Page 64 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
They stepped out of the carriage and took in Wexford House; the scene was nothing short of breathtaking. The hall was ablaze with candlelight casting a warm golden glow over the finely dressed guests as they mingled.
The decorations were luxurious, with wreaths of delicate flowers draped along the banisters and tables laden with crystal glasses and silver trays.
Music floated in the air, the sound of violins and harps setting an elegant tone for the evening.
Aurelia and Philip stepped into the hall, arm in arm, their presence drawing the eyes of those around them. As they made their way through the crowd they approached their hosts, Lord and Lady Wexford. He was a portly gentleman, but his wife was a striking woman with auburn hair piled high atop her head.
“Your Grace.” Lord Wexford bowed slightly, his greying hair brushing against his collar as he greeted Philip. “My wife and I did not think you would be in attendance this evening.”
“I did not want to,” Philip muttered under his breath, only loud enough for Aurelia to hear.
Aurelia stifled a laugh. Philip had made it quite plain that he didn’t want to attend the ball.
“We could not miss it,” Aurelia offered, giving their hosts a gracious smile. “Thank you, Lady Wexford. Your home is beautiful.”
Philip gave a polite nod of agreement.
After exchanging the usual pleasantries, they moved through the crowd, nodding to familiar faces as they passed by.
Just as they were beginning to find a place amidst the gathered guests an older woman appeared, making her way toward them, her face lighting up with surprise and delight.
Aurelia noticed that she was dressed in a rich emerald-green gown, her silver hair styled impeccably. Her eyes roved over Philip as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing.
“Are you the Duke of Oakdale? Is it truly you, Philip?” the woman exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of delight and disbelief.
Philip nodded, a small smile of recognition on his face.
“I almost did not recognize you!” she exclaimed, her gaze lingering on him. “It has been far too long.”
“Lady Devonshire, it has indeed been some time. I was unaware that you had returned from Scotland,” he told her.
Lady Devonshire was an old friend of his mother who had married a Scottish gentleman. Shortly after the former Duchess’s death she had fled with her family to Scotland.
“Only just,” Lady Devonshire said, her eyes roaming over him in disbelief at how much he had grown. “The last time I saw you,you were hardly more than a boy. Now look at you,” she gushed, her eyes twinkling. “A grown man and already married, I hear.”
Her eyes turned to Aurelia and there was a slight pause as she assessed her.
Philip nodded.
“I must admit,” Lady Devonshire continued, “when I heard you had gotten married, I did not want to believe it. I always thought…well, I had hoped you would marry my daughter Margaret.”
Philip’s expression didn’t waver although there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “I regret to inform you that I must disappoint you,” he said lightly, his tone polite but firm. “I am already married, and quite happily so.”
Aurelia felt her face heat up again, though this time it was from a mix of embarrassment and pride. Philip’s easy dismissal of the woman’s remark made her heart swell.
Lady Devonshire, however, was not finished. Her eyes darted between Philip and Aurelia before she spoke again, her tone a touch more probing.
“So, it is true then? You have truly left your rakish ways behind?”
Aurelia couldn’t ignore the sting in her chest at the older woman’s words. She had heard whispers of Philip’s notorious reputation, but it was not something they had ever discussed.
Lady Devonshire’s thinly veiled jab at Philip’s rakish past had cast a chill over their exchange.
Aurelia noticed the slight shift in Philip’s mood: his shoulders tensed, his jaw ticked ever so slightly and the glint of discomfort in his eyes was unmistakable. Before he could respond to the veiled remark Aurelia stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm.
“Oh, yes,” she began with a confident smile, her hand rising to rest on his chest. “Philip is indeed a changed man. Marriage has made him quite family oriented.” Her eyes met his and she smiled up at him warmly, her touch soothing the tension in his posture. “He cares deeply about those closest to him. I can wish for no better companion.”
Philip’s expression softened at her words and the moment was briefly their own. Their intimate exchange was interrupted by an addition to their little group: a gentleman with a smirk that suggested he came with ill intentions.
