Page 5 of Five Nights with a Rakish Duke
“Lady Penelope, what has happened?” a gentleman inquired, quickly moving in front of Penelope. She looked up to see a man she had met before. The Earl of Shrewsbury had approached her and was looking down at the damp patches on her dress. “Has there been an incident?”
“Merely a clumsy gentleman,” she responded with a small smile, “but I fear my gown may be ruined for tonight.” She had tried to dry it a little more with the napkins but to no effect.
“Please, let me help you,” the Earl offered, stepping toward her and offering to take her hand.
“Help me?” she asked in surprise.
“A short turn outside in the garden, and I am sure the fresh air will help to dry the dress.” He spoke smoothly, still holding out his hand for her to take. She hesitated, staring at that open hand for a minute before looking up at his face.
The Earl of Shrewsbury was a little older than she, and a gentleman that she had met during the Season the year before. He had intimated on more than one occasion that he had a liking for her, but suggesting they go out into the garden by themselves was taking this a step further than before.
“I… er…” She was about to refuse, remembering her determination to never marry when she heard laughter across the room and turned her head. She could see Veronica talking and laughing with some of her guests. Her words came back to Penelope.
“It is the world we live in. You must marry.”
The words made Penelope lift her chin a little higher and offer the Earl a smile. “I’d be delighted to,” she said, reaching up to take his hand. She quickly lowered the napkins and glass of wine to a nearby table before he led her out toward the French doors that looked out onto the terraced garden.
The first step outside was chilly with the evening summer breeze ruffling the skirt of Penelope’s gown. Around them, there were many people that had fled onto the terrace. There were some young couples and other gentlemen that escaped to smoke their pipes. Presumably, each couple was seen as a chaperone for another because no one seemed to comment on the lack of a proper chaperone.
“I was pleased to see you here this evening,” the Earl of Shrewsbury said as he looped Penelope’s hand through his arm and drew her across the top terrace toward a gap in the garden wall that led out to a set of steps that descended down the other banks of terraces.
“You were?” Penelope said in surprise, looking up at him.
“It has been too long since I had the pleasure of your company,” he leaned down and whispered in her ear. He was so close that Penelope rather expected there should be a jolt in her stomach or some kind of excitement attached, yet there was nothing. As he leaned back, she found herself looking into blue eyes that left her feeling cold.
They are not like the stranger’s misty grey eyes.The thought struck so hard that Penelope’s spine stiffened.Why am I thinking of him?
They wandered down more of the steps until the Earl started brushing her arm with his a little more, making the intimacy of the moment more apparent than before.
“I hope you will forgive me for using this opportunity to get you alone, Lady Penelope,” he said softly to her. “It has been so difficult to find you of late; I felt I must take the opportunity whilst I could. Scarcely have I been able to think of another lady since we last met.”
“Oh?” she gasped in surprise.Well, that was eloquent!She chided herself, struggling to think of something better to say. His charming words reminded her a little of the stranger she had just met by the drink’s table, yet that man seemed to be saying the lines as though he had told them all before. The Earl of Shrewsbury looked altogether more nervous as if it were all new territory for him.
“I have longed to visit you,” he said delicately. “Though I admit, I feared if a visit would be welcome or not.”
“I am always glad to see you, My Lord.”
His words left little to the imagination; clearly, he was looking at her for a possibility of a courtship, maybe even a marriage. She tried to smile, knowing the idea would bring Veronica happiness, but the smile faltered. The Earl of Shrewsbury was a nice man, but that was all. He sometimes made foolish remarks, and Penelope felt no attraction to him at all.
“Please, tarry here a minute,” the Earl said, pulling her to a stop. She looked around, realizing where they were. Having now reached the bottom terrace, lined with hydrangea bushes blooming in great bundles of dark pink flowers, they were completely hidden from anyone else nearby.
“But, My Lord,” she said quietly, “we do not have a chaperone here, and no one can see us.”
“Exactly, no one can see us.” He turned his body toward her, changing his hold on her until their hands were entwined together. “Forgive me, Lady Penelope, but there is something I have been longing to do for a long time now, and now that I have the opportunity… I fear I cannot resist you.”
He was drawing closer and closer to her with his hand on her waist and slowly slipping across her back. She began to tremble but not in a good way. The closer his lips descended toward hers, the more fearful she became. If this was what it took to catch a husband, she was not sure she wanted him.
* * *
“You look distracted, Your Grace.” A familiar voice called Asher’s attention. He whipped his head around. Having failed to find the mystery lady in the crowd of guests in the ballroom, he was now face to face with Lady Hamilton.
“All the more distracted for seeing you, My Lady,” he said as Lady Hamilton stepped toward him. She curtsied as he took her hand and offered a small kiss to the back, holding her gaze the entire time. She bit her lip and blushed in the action.
No, my charms still work it seems. So why was the mystery lady so unaffected by me?
“Such a small touch compared to what you and I shared the last time we saw each other,” Lady Hamilton whispered to him, pulling a smile from him. He had spent four nights with Lady Hamilton already which meant he would only allow himself one more. The previous night had been particularly thrilling with neither of them leaving the bed for a single minute. Yet, as he stared into her eyes, he found himself wanting to look at green eyes instead.
“Forgive me, Lady Hamilton; there is someone I am looking for.” He released her hand and looked away, searching the faces in the crowd again, but there was still no sign of the stranger.
