Page 5 of Her Duke Next Door
“Come, let’s go and ask my governess for more flowers.”
Katie grabbed the girls’ hands and fled.
“Katie!”
But she had already left, slipping from his grasp.
When had she grown so tall or so…independent, so haughty?
Did he deserve her ignorance? Heavens above, yes he did. Shame settled in his stomach.
Slowly, more people entered the garden, seeking Katie and her governess out to wish her a happy birthday. They fearfully acknowledged the Duke but he did not care. He only tried to make eye contact with his daughter.
Moments later, Katie came squealing out of the castle, chased by more friends. He tried to reach for her, to get her attention, but she avoided looking his way. He stalked back inside the castle for a moment, hating this whole damned day.
I should have stayed by the coast.
When he next emerged into the garden, many more people sat on the blankets covering the grass or sat on the chairs at the tables.
But when he scanned the scene for his daughter, he found her sitting alone at the entrance to the hedge maze. She spun a block of cheese on a wooden stick between her fingers, looking miserable.
He walked over to her.
“Do you mind if I sit with you?” he asked.
His daughter tensed as if she would bolt but finally, she looked at him. After a moment, she nodded. Relieved, Dominique sat opposite her on the blanket she had brought over.
“What is wrong, my darling?”
“Nothing,” she answered, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. She stubbornly stared just past him, her brows furrowed. Then she sighed. “I am surprised you even recognize something is wrong.”
Guilt pierced right through his heart but he managed a smile. “Tears are tears. They are quite telling. This castle has seen many.”
Katie almost laughed humorlessly a bitter little sound that should never come from a girl so young. “My best friend has not yet shown up. I fear she will not attend at all. But shemust, Papa.”
Embarrassment flooded his chest. He was glad she did not look at him and witnessed his confusion as he tried to work out who her best friend was. For God’s sake, he did not know his own daughter, let alone who this best friend was.
“I am sure she shall arrive,” he said, smiling at her. She flicked her gaze to him, her glare returning, as if she heard the empty assurance. “At least I am here, though, yes?”
“Yes,” she mumbled, tugging at the grass. “I suppose. I was excited.”
Was. He noted the past tense, and his heart deflated.
“Your governess has told me that you are excited to be playing the harp today for your guests. How have your lessons been going?”
“They are going well,” she answered flatly. “I wished to play for you before today so you could provide me with your opinion.”
More shame packed into his heart. He nodded, hanging his head before composing himself. “I am sure you will sound incredible, my dear, as always?—”
Suddenly, Katie jumped at the sound of a new voice, her head lifting, her face brightening as she looked past him. “Eloise!”
“Katie!” A girlish cry went across the garden.
Dominique mustered a smile, knowing that his precious seconds of speaking to Katie were over for now.
He stood back up and turned to make himself busy elsewhere, only to see who Eloise entered with.
On the white decked terrace, among the other mothers and fathers attending the garden party, a woman stood behind Eloise. As her daughter ran for Katie, the woman’s eyes scanned the crowd before she saw a group she knew and made her way over to them. It was the woman he had argued with that morning. The beautiful brunette spitfire with the sharp tongue and the ripped dress.
