Page 51 of Desire and Discipline
“Why do you want me to go with you to Hyde Park?” she asked suspiciously. It was not as if outings to the park were a typical part of his daily agenda. Though she had insisted he take walks regularly, he’d consistently avoided such places, as they were more for seeing and being seen than for actual exercise. He’d also had no interest in socializing more than he had to.
But this was an exception.
Still, announcing that he wanted to take her to the park to ensure the ton’s matrons understood he was declaring his intentions toward her probably would not go over well. If she had not already cottoned on to the ramifications of driving through the park with him, it was probably best not to inform her just yet.
“I want to see what people are saying about the dukes.” It was, after all, the secondary part of his desire to go to Hyde Park specifically. “If you’re there, you might catch something I miss. And the ladies will be more inclined to talk to another lady.” Especially one he was escorting about publicly. He suspected quite a few of the matrons would be very interested to formally meet and speak with his future marchioness.
Just becauseshedid not understand the implications of such a drive did not mean everyone else would miss it. He could not decide if the fact she had never been a debutante and was not as familiar with all the social overtones of such gestures was a boon or not. On one hand, if she understood what message he was sending by this proposed drive, she might not agree to go. On the other hand, she clearly did not realize this was part of his courtship gestures.
Ah, well.
He would work with what he had.
“I see.” Diana pursed her lips, studying him. Something must be telling her there was more to it, but she did not seem to be able to figure out what.
Finally, she nodded, and something inside him relaxed. If nothing else, he could show her that taking her for a drive was part of his new determination to court her. And by the time they returned home, hopefully, he would have flowers to present to her as well.
“Give me a few minutes to change, then we can go.”
“Of course, My Lady. Take all the time you need.”
Diana
It had been a trap.
Dratted man.
She’d suspected he had some kind of unstated motive for suggesting a drive through Hyde Park. She just could not fathom what it was until she saw the reactions their presence was receiving.
Correction—the reactionsherpresencebesidehim was receiving.
Eight dukes weredead,yet the arrival of the Marquess of Camden at Hyde Park with a young woman caused nearly as much stir.
It did not take her long to figure out that some kind of declaration had been made to thetonwith this outing. Not when their first few interactions were far more focused on whoshewas than on the current gossip about the dukes. The Marquess was not helping either.
“Oh, yes, have you met Miss Rutherford? Your cousin, Brackley… her sister is married to his younger son.”
“This is Miss Rutherford from Wiltshire. Yes, her older sister is Baroness Crommey now.”
“That’s right, Miss Margaret’s older sister. I take it you’ve met the family?”
Diana ground her teeth, smiling through her annoyance with him as he paraded her around. She was not going to be pressured into marrying him just because he had introduced her to theton.If anything, she could see it as a way of meeting prospective employers.
Though, she was not sure any of them would want to hire her. Socially, being hired on as a nurse would be quite a fall from being courted by a marquess.
Dratted man.
That was the refrain that kept playing in her head.
Finally, after Lady Cowper strained the last of Diane’s patience by remarking approvingly that she had the demeanor of a marchioness already, Diana could not hold her tongue any longer. As the Marquess directed the curricle away from Lady Cowper’s barouche, she cleared her throat.
“It is not going to work, you know,” she told him in a low voice. Due to the crowded path, they could not move any faster than a slow walk, and there were ears everywhere.
“What is not going to work?”
“I am not going to marry you just because others think I should.”
“Well, I should hope not. I want you to marry me because you want to.”
