And as soon as any such thought arose, an image of a coal merchant would materialise in his head...a man such as Liberty’s grandfather.
‘Never allow your base desires to contaminate the bloodline, my Son. Keep it pure. Make me proud.’
Not one whisper of his inner turmoil was allowed to surface, however. His behaviour was as correct as it had ever been. No one would suspect the whirlwind of indecision that plagued his thoughts. If Lady Sybilla was the perfect lady, he had always taken care to present himself to the world as the perfect gentleman.
He had only ever allowed himself to relax that perfection when he was safe among his family.
And with Liberty.
He shrugged that thought away. If he was a different man beneath the gentlemanly exterior, then Sybilla, too, might be different.
But different how? In a good way or a bad way?
He could stand no more. He felt as though he rode a runaway steed, the reins slipping through his useless fingers. He bowed abruptly to the Duchess and Sybilla. ‘If you will excuse me, ladies?’
Not by a flicker did either lady reveal any disappointment in his departure. He really could not read either of them. He was sick of puzzling over his dilemma. He would speak to Alex and Gideon and check on the arrangements for tomorrow, then go to his club and banish that blasted list from his mind for a few hours.
* * *
The following afternoon Dominic met Gideon and Alex as arranged, at three o’clock by the Park gates. Gideon looked as giddy as a schoolboy, his blue eyes dancing with excitement, as he sat on his black gelding, holding a pretty chestnut mare by her reins. This was his surprise... Bella. A new horse for Liberty’s birthday—one with outstanding conformation and, Alex had assured him, perfect manners. And Alex should know, because he had bred and trained Bella, using one of his stable lads to help accustom her to the side-saddle.
Alex was astride his huge grey, standing up in his stirrups, scanning the crowds for their first sight of Liberty. Hope and Verity had pledged to be in the Park by three and to bring Liberty with them.
‘I do hope she doesn’t suspect anything,’ Gideon said for the umpteenth time.
Dominic was on foot. He wished he felt half as lively as Gideon, but his head still thumped from his late night at White’s, when he had imbibed rather too freely of the brandy, and another restless night. He massaged his temples and closed his eyes briefly.
‘I see her.’ Alex lowered himself into his saddle. ‘She’s with your sisters, but they’ve got that dog with them.’
‘I heard Liberty say she planned to walk it in the Park today,’ said Gideon, ‘and I told Hope on no account were they to bring him along. Why do sisters never listen?’
‘I’ll go and meet them,’ said Dominic. ‘I can steer them towards a less crowded spot, in case Bella should start to fidget.’
Gideon glanced at the mare. ‘She seems calm enough—I just hope she doesn’t object to dogs.’
‘Indeed,’ said Alex, with a wink. ‘Or you’ll be left holding Romeo, Dom. That won’t do your image as a suave man about town any good at all.’
Dominic didn’t dignify that remark with a reply. He set off through the throng of walkers and, before too long, he came across Liberty, Hope and Verity. Romeo, tongue lolling, was prancing by Liberty’s side, exhibiting a showy action that would not be out of place on one of Alex’s specially bred high-stepping carriage horses. His upright ears were even more highly pricked than ever, and his tail curled tightly over his back.
Dominic bowed, taking in Liberty’s blushing cheeks and the hint of self-consciousness in her eyes. Her periwinkle-blue walking dress fitted her like a glove, moulding to her breasts, and the memory of their fullness softly pressing against his chest last night sent the blood surging to his groin.
He conjured up Sybilla’s serene half-smile and his lust subsided.
‘Good afternoon, ladies. May I wish you a happy birthday, Miss Lovejoy?’
‘Good afternoon, sir, and thank you.’ Liberty’s lips curved in a smile as all three ladies curtsied, but her smile was strained.
‘Good afternoon, Lord Avon,’ Hope and Verity chorused.
Hope caught his eye, raising her brows, a question in her blue eyes, and Dominic gave her a brief nod. Yes. Gideon was at the Park with Liberty’s gift.
‘And Romeo...’ Dominic continued smoothly, eyeing the hound, who eyed him back, a definite hint of arrogance in his stance. ‘Well, he appears to have fully recovered from his ordeal. Anyone would think he was born to parade in the Park at the promenade hour.’
‘We did try to persuade Liberty to leave him at home, my lord,’ said Hope, ‘but she would not listen.’
‘Well, as it is your sister’s birthday, I think she might be allowed a little indulgence.’ He patted Romeo, who tolerated it. Gone was the cringing, fawning animal of only a few days ago. ‘May I walk with you a short way, ladies?’
‘We would be honoured, my lord.’ Liberty was all graciousness, but, as they fell into step, she whispered, ‘Your sister suggested I should walk Romeo here, but is it really acceptable?’
Her disquiet was unmistakable.
‘Are you actually asking my advice? Is this the Liberty Lovejoy I... I first met on my father’s doorstep?’ He maintained his teasing tone, but flinched at the words he had so nearly uttered. The Liberty Lovejoy I know and love. It might be trite and a cliché, but those words had come from somewhere.
From the heart.
Nonsense. Friends. She agreed with me. It’s lust on my part. That’s all.
