Ducal Encounters 02 - With the Duke's Approval

by Wendy Soliman

  Annalise was now in close conversation with Crista and so Clarence quizzed Amos about the papers he had brought with him.

  “No idea what’s in them,” Amos said. “I didn’t pause to read them, but it’s just as well I got them when I did.”

  Everyone in the room was now listening to them.

  “What do you mean?” Winchester asked curtly.

  “I sent someone to the Crown to see if any strangers had been asking questions about Lady St. John’s estate, just as you asked me to, Zach. It seems a couple of foreigners had done so just that day.” Frankie gasped and Clarence noticed Winchester place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Jeggins was suspicious and didn’t tell them anything. They took themselves off, probably to Compton village to ask similar questions there.”

  “They will find out where I live easily enough,” Frankie said, looking distressed. “I do hope my servants aren’t at risk.”

  “I asked Amos to send four of my strongest men to your estate until this business is over, for that very reason,” Winchester said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  Frankie’s expression was a combination of gratefulness and annoyance. “I can hardly object to your thoughtfulness, your grace, but I would have liked to know of your intention in advance.”

  “It might have proved unnecessary,” Winchester replied. “And then I would have worried you for no reason.”

  Frankie opened her mouth, as if to argue the point, then shook her head and closed it again without speaking.

  “He can be annoyingly dictatorial,” Annalise told Frankie. “All of my brothers share that tendency, but they mean well.”

  The duke spared Annalise a reproving glance but refrained from comment.

  “Anyway,” Amos said. “The papers are in a box in the hall. I assume you want to take them with you, Romsey?”

  “Yes, if you have no objection, Frankie.”

  “None whatsoever.”

  “I will only read the personal documents if absolutely necessary.”

  “Nothing Gerald committed to writing will be of a personal nature,” Frankie replied.

  Winchester looked at her askance, probably as intrigued as Clarence was by her remote expression and cryptic remark. He had long wondered about the circumstances of her marriage to a man so much older than she was. It seemed like a perfectly convivial match to outsiders, but Clarence knew appearances counted for little.

  “I’ll have someone carry the box round to your rooms, Romsey,” Winchester said.

  “Thank you. In that case, I shall take my leave and return in time for dinner.”

  He bid adieu to the ladies, and shook each of the gentlemen’s hands. He was unsure what to make of it when Annalise treated him with offhand courtesy, almost as though they were nothing more to one another than acquaintances. And yet he was conscious of her gaze boring into his back as he left the room.

  The lady he was now determined to make his wife was something of a mystery. She was far more intelligent than she let on, and was playing some sort of game by pretending she had no intention of going through with the marriage. How could she not, without causing difficulties for the family she so adored? What was it she wanted him to say or do to convince her? She had dropped less than subtle hints the entire time they were in the park, but Clarence was too good a strategist to fall for such an obvious ruse and ask outright what she wanted of him.

  He reclaimed his horse and rode briskly home, keen to have at Frankie’s papers. Annalise was testing him in some way, and it was up to Clarence to work out why.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Where is everyone?” Crista was the only person in the drawing room when Anna walked into it that evening. “Am I early?”

  “No, they are all tardy, as usual.” Crista smiled up at Anna and gasped. “Oh, Annalise, you look lovely!”

  Anna’s foolish anxiety was partially relieved by Crista’s spontaneous reaction to the sight of her in her new blue changeable silk ball gown, complete with overskirt of silver sarsenet. The tight-fitting bodice was cut daringly low and trimmed with pretty seed pearls. Flemish lace adorned the capped sleeves and hemline. She had taken especial care with her toilette, and changed her mind three times before she was satisfied with Fanny’s efforts with her hair. It was ridiculous to feel nervous, she repeatedly told herself, or to desire so badly that Clarence would actually want to marry her become his affections were engaged. His head was so full of stuffy government business that he probably wouldn’t even notice the trouble she had gone to.

