Page 44 of To Defend a Damaged Duke
Tommy sensed the moment the duke arrived, even before he was announced.The atmosphere shifted; the burn of his dark gaze raised the hairs on the back of Tommy’s neck.His rehearsed cool salutations dried in his mouth.
“Mr L’Esquire.”The tiniest of naughty smiles played on the duke’s lips.“Good evening.”
“Your Grace.”
As was his due, and with thetonlooking on, Ashington accepted a small bow.
Tommy’s mind went for a swim in the duke’s deep brown eyes as if a string had been plucked midway between his knees and his heart.And a terrifying, wonderful truth hit him.My desire for this man will never stop.I shall desire him if I see him never or if I see him each morning.
The duke’s exquisite navy waistcoat, paired with a tangerine-coloured cravat didn’t help Tommy’s cause.He cursed Rossingley’s excellent taste in choosing them.Obviously, the earl wouldn’t have used such an ordinary term as navy to describe it.He’d have given it some ridiculous puffery, like Peacock-neck Magenta or Yesterday’s Empty Inkpot.In actual fact, it was the navy of a perfect starry sky and currently hugged the duke’s solid frame in such a manner Tommy hungered to trade places with it.
Benedict seemed equally dumbstruck until the petite brunette on his arm issued a polite little cough.
“I don’t believe I have the pleasure of your acquaintance, sir.Perhaps, if we loiter here long enough, His Grace might summon sufficient social polish to introduce us.”
“Ah, yes.Apologies.Tom—Mr Thomas L’Esquire,” the duke stammered.“May I present to you the Honourable Beatrice Hazard, only daughter of Lord Michael Hazard, Viscount of Wilmhurst.Lord Michael is a very dear friend of my late father.And may I also present, before her impatience gets the better of her and she stamps her foot, Beatrice’s close friend, Lady Isabella Knightley.Youngest daughter of Lord Ludham.”
He regarded both his companions fondly.“They tend to come as a package, and I seem to frequently find myself playing the role of the string knotted around.Usually when I’m searching for a little peace and quiet.”
“If we didn’t disturb him, then most days, he wouldn’t utter a single word,” retorted Miss Knightley indignantly, whilst the Honourable Beatrice Hazard regarded Tommy with a curious half-smile.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr Thomas L’Esquire,” Beatrice said.
“The pleasure is all mine,” said Tommy gallantly.“And I beg to further my acquaintance with both of you during the dancing later this evening.”
“You might live to regret that, Mr L’Esquire,” ventured the duke.“Lady Isabella here pesters me endlessly about the goings-on in a gentleman’s club.She will use the slower pace of the ‘Duke of Kent’s Waltz’ as a perfect opportunity to chew your ear off.”
“Then I shall be sure to make it worth her while.”Once more, Tommy held the duke’s gaze.“I have plenty of tales to make her swoon.Although I am of the opinion some of our moreprivateaffairs should forever remain behind locked doors.Don’t you?”
“I believe you and I have this dance, Your Grace,” Beatrice murmured with a subtle tug on a flushed Ashington’s arm.
“And given that Mr Bannister hasn’t yet shown his face, the scoundrel, I shall ask Mr L’Esquire if he would do me the honour of taking my arm too,” said Lady Isabella.“Otherwise, I shall be forced to join mama.”Without giving Tommy a moment to excuse himself, she carried on.“But I warn you now, my pumps are new and pinch dreadfully.So, I ask your forgiveness in advance if I step on your toes.”
“Brace yourself, Mr L’Esquire.Lady Isabella is a ferocious interrogator.She will have your extended family tree and your preferred watchmaker before the evening is out.”
“And you are awash with nonsense, Your Grace.”She bobbed her tongue.“Come, Mr L’Esquire.Let me interrogate you far away from this annoying, fustian duke.”
Trotting around a ballroom with the delightfully coquettish Lady Isabella proved no chore at all, though the quizzing began even before the musicians struck the first note.
“Lord Francis informs me he has devised an elaborate plan to win my hand in marriage.You and Mr Angel are to pursue me until my father collapses at Lord Francis’s feet, begging him to plead his troth.It is the most exciting scheme imaginable, and you will have my full cooperation.I have been giddy since I heard of it.”
“Giddy enough that I shall I have to hold you up?”Tommy answered as they took their position on the dance floor.“Very tightly?With one hand here?”
“Goodness, yes.And whilst we dance, you ought to gaze into my eyes and compliment me on how extraordinarily pretty I am.And then confess, loudly, as we glide past papa, that you cannot survive another day without me.”
Her voice dropped to a furtive whisper.“Except I rather think we should skip that and talk about you instead.You own Squire’s, am I correct?How thrilling!Tell me all.Is it terribly depraved?Do the gentlemen brawl?Are there fisticuffs?”
Two dances flew by before Tommy delivered her into the capable arms of Mr Angel, whose toes and ears would no doubt take an equal bashing.Alone again, he hoped to run into Benedict at the refreshments table and suggest they wander off into one of the murkier corners of Lady Wardholme’s garden for some much-needed cool air and perhaps whatever else took Benedict’s fancy.No such luck; he found himself leading the duke’s other female companion—the Honourable Beatrice—onto the dance floor instead.And she proved to be as exhausting as Lady Isabella but for entirely different reasons.
“You appear to be very well acquainted with His Grace,” she observed.Her hand gripped his coat sleeve with surprising firmness.“As a rule, he is of a reserved nature but is quite forthcoming in your company.”
“As I only ever experience his manner when he is in my company, I am not in a position to comment on his behaviour when I am absent.”
Tommy felt rather pleased with his sidestepping reply.
A feeling which only lasted as long as the opening bars of the quadrille.
“Mmm.It’s most odd, but I have the distinct sensation that you and His Grace are friends of old, Mr L’Esquire.”The honourable lady executed a neat turn.“In fact, a stranger observing you both might go as far as to surmise that you and he have a much-shared history.”She fixed him with a narrow stare.“And yet, though I have known him since my childhood and spend many an afternoon in his company, I do not recall him ever speaking of you.”