‘I am sure it could not be anything other than acceptable now I have lent you countenance by walking with you,’ he said, using his haughtiest tone.
He was rewarded with a gurgled laugh and a light slap on the arm.
It was a relief to see Gideon and Alex riding towards them. Dominic clasped Liberty’s elbow and drew her to a halt. She looked at him, an enquiring frown hovering. He nodded to the carriageway ahead. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Dominic removed Romeo’s lead from her slack hold and nudged her forward.
Gideon slid from his horse’s back and waited, a huge grin on his face, as Liberty walked towards him.
‘Lib, meet Bella. Happy birthday.’ He handed her the lead rein.
As Dominic watched Liberty’s joy and excitement a previously unknown emotion raked his insides. It took him a moment to realise he was jealous of Gideon. He wanted to give her things. He wanted to be the recipient of that joyous smile and that unrestrained hug. For the first time in his life he cursed that he was a duke’s son. The heir. He longed to break free of the shackles and expectations of society.
He concentrated on keeping all trace of emotion from his face until, with relief, he spied his cousin and friend, Felicity Stanton, driving her pony pair, Nutmeg and Spice, at a spanking trot towards him. He thrust Romeo’s lead at Verity and flagged Felicity to stop, which she did with a flourish.
‘Dominic! How lovely to see you... I was at Westfield this morning and Peter told me all about your visit yesterday. And what splendid news, that Lord Hugo and Olivia are going to become patrons. Do you know any more of their plans?’
‘Take me up and I will tell you all I know,’ he said.
Gideon, Liberty and her sisters were all preoccupied examining Bella. They wouldn’t even notice Dominic had gone. He caught Alex’s eye, raised his hand in salute and then climbed in next to Felicity.
His destiny was ordained and it did not include Liberty Lovejoy, the granddaughter of a coal merchant. The time until his father arrived would pass quickly and as long as he kept reminding himself that he and Liberty were only friends all would be well.
* * *
He filled those days with activity: visits to Westfield, where he again helped the older children with their lessons; boxing and fencing sessions; visits to his clubs, wher
e he partook in several lively political debates; and daily rides in Hyde Park, where he had yet to see Liberty out on Bella. He both longed for and dreaded seeing her, knowing his resolve would not be strong enough to refrain from riding by her side, even if the most he could hope for would be polite chit-chat.
Friends.
The evenings were trickier, but he was proud of his demeanour. He remained totally in control and even Olivia and Alexander had stopped badgering him about his damned list, although Olivia couldn’t quite disguise her anxiety whenever she thought he wasn’t looking.
No one, he was certain, would suspect the knot that had taken up residence in his guts and that inexorably tightened with each day that passed.
He danced with every lady on his shortlist and a few more besides, keeping up a flow of frivolous conversation. If Liberty were present, he danced with her, too, his stomach muscles rigid with the effort required to maintain his mask of light friendship. Not by a word or a look did either of them refer to that kiss.
In short, he presented the same Lord Avon to the ton that he had presented for the past nine years, since he first came to town at seventeen years of age.
On the day of Father’s arrival it brought him no relief to realise that this strange charade was near its end and so he awarded himself one last indulgence. Olivia and Hugo were to ride in the Park with Liberty. Dominic made sure to join them.
* * *
The days since their kiss had provided a salutary lesson for Liberty.
Dominic had proved time after time that their kiss meant nothing to him even though that same kiss haunted her dreams. He was the same suave, sophisticated gentleman he had always been. Any observer would claim he behaved no differently to her, but she knew there was a faint but discernible detachment in the way he acted around her. He avoided any situation where they might speak privately and, when they danced, he no longer teased her, but merely kept up the same light, inconsequential conversation he maintained with all his partners.
She ought to be pleased at his caution, but she missed him and she missed their friendship and his teasing. Her heart sank whenever she saw him with one of the ladies on his list, especially Sybilla following Olivia’s suspicion that she was now Dominic’s choice.
On the day Olivia’s father was due to arrive in town, she and Hugo arranged to meet Liberty for a ride in the Park. Gideon rode with Liberty and waited with her by the Park gate until Hugo and Olivia arrived. Liberty tried to ignore the silly way her heart leapt at the sight of Dominic accompanying them, telling herself his presence meant nothing. She marshalled her courage and smiled serenely as he greeted her, but no sooner had they started to walk their horses along the carriageway than they appeared to fall naturally into two pairs: Hugo and Olivia, followed by Dominic and Liberty.
‘I hope you do not object to my joining you this afternoon?’ Dominic said, after they had exchanged comments on the weather—which was dry but still unseasonably cold.
He grinned at her. Totally relaxed and utterly gorgeous. No hint of self-consciousness over that kiss. No tinge of regret either. It was as though it had never happened.
‘Why should I?’ She was pleased with the light nonchalance of her reply.
‘I have been wondering how you were getting on with Bella. Do you like her?’
Liberty smoothed one gloved hand along Bella’s silken mane. ‘Oh, yes. She is perfect. It was a lovely surprise.’ She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘I collect you knew all about it at the Attwoods’ ball, when you said you hoped to see me in the Park the following day?’