  “Do you really think so?” Anna chewed her lip. “The neckline is rather lower than I am comfortable with, and—”

  “And Lord Romsey will be enraptured. Stop being such a widgeon.” Crista stood up and hugged Anna, careful not to crush her gown. “Being engaged agrees with you. You look as though you have been lit up from within. Lord Romsey is a lucky man. I am so glad you have achieved your heart’s desire.”

  Anna wrinkled her nose. “I would be glad, too, if it had been for the right reasons.”

  “Whatever do you mean?” Crista frowned. “This sounds intriguing. What have you been up to, apart from getting yourself abducted from society balls? Do tell.”

  Grimacing, Annalise did just that.

  “Oh, Anna!” Crista laughed aloud. “Only you could land yourself in such a mess.”

  “I’m glad you find it amusing,” Anna replied, sniffing.

  “Excuse me.” Crista made an effort to control her laughter. “I am not laughing at you precisely, just at the circumstances that landed you where you have always wanted to be, which is engaged to Lord Romsey. Something good has come out of your ordeal.”

  “Perhaps so, but I didn’t plan to coerce him into marrying me against his will.”

  Crista shook her head. “Lord Romsey did not look like a condemned man to me when you returned from your ride this afternoon. In fact, he looked rather pleased with himself.”

  “Hmm, looks can be deceiving.” Anna brightened. “However, I have decided to make him stop being so serious and learn to enjoy himself. He had never attempted it before, which is so very sad. Even so, unless he admits to loving me, I am absolutely determined not to go through with the wedding. I don’t care what society has to say on the matter. I will not be left to stew in his mausoleum of a house while he gallivants around the globe, righting all the wrongs done to the British government.”

  Once again, Crista’s lips twitched. “What makes you so sure his house is a mausoleum? You have never set foot inside it.”

  “True, but his father sounds like an ogre, his mother died when Clarence was still a child, and I would wager no effort has been put into maintaining the house.”

  “Then you will have a lovely time righting that situation. And come to that, why would he leave you in the country? Frankie went everywhere with her husband.”

  “Presumably that was because her husband loved her and wanted her with him.”

  “You don’t know that any more than you can be sure Romsey doesn’t love you.”

  “I do know. He would say so if he did. It cannot be so very hard to admit such a thing, surely?”

  “Perhaps he doesn’t know how. You need to give him a little encouragement, that’s all. But I can understand why you feel the way you do. I would not have married Amos if I was not assured of his complete and absolute devotion, even though I was desperately in love with him.”

  “Well, anyone with eyes in their head could see your feelings were reciprocated.”

  “Everyone except me.” Crista took Anna’s hand and smiled at her. “And now that situation is reversed, and it is I who must persuade you to open your eyes to Lord Romsey’s feelings for you. Some things transcend mere words. I think your handsome earl will not take much persuading to put aside his serious ways.”

  “We did ride out at his suggestions this afternoon, which I took to be a good sign. He does not usually waste his valuable time riding for no reason.”

  “That i
s an encouraging start.”

  “He paid me several pretty compliments and was very charming.”

  “He is a diplomat. Of course he’s charming, but I have always thought charm comes naturally to Lord Romsey.”

  “Possibly.” Anna wrinkled her brow. “But I want his compliments to be spontaneous, from the heart, as opposed to acts of diplomacy.”

  Crista smiled. “Rome was not built in a day, my dear.”

  “I dropped numerous hints that I did not plan to go through with the marriage, and he didn’t appear to hear them, infuriating man!” She slanted a gaze at Crista. “Why do you suppose that is?”

  “He probably doesn’t think you are serious.”

  “He ought to be glad I don’t want to hold him to the commitment when his feelings are not engaged.” She tossed her head. “Clarence never intended to marry, you know.”

