Page 17 of Three Rules to Wed a Duke

The duke startled, leaning back to look at her with another of his quizzical expressions. He seemed so concerned that Frances almost wished she hadn’t said anything.

“That was not my intention. I did not know you would take offense or feel threatened. I apologize for that.”

“Thank you,” Frances said quietly.

“I still wish you to consider my offer, however. Whether it is proper of me to ask or not, I wish to marry you.”

This again? Will he never stop?Frances wondered desperately.

“But you haven’t told me why?”

“Just as you haven’t told me why you won’t. Rules of decorum are not a sound reason to reject someone who can provide you with all that you require.”

She was spared having to answer when the song stopped and the couples ceased their dancing. Everyone applauded politely and went in their separate directions. Frances turned to thank the duke for the dance and give her reasons, but he was already gone.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Agnes said, catching Frances by the elbow and whirling her around. Beside her, Emma waited anxiously. “Was that the Duke of Preston you told Emma about?”

“Yes,” Frances answered absently as she looked around for Juliet. Spying the girl still standing precisely where she’d left her, Frances breathed a sigh of relief. She stood up on her toes and waved for Juliet to come over. “Quick, one of you find a gentleman to dance with my cousin. Her mother will be furious if I cannot honestly tell her that she danced.”

“My brother will do perfectly,” Agnes said. “I’ll hurry and fetch him.”

“Her brother is perfect, as a matter of fact. The oldest son of a duke! If he wasn’t far too young for me, I’d be happy to set my sights on him myself!” Emma said with a laugh.

By the time Juliet worked her way through the crowd of guests, Agnes had returned with her brother in tow. Seeing them side by side caused Frances’ heart to go still for a moment. They were mirror images of siblings with blond curls and wide blue eyes. Their regal noses were identical, situated above the same bow-shaped mouth. If not for the slight difference in their ages, they could have been mistaken for twins, thus undoing any credibility to the story that Agnes had been taken in as an orphaned babe.

“Miss Walford, may I have the next dance?” the young man said when his sister elbowed him sharply. His smile was almost too eager.

Juliet looked to Frances as though she might protest, but Frances only arched an eyebrow in warning and shook her head faintly. The girl returned his query with a polite curtsey andwalked back toward the dance floor, leaving the young man to practically scurry after her.

“They are too cute together,” Agnes said in a dreamy voice, but Frances scowled.

“Don’t get any ideas. I know Juliet’s mind on certain matters, and it would not do your brother well to get his hopes up,” Frances warned.

As the last notes of the song played out, Frances waited for Juliet to reach her once more. She smiled at her cousin, then turned to her friends to say her goodbyes.

“I think Miss Walford and I have both had our fill of merriment this evening. We shall bid you both a good night. I hope you’ll come to call on me soon?” she asked, nodding to her cousin.

“Certainly! Why don’t you both join me for tea tomorrow? Emma, will you come?”

Juliet looked to Frances expectantly. “Me?”

“Of course, if you wish to attend, that is,” Frances answered.

“I would love to!”

Frances smiled at her excitement, seeing an entirely different personality to this once-familiar girl. They said their goodbyesand promised to talk again at tea, then hurried outside to their waiting carriage.

“Why are you fretting so? I’ve already made you a promise, I will not reveal your secret. Though I do think you should tell your parents yourself—and soon,” Frances said as they neared their house.

“I don’t know. It just feels like I’ve had this secret for so long and it was fine when I was keeping it to myself. But now that someone else knows, everything just seems different. I feel as though I’ve painted the words across my face for all the world to see.”

“It’s only because it was unexpected. But do you truly think your parents would not understand? From what you’ve told me, this Thomas seems to be quite an admirable young man.”

“Father might only wonder if he would still have hand over my dowry. Mother, on the other hand, would never hear of it. She is determined that I marry well and make her proud. But Frances, that’s not what I want. I have no wish to be some lady of society, hosting fancy parties and being seen by everyone when I attend the opera. I want… to be happy.”

Frances frowned, commiserating with her. For one so young, she certainly seemed to have her thoughts in order. Not many young ladies in her position were so preoccupied with finding a husband with reasonable ambition and a desire to better himself. It made Frances sad to see Juliet enduring so much longing when she knew it would likely come to naught.

As Frances had predicted, Lady Hutchings was waiting for them at the door.

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