Page 33 of The Legend of the Betrayed Duchess
Lucy took a deep breath and, feeling the warmth of George’s hand, felt a great peace overtake her—and not just peace, but a deep feeling of gratitude for George’s attention to her. She was thrilled to be in London. She was filled with the joy of his presence, and she was surprised to find her heart was racing as he turned to her and looked with such affection into her eyes.
“Come, let us sit.”
They went to the bench and sat together. He took her hand and caressed it gently. A couple of frogs sang their unmelodic songs in the night air. She was aware of the crickets chirping and a gentle breeze rustling the jasmine and wafting its delicate scent around them.
“Lucy, how have you fared this evening? Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Never as much as I am enjoying this lovely moment, right now.”
She could see George smiling at her. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Then took hold of her nose and shook it like he was playing with a dog. That startled her, and she recoiled. The mood had been broken.
“What was that?” she asked.
“I felt playful. Did I cross a line?” She did not know what to say. “I must have. I am so sorry. It is something I occasionally do with my sisters on the rare occasions when we are light-hearted together—which is rare, except with Betsy.”
Lucy did not like being compared to his sisters. Deep inside she had to realize she was hoping for more from him. But what could that be? She was what to him? Not a sister. Not a fiancé. A friend? Yes. But she realized she wanted much more. Did he? But how could that be? He was to become the Duke of Sutherland, and she was… a poor tenant farmer’s daughter with intelligence, excellent education, and no future, apart from serving in some nobleman’s house as a nanny or perhaps a lady’s companion.
“Are you cold? Do you want to go back inside?” he asked standing and offering his hand.
“I expect so,” she said sadly, once again realizing the limitations of her current situation.
* * *
George was troubled by something when he awoke the next morning, but he could not quite put his finger on it.
He threw back the covers on the bed, sat up, and put his feet on the oriental rug beside the bed. Then he remembered last evening in the garden. He had found himself so profoundly attracted to Lucy that he had become nervous and had acted like a silly boy. Why ever had he tweaked her nose? She obviously was troubled by the gesture. But he had been so disoriented by his feelings that he had acted like a child in the nursery.
He must make this right with her. But he realized he was still a boy—barely a young man—and needed to think before he acted and behave more like an adult.
He stood, put on his dressing gown, and resolved to make things better with Lucy this morning.
After bathing, shaving, and feeling better about himself, he went down to breakfast and found Lucy already seated at the breakfast table.
“Good morning, Lucy. I hope you slept well?”
She looked up at him but showed no eagerness when she said, “fairly well, thank you.”
Modesty was also at the table, and he nodded to her, “Miss Modesty. I trust you enjoyed the festivities last evening?”
“Festivities? Seriously? It was as dull a fiasco as I have ever witnessed. What a boring lot of old fuddy-duddies.”
“They were distinguished,” George corrected. “I think you will find that as you reside in London, you will find a great many such personages.”
“Well, at least Aaron Wilkes wassomewhatentertaining—and quite handsome I might add. Do you not think so, Miss Lucy?”
“I believe he certainly thought so,” Lucy said nonchalantly as she buttered and jammed a toast.
George could not help but smile at Lucy’s putdown, and then asked, “Miss Lucy, I believe you are to have the first fitting this morning for your new dresses, is that not so?”
Modesty looked over at Lucy, somewhat astonished that Miss Lucy could be ordering new dresses.
“At ten. And will you be going out this morning?” she asked.
“I was hoping that we might do some sight-seeing. I promise you some delightful venues.”
“We shall see.”
She was still acting very coolly toward him. She had been wounded by his silly behavior last evening, and he was determined to make it up to her.