  “Well, you will just have to change his mind about that.” Crista became serious. “If you love him, Anna, it will be worth the effort. Lord Romsey is a complex gentleman. He is entirely sure of himself when negotiating affairs of state, but completely at sea when it comes to untangling his feelings for you.” Crista smiled. “It is up to you to make him realise his life is incomplete without you in it. I don’t pretend to have much experience in these matters, but I do know, no matter how intelligent they are, men are not nearly as clever about affairs of the heart as we ladies naturally are.”

  “Because we have nothing better to do with our time than daydream about finding our heart’s desire.”

  Crista smiled. “Possibly.”

  Anna felt guilty. Until she married Amos, Crista had had plenty to do with her time, working all the hours God sent, to stave off the enemies her father had made through foolish decisions. “Thank you. I fully intend to follow your advice. Clarence is definitely worth fighting for.” Anna perched carefully on the edge of a settee. “But enough about me. Why are you not dressed for the ball?”

  “Oh, Amos and I shall not go. We were up at the crack of dawn in order to get here with those papers, and we are exhausted.”

  “Of course you must be. How thoughtless of me not to have realised it.” Anna canted her head and examined Crista more closely. “There is something different about you. Something about your eyes, your complexion. Your skin positively glows. Are you quite well?”

  “Never more so.”

  When Crista’s face broke out into a beatific smile, Anna gasped. “You and Amos are going to make me an aunt?”

  Crista nodded. “Yes. We have only just found out and haven’t told anyone yet. We planned to do so at dinner this evening.”

  “I am so delighted!” Anna hugged Crista, this time not caring about the welfare of her gown. “Mama will be beside herself with joy. So will Zach. It will take the pressure off of him to marry, or so he will think.”

  Crista laughed. “I doubt your Mama will see things that way.”

  “No, I am sure she will not.” Anna sighed. “You should not have come tearing up to town. Not in your condition.”

  “Oh, Anna, don’t fuss so. You are worse than Amos. I wanted to come, insisted upon it because I wanted to be sure you were all right.”

  Others joined them and their private discourse came to an end. Anna gave Amos a huge hug when he entered the room, making it clear without words she knew his secret. He squeezed her waist, put her aside, and went to stand behind Crista. Without preamble, he then told them all their news. Everyone was excited by it. The duchess actually cried.

  “I am to be a grandmamma at last,” she said, hugging Crista and simultaneously wiping her eyes.

  Amos received hearty backslaps from his brothers. Crista was kissed and fussed over by everyone. Champagne was served and the hubbub had only just died down when Clarence was announced. Anna inhaled sharply when she looked up and their gazes locked. She was conscious of colour flooding her face as a fine tremor of expectation lanced through her, causing her to wonder briefly how she could possibly expect such an intelligent sophisticate to take an interest in a dunce like her. What would they find to talk about that wouldn’t bore him rigid? It occurred to her suddenly, his fierce intellect was one of the things that had attracted her to him. They were polar opposites, and she was drawn to him in spite of their differences. He was so debonair in his evening clothes, and his thick hair falling over his brow—every movement and gesture poised and elegant—just looking at him robbed her of the ability to think straight. She wanted to run to him, throw herself spontaneously into his arms, much as she tended to do with her brothers, and never let go. Instead, she forced herself to incline her head, somewhat coolly, and turned back to her conversation with Frankie. He might be clever, but she had her feminine wiles with which to ensnare him, and that evened things up just a little.

  “What game are you playing?” Frankie asked in an undertone.

  “I will tell you later.”

  “Well, whatever it is, you have totally confused Clarence.”

  Anna flashed a smug smile. “That is my intention.”

  Frankie laughed. “Then the next few weeks ought to be entertaining. Confusion is not a situation Clarence is familiar with. His existence revolves around orderly control and intellectual reasoning.”

  “Whereas mine is entirely spontaneous.” She grinned at Frankie. “One of us will have to make concessions.”

  A large hand came to rest on her waist. She felt the heat searing through the silk of her gown, heating her blood.

  “Good evening, Clarence,” she said, not needing to turn to know who owned that hand.

