Page 59 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke
Chapter Eighteen
Dealing with the gossip proved easier than Thea had feared, particularly when she had the satisfaction of personally cutting the ground from beneath Lady Severns’ feet the day after she returned home.
They were both guests at a Venetian Breakfast, held in the afternoon and, as far as Thea could see, with no connection whatsoever to Venice.Little tables were scattered around all the reception rooms of Lady Trenton’s town house, a string quartet playing in one room, a harpist in another.Whenever anyone sat down, footmen produced trays of delicious titbits and glasses of wine, ratafia or lemonade.
Thea, strolling through to find a spot where the harpist and the ensemble were both not audible at the same time, found herself standing behind Lady Severns as she was informing her companions that Lady Thea Campion had eloped with Randolph Linton.
‘Her Mama was in hysterics, my dears!And the Dowager Duchess of Langridge wasmostput out.’
‘Oh, my goodness,’ Thea said, sliding into a vacant seat at the table.‘How these foolish rumours do get about!You are making bricks from straw, dear Lady Severns.Mama was upset because I was supposed to be receiving a certain…er…gentlemanat home, and I had mistaken the timeand been distracted by Mr Linton, who was showing me the sculptures.’She produced what she hoped was a smile halfway between modest and triumphant.‘And here the gentleman in question is.Do excuse me.’
Thea went directly to Hal, who had just entered, and laid one hand on his arm.‘Try to look possessive,’ she whispered.
‘I can do that.’He laid his hand over hers and gazed down into her eyes.Thea felt something tremble inside her.‘But why?’
‘I am scotching Lady Severns’ scandal broth,’ she said, careless about mixing her metaphors.
‘Ah, I see.’He lifted her hand to his lips, then tucked it into the crook of his elbow.‘Let us scotch broth by all means, but also set the cat amongst the pigeons.’
Thea laughed at his nonsense.The tremble had now settled into something more like fluttering, which was not so unpleasant, but very…disturbing.
‘Yes, definitely there is fluttering,’ Hal said.
‘What?’Could he read her mind?
‘The pigeons.Look around you.’
Thea fixed what she hoped was a serene smile on her lips and obeyed.Yes, they were being watched and with great interest.People were whispering, some of the matrons were smiling approvingly, and one or two, who must have had ambitions for their own daughters, looked as though they had swallowed wasps with their wine.
‘I am glad we have met today,’ he said.‘I had intended allowing you some peace and calling tomorrow, but now I can discover when would be convenient for you.’
‘For what?I mean, why will you be calling?’
‘To start making arrangements, of course.To fix a date for one thing and to decide where we will be married.’
His voice had risen a little and Thea saw Miss Marchmont, whom they were passing, look at them sharply.Yes, she had heard the wordmarriedand her eyes were wide.Nobody was going to believe Lady Severns’ gossip now, and anything Lady Helena might come up with would be dismissed as jealousy by everyone who knew her spiteful tongue.
‘Papa thought you would wish for Leaming Castle,’ Thea said.
‘Would you mind?Do you not wish to be married from home?’
‘Papa said the castle was more suitable for so many guests and that the chapel is very fine.And it will be my home afterwards,’ she added.
That pleased him, she realised, as he moved his arm to squeeze her hand more tightly against his ribs.Under her fingers she could feel the beat of his heart, strong and steady.What would it take to make that heartbeat race?she wondered, and felt herself blush.
‘Can you do that to order?’Hal had bent his head and was almost whispering.
Really, Thea thought, if they actually embraced here, right in front of the harpist, it would not be more obvious that they were in…were betrothed.
‘Do what?’
‘Blush so charmingly.’He touched her cheek with his free hand.
Did he want her to burst into flames?
‘Oh.No.I am just a trifle discomposed.People are staring at us so.’
‘Let them stare.I have no problem with them admiring my duchess.’
