelings for the gentleman, and he for you. Live in the now. Nature will take care of the rest,” Cordelia advised.
It was her stock answer for clients when they started feeling insecure. She supposed there was truth to it, but she realized she was not following her own advice. Had she not judged Rhys by his reputation from the start? Did her hurtful comments to him not come from assumptions about his past, and not from how he was behaving at the moment?
“Lady Cromwell is right! We are over thinking everything. Besides, I like kissing Henry.”
“Me too! Not Henry of course…oh, you know what I mean!”
“I still cannot abide philandering. If Lord McElroy wishes a match, I need assurances.”
“Talk to him, Penelope. Let your feelings be known,” Cordelia directed. “Honesty is best.”
“I will! Right now, as a matter of fact!”
Lady Penelope stood, and after a quick curtsy, left the group with a confident stride. Soon after, the rest followed one by one, with either a smile or a plan. Cordelia felt apprehensive about her advice. How could she expect her clients to take her suggestions if she did not follow them herself?
She had no time to ponder before the waiting group of gentlemen descended on her. All of them had a hard time looking her directly. Their eyes kept drifting to the pin and tassel at her cleavage. Damn Roddy for trying to catch Rhys’ eye! She opened her fan and used it as a shield, gently fanning herself. Some men looked relieved, while others seemed disappointed.
“What did they say about us?” one asked, before they had a chance to settle.
/> “Well, the general consensus seems to be on the sincerity of your attentions, kissing being at the center of their concerns. It seems that your intentions are vague at best. And, for those of you who have been…ah, well, have been tasting the buffet, shall we say, are giving a negative impression of what the future holds,” she explained.
Confused faces stared at her. Typical. It seemed men of every age and circumstance had difficulty understanding a woman’s feelings. Cordelia tried again.
“Gentlemen. You came to me to be introduced to ladies of good quality and circumstance. What you have forgotten is that I am recruited almost exclusively for those who desire a love match. Even though men have a different view of what love is, and lord knows, very few in your circle have had the benefit of good examples, women are much more consistent in this need.”
“What do you mean, Lady Cromwell?” One of the gentlemen sounded genuinely interested.
“Woman, although realistic about husbands, want at least a chance at love. They see through kisses given not as a prelude to love, but simply for pleasure. And, for those of you who have been kissing many ladies, they regard it as a sure indication of the treatment they will receive in the future. So, in the end, gentlemen, if it is a match you truly desire, then I would start being honest with the candidate of your choice. Tell her the truth, especially if you harbor feelings for the lady. And, only kiss the ones with whom you desire a future, for the time being anyway.”
Some of the men looked at each other, lost for words, and others simply looked at their feet in shame. Cordelia was relieved when Rupert announced that dinner was served, and Rhys approached. Everyone stood politely.
“If you will excuse us gentlemen.” Rhys stepped into the crowd, held out his hand, and said, “It is my responsibility to see Lady Cromwell to her seat this evening.” There were soft murmurs of protest until Cordelia took his hand.
