Page 59 of Five Ways to Bed a Duke

Her insight into the root of his fears was shocking and reassuring at the same time. It seemed that having a mother had its uses, and he was quite grateful for her concern for him even when he had not hidden his hatred for her.

“I have an important question, Mother,” Emmy piped up. “How did you attend balls when you had no invitation?”

The Dowager Duchess’s lips curled into a mischievous smile identical to the one on her daughter’s face. “I have my ways. I am still a duchess, after all.”

Chapter Nineteen

“She will be down soon,” Catherine heard her mother say to who she suspected was Lord Livingston.

They had planned an outing in the park as well as tea at one of her favorite shops later, with her mother chaperoning her this time. It was a little embarrassing having her mother out and about with them, but Catherine trusted the woman to maintain a healthy distance, so it wouldn’t be too much of a bother.

She descended the stairs into the foyer and smiled when Lord Livingston’s eyes lit up when he spotted her. He rushed to the foot of the stairs and held out a hand to her.

“Miss Burlow, you’re a vision this morning,” he praised.

She blushed as was expected but wondered if that was a good compliment. Was it only that morning she happened to look beautiful?

“Thank you, Lord Livingston.”

“Cathy, dear, are you ready?” her mother asked with a bright smile.

“Yes, Mother.” Catherine nodded. “I’ll just grab a parasol.”

In a few short moments, they were out and on their way to the park in Lord Livingston’s tasteful coach. Thankfully, there were not many people at the park, but that was probably also due to the early hour.

Lord Livingston had arranged it thus so they would have enough time to study the flora of the park and discuss his latest acquisition, an orchid from the Orient that required special care to grow.

“It cost me a fortune to import it.” He laughed. “I had to get a gardener all the way from the Orient to personally escort it and protect it until it was well-situated in my greenhouse.”

“You seem the sort to go above and beyond to satisfy your desires,” Catherine noted.

“I am such a man. In business as well as pleasure.”

His gaze was meaningful and full of promise as he looked at her, and she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before he proposed to her. He obviously liked her, and from the hints he had droppedin past conversations, she had all the qualities he was looking for in a partner.

She had really tried to be happy because she was finally securing the match she had dreamed of for so long, but all her traitorous heart could do was pine for someone else who cared nothing for her.

She bowed her head and continued walking, causing him to fall into step with her. She was grateful that her mother was a good distance away from her, or else she’d have elbowed her for not being more excited.

“So, what kind of dress did you get for the Summers’ ball?” she heard a familiar voice ask ahead of her.

Her forehead creased into a frown as she wondered at the possibility that the one family she was trying to avoid had somehow appeared in front of her as though her thoughts had conjured them up.

She looked up, and lo and behold, Richard, Emmeline and their mother were standing a few feet away from her, looking like they’d also had the idea to avoid the crush that was sure to come later in the morning once thebonton finally awoke.

Catherine looked around, trying to find any way she could avoid being spotted as her heart fluttered at the thought of Richard seeing her.

She’d skipped many events in the hope of avoiding him, as she knew she couldn’t look into those beautiful blue eyes and not feel that sharp stab of pain his words had caused.

Now he was standing right in front of her, and she had nowhere to hide.

Lord Livingston stopped in his tracks with a glare on his face. He had never quite forgiven or forgotten Richard’s slight at the previous ball, but being of a lower social standing, he could do nothing more than glare daggers at the man when he was not looking.

“It’s a lovely burgundy—Cathy?!”

Damn. Catherine wanted to groan, but she put on a fake smile and waved at her friend as if she had not just been trying to hide behind Lord Livingston.

Emmy rushed forward and wrapped her in a hug so tight that she couldn’t breathe.

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