‘I did—and now you see why I could not tell you the reason for my question. You were a tad irritated with me at the time, as I recall.’
She had been irritated and still was—but by his ability to sweep the memory of that kiss...of her...away. She must have tensed because Bella threw her head up and danced sideways. Liberty forced her hands to relax on the rein and settled her with a hand to her neck and a soothing word. Dominic watched her and she caught a glint of admiration in his silver gaze.
She didn’t want his admiration. It made everything so much harder to bear.
‘You are well aware, my Lord Avon, that was not the only reason for my irritation,’ she snapped.
Her mood only appeared to amuse him and a teasing smile stretched his lips.
‘Ah. So you were upset because I kissed you.’
His remark riled her still further, until she realised he was being deliberately provocative and that she was rising to it. She reined in her temper and aimed for a similar kind of teasing banter.
‘I was not. It was merely a kiss.’ She stuck her nose in the air, but kept her tone light. ‘It was hardly my first! It was your subsequent behaviour that I found so objectionable, sir.’
‘Sir is it now? You are in a huff with me!’ He laughed. ‘Very well. I apologise for taking advantage of you by stroking your naked arm.’ His choice of words set her pulse racing. ‘But, really, Berty...what do you expect of a red-blooded man when you present him with such temptation in a secluded alcove? If you will take my advice, you will remain close to your chaperon in future and not run the risk of leading random gentlemen astray.’
‘Why, thank you so much for those words of wisdom, Lord Avon. Truly...’ she placed her hand over her heart and fluttered her eyelashes at him ‘...I do not know how we weak females would manage without such penetrating male insight to guide us. Perhaps I should clothe myself in a nun’s habit for future balls, if one expanse of bare skin can have such an undesirable effect on so-called gentlemen.’
She saw the effort it took him to bite back his grin. ‘Now, now, Berty. I have told you before, sarcasm does not suit you.’
‘And pontificating about the blinking obvious does not suit you, Dominic.’
‘Touché,’ he murmured.
They drifted into an amicable silence as they rode on, but the question that had plagued her for days bubbled in her brain, foiling her efforts to ignore it. She had to know the worst. She had to prepare herself.
‘I have something I wish to ask you.’
His features blanked, a hint of wariness in his eyes.
‘Go on.’
‘Have you made your choice?’
He would know what she meant, no need to elaborate further. She burned to know who and when, so she could be ready to stand by and smile benignly even though she was still convinced he was heading for a cold and miserable future.
His eyebrows met in a dark slash. ‘I have.’
Her heart tumbled and nausea rose to choke her. She swallowed hard. ‘Is the young lady aware of her good fortune?’
His lips firmed and a muscle leapt in his cheek.
‘Not as yet. You are the first to know.’ He paused, the groove between his eyebrows deepening. ‘I shall ask Lady Sybilla to be my wife,’ he said eventually.
Her throat thickened. She had asked and now she knew. Olivia had been right. Sybilla was exquisitely polite to Liberty if ever their paths met, but she had never caught the slightest glimpse of the real woman beneath that emotionless façade. And now Liberty would be forced to smile and congratulate the happy couple.
How will he be happy with Sybilla? He’ll end up lonely and embittered...he needs a woman with warmth and kindness to bring joy into his life, not an ice maiden.
Sybilla was cold enough to freeze a stream of lava in mid-flow.
‘And when shall you offer for her?’
His silver gaze roamed restlessly around the Park.
‘Father arrived today and the family will all dine at Beauchamp House tonight. I shall inform them of my decision then.’
‘So you will tell your family before you speak to Lady Sybilla?’
‘Of course.’ His chest swelled as he inhaled. He switched his gaze to Liberty. Then the air left his lungs in a rush. ‘You know very well this is a practi
cal arrangement. I want my family’s blessing before I make any commitment. Once I make my offer there will be no going back.’
She knew that. Knew that his gentleman’s honour, let alone his obsession with duty, would never allow him to behave otherwise. And her heart ached for him. From everything she had learned from Mrs Mount and from Olivia, the members of his extended family were all happily married—every one of them a love match. But even with those examples, Dominic still steered resolutely on his chosen course.
‘And if your father gives his approval?’ She knew it was his father’s approval that was crucial. The rest of the family were important, but the Duke’s opinion was the one that mattered.
‘Then I shall call on the Duke of Wragby in the morning.’
She had pushed him far enough. There was a finality in his tone that warned her to stop. She swallowed again and concentrated on maintaining her posture in the saddle even though she longed to slump in defeat.
‘I wish you well.’
‘Thank you.’
They rode on in silence.
Chapter Sixteen
Dominic felt no relief at announcing his decision. What he didn’t tell Liberty was that, until the moment she asked, he had still not made his final choice—wavering from one name to the other and back again until he was in a state of utter confusion—even though he still planned to tell the rest of the family tonight. Her question had pushed him into the final decision, but the words in his head had felt alien and they felt even worse coming from his mouth. But he said them none the less, that promise to his mother still on his mind...his promise and her expectations...he had vowed to prove to her that he was worthy. And he also wanted to please his father; he surely deserved at least one trouble-free son.
Daring to Love the Duke's Heir Page 18
