Page 28 of A Bride for the Beastly Duke
Ava gawped in surprise. “I beg your pardon?”
Mary got up, clutching her book anxiously. “Hi-His Grace came for her. They said something about walking in the gardens…”
Ava blinked a few times before whirling around and marching out, leaving Mary with a nonplussed look on her face. She hurried downstairs and out the back door, her gaze sweeping the gardens frantically in search of her daughter. She finally sawher, bent over a flower bush, with Edward crouched next to her, listening intently as she explained something to him.
Ava hurried over to them, her heart fluttering with confusion and excitement. Edward looked up and saw her, and he smiled. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” She cast around for something else to say. “What… what are you doing?”
Lily leapt to her feet, a huge smile on her face. “Papa is helping me with the daffodils, so they don’t all fly away.”
Ava quirked her eyebrow at Edward. “Beg pardon?”
“The petals,” Edward said without looking up. “They are flying away if you recall. Lily told us all about them at dinner last night.”
Ava did not like his condescending tone. “And what, pray tell, do you plan on doing about it?”
Edward looked up and met her eye, and then he spread his lips in a caricature of a smile, putting his hand on Lily’s shoulders—who was watching their words volley with fascination. “Lily and I were just discussing that. We had just agreed that the flowers are buffeted too much by the wind, and what we need is a wind break.”
Ava dropped her eyes to the flowers, trying to understand what he meant and wondering why Lily had not come to her with this problem. “Well, might I suggest we adjourn for breakfast? I think we will all be able to think much better on a full stomach?”
She looked expectantly at Lily, who took her hand immediately. “All right, mama.”
With a last glance at Edward, Ava began walking toward the house. She could feel him behind her, imagining his eyes on her swaying hips. She found herself exaggerating this just a little bit more, and even when she realized what she was doing, she didn’t stop. Cheeks flaming, she sashayed up the backstairs and into the house. She risked a backward glance at Edward and was disappointed when she saw that his eyes were on the ground before him.
She frowned, wondering if he even saw her at all.
Am I just a pocketbook to him?
She could not help but wonder.
After years of being treated like nothing but a scarlet letter, even by her parents and sister who meant nothing but the best for her, she had hoped to finally beseenas a human being. It was only now that she had not gotten what she hoped for that she realized how much she wanted it.
With a huff of utter annoyance, she stepped into the dining hall and sat down, indicating for Lily to sit beside her. Her daughter, the traitor, elected instead to sit beside Edward at the head of the table. “Will we go out after breakfast and talk to the gardeners?” she asked him.
Edward gave her all his attention. “If your mother is agreeable, of course.”
Both of them turned to look at her expectantly, and that annoyed her even more. After weeks of begging for him to meet Lily, now they had formed an alliance against her?
Even as she thought it, Ava knew she was being unreasonable, and indeed, she was glad that Lily and Edward were getting along so well.
But what is wrong with me? Am I jealous?she thought with despair.
“Mama?” Lily frowned with concern. “What is wrong?”
Ava tried to smile, but the results were shaky at best. “Nothing is wrong darling. And of course, you can go and speak with the gardeners anytime you want. Just don’t disturb them when they are at work.”
Edward’s glance was too knowing; his eyes pierced her right down to her soul. Her lashes fluttered as she looked away from him, unable to endure the possibility that he might know whatshe was thinking. Just a minute ago, she had wanted to be seen, but now, she was afraid that Edward might see too much without caring enough.
He lowered his eyes to his plate, cutting into his morning steak with too much focus while Lily chattered happily along. The door opened, and Lady Lanton swept in. Edward looked up and smiled while Lily shut her mouth with a snap. “It seems everyone decided to wake up early today,” he commented.
Lady Lanton paused at the door, sweeping the room imperiously with her eyes, and she humphed. “Well, good morning to you too.”
A footman pulled back her chair as Edward got to his feet. He gave his aunt a fond look. “I trust you slept well, Aunt.”
“As well as can be. I received a note from my Peter last night. It seems the child has already started sleeping through the night. As precocious as his father. Oh, how I miss them both!”
“That must be a relief for his nursemaid,” Edward said.
