Page 22 of The Matchmaker Meets her Duke
Edward rapped the desk. “I had an awful night’s sleep last night if you must know. Strange dreams.”
Pandora tilted her head. “Would you like to tell me?”
Edward snorted. “Hardly. Now, you had something to ask?”
“Yes. I want to throw a party.”
“And this involves me because–”
“My dear new husband forbids it. So I need your help.”
Edward shook his head with a chuckle. “Pandora, you’ve never needed help throwing a party in your life. What do you really need?”
Pandora flinched. “I need the invitations to come from you.”
Edward’s eyes widened and he stood. “From me? Pandora, people will think I am looking for a wife!”
“Youshouldbe looking for a wife. But that is an old argument. I need your name on the invitations for a ball to be held at Ravenswood Manor because my husband will throw a fit if he thinks I am matchmaking again.”
Edward grinned and leaned against his desk. “And naturally you will be disobeying your husband’s orders. Why should I have expected marriage to change you, you will always go your own way.”
“To be specific, he didn’t forbid me in so many words, he just said he’d never allow them to happen under his own roof and would be displeased if I threw a party myself.”
“So you are playing the solicitor and looking for a way to work around his words. Of course, you are,” said Edward with another chuckle. “What’s in it for me?”
Pandora unclasped her hands and tapped a finger on her chin. A wicked gleam lit in her eyes as she leaned forward. “What if I find a way for you and the lovely Lady Rose to spend some time together?”
Edward flushed bright red. “I beg your pardon? What on Earth makes you think–” he trailed off, unable to sustain the lie. “She’s pretty. There’s nothing more to it than that.”
“No? So you didn’t make a fool of yourself at the wedding breakfast, trying to get her to talk to you?”
Edward’s shoulders jerked. “Fool? I was just trying to liven up the table, you devil. It’s not like you were making an effort to talk to your new husband.”
Pandora stood, arms crossed. “And what was I supposed to say to him? ‘Thank you for roping me into an unwanted marriage?’”
“I suppose not. Is marriage to him really so disagreeable?”
Pandora hesitated before answering. “It’s not so bad. It’s barely been a week, we are still getting to know each other.”
“It’s a good match, at least. Your son will be a Duke.”
“Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves,” said Pandora with a grimace. “And let’s not change the subject. Will you do it? You don’t have to lift a finger, just let me write the invitations in your name. You can show up for an hour and then leave again.”
“Pandora,” said Edward with a groan.
“Please! I won’t ask for anything again. At least, not until the next party.”
Edward looked out the window. “Do you really think you could get me some time with Lady Rose?” Pandora squealed and hurried to join him at the window. She pulled him into a hug as he groaned again.
“You are going to crease my coat!” said Edward with exasperation.
Pandora leaned back and punched him in the shoulder. “Oh hush, when did you become such a dandy? Now, we’ll have the party in three days' time, this Friday, and you’ll come over tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll all have a nice cup of tea together.”
Pandora left her brother in his study and went to Ravenswood Manor, where she spent the rest of the afternoon writing invitations to her usual guests and going through a list of potential matches. There were several young ladies who had asked for her assistance, and she wasn’t about to let them down.
The sun was low on the horizon when she finished, and Pandora eyed her window with apprehension before ringing the bell. A servant appeared in the doorway with a bow.
“Have my coach brought around, I’ll be returning to Willcrow Manor now,” said Pandora in a distracted voice. She picked up her stack of letters and headed for the front door. Warwick appeared at her elbow and took them from her. She smiled at him. He had been such a fixture in her life, even a week away made her glad to see the grumpy fellow.