  “You look adorable,” he whispered in her ear. “Good evening, Frankie,” he said in a more normal voice. “Will you please excuse us for a moment? There is something I must say in private to Annalise.”

  “By all means,” Frankie replied, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

  With his hand still on her waist, Clarence steered Anna into the small salon adjoining the drawing room.

  “Whatever do you wish to say to me that cannot be said in front of my family?” she asked, rather breathlessly as a result of the continued contact with Clarence’s hand.

  “It is more a case of what I have to give you.”

  Before she could ask what he meant, he produced a box from his pocket. Obviously a ring box. She had not thought of that, hadn’t expected a token to seal their supposed engagement. He opened it and she gasped loud enough to draw attention from the adjoining room. A superb, very large sapphire circled by exquisite diamonds sparkled against the black velvet lining of the box.

  “It is beautiful!” Anna said, awestruck.

  “It reminded me of the colour of your eyes.”

  “Clarence, that was a very romantic thing to say.”

  “You see, I am learning. I think you will find me a very responsive pupil.”

  He extracted the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. She wasn’t surprised to discover it was a perfect fit. She waggled her finger about, admiring the light refracted by the stones from all angles.

  “It is a Ceylon sapphire,” Clarence said. “The very best they had.”

  “Was it your mother’s?”

  Anna regretted the question when a cloud darkened his expression. Up until that point, he had been like a little boy, rare excitement cutting through his suave exterior in his anxiety for her approval.

  “No,” he said curtly, his eyes flat and hard. “I would not have you wear anything of hers. All the jewellery I give to my wife will be selected to suit her personality.”

  “Then she will be very fortunate. And you may rest assured I will take very good care of this ring and return it to you when the time comes.”

  Anna smiled up at Clarence, expecting him to finally ask what she meant by that comment. He did not. Instead, he lowered his head and their lips collided, briefly. Far too briefly for Anna’s likes, but the contact was still sufficient to send soaring excitement spiralling through her veins, heightening her perceptions, and making her lo
ng for a mysterious something that was lacking in her life. An omission she was absolutely sure Clarence would be able to rectify, if she went through with the marriage.

  “I have wanted to do that since first setting eyes on you,” he said softly “And, just so you are aware, I intend to do a more thorough job of it the next time we are alone.”

  Anna gulped, too overcome by surprise at the raw intensity evidenced in his expression to point out this was his second romantic comment in as many minutes. She bit her lower lip, which still tingled from the brief contact with his, and remained silent.

  “Come,” he said briskly, once more placing a hand on her waist. “We ought to re-join the others so you can show them your ring.”

  ***

  Clarence escorted Annalise into the crowded ballroom, conscious of a marked degree of attention being focused upon them. Many pairs of eyes followed their progress with varying degrees of interest. He was perfectly sure many of the gentlemen would be disappointed. He knew a large number of them had fixed their interest on Annalise, and not only because she possessed such a large dowry. Clarence had no need of her money, but an alternative use for it was already forming in his brain.

  Their hostess was positively bursting with joy because Annalise appeared at her ball on Clarence’s arm, confirming the rumours that had been circulating. Clarence’s training saw him through the interlude with a gushing Lady Ancel. He did not have to think about how he responded to her, but said and did all the right things with charm and grace, all the while focusing his attention upon the lady at his side.

  Annalise had never looked more beautiful, mere serene, more composed. She played her part superbly, looking ecstatic, sending him frequent adoring glances that had been conspicuous by their absence at Sheridan House. But beneath her polished exterior, he could sense she was a tangle of uncertainty and nervousness. Nervous with him, of facing von Hessel, or disappointing her myriad admirers? Clarence wished he knew.

  “You look radiant,” he said, tightening the muscles in his forearm upon which her hand rested, his ring glistening on the outside of her glove. “Half the men in this room want to detach my head from my body at this precise moment, for which I can scarce blame them.”