Page 86 of Anything But a Duke
“We shall see,” she told Grace. “We’ll soon see.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Aidan stared at the Ashbys’ red front door and felt an odd wave of déjà vu rush over him. Less than a fortnight past, he’d paced the same pavement and pondered whether he should go inside and face Diana.
No debate plagued his mind now. He was aching to see her again, touch her, hold her. He knew what he wished to say. He’d practiced every word. Reaching up, he patted his upper jacket pocket and felt the square outline underneath.
Only one uncertainty lingered. He knew his intentions and desires, but he needed to discover hers.
And there was only one way to find out.
He approached the door to knock, but before he could lift his hand, Diana’s twin brother emerged. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted Aidan.
“Iverson.” Dominick Ashby looked shocked to find a visitor on their doorstep, but then he stepped aside and ushered Aidan in. “I take it you’re looking for my sister. She’s in her workshop, of course. Rarely out of it these days.”
Rather than depart as he’d intended, Ashby shut the front door, crossed his arms, and quirked a brow as he stared at Aidan.
“This is the part where I ask what your intentions are toward my sister.” Ashby’s eyes were the same color as Diana’s, his hair the same dark brown. There was a similarity in the lines of their faces, but her gaze was full of life and energy. Ashby’s was awash in cynicism, even a hint of anger bubbling beneath the surface.
“They’re honorable. In fact, I’d like to speak to your mother before I see Diana.”
Ashby blinked and his lips parted slightly. “By God, you’re a brave man.”
“I suppose that’s better than you telling me I’m a fool.” Aidan slipped a finger behind the knot of his tie and gave a gentle tug. Ashby’s words sparked a fresh ripple of nerves.
“How could I call you a fool? Any man who sees fit to admire my sister possesses good taste, at the very least. But you’ve taken it a step further.” Ashby zeroed in on the bulge in Aidan’s upper coat pocket. “In fact, it seems you’re willing to take this all the way to the altar. I can only wish you luck.”
“I am, and thank you.”
The young man stuck out a hand and clapped Aidan on the shoulder. “A word of advice?”
“I’ll take as many as you have.” Somewhere along the way Aidan’s disdain for taking the advice of others had been cast away.
“She’s stubborn.”
“So I’ve gathered.”
“I don’t know that she’s ever truly followed her own heart.” Ashby waved. “With her inventions, of course, she has, but sometimes I think it’s all as much of a trap as her passion. She works like a woman possessed at times, as if she must do all the things our father did not.”
Aidan sensed that drive in her, a kind of compulsion that fueled her. He’d once felt the same about achieving wealth and finding the truth about his past. Now he only wanted Diana and whatever future they could build together. All the rest would fall into place.
“Don’t let her fob you off with excuses,” Ashby went on. “She may refuse you and you must accept that—”
Aidan opened his mouth to protest but Ashby stopped him, a finger raised between them.
“I’m not saying she will. I only like to think of the worst so that I might occasionally be surprised when life is a bit less awful than I expect. If you love her, truly, I hope she says yes.” Ashby’s eyes turned sad and intensely serious. “She deserves no less.”
“I agree, Mr. Ashby.”
The young man smiled at Aidan and then turned his head toward the stairwell. “Mother, I’m off, but there’s a visitor to see you.” Without waiting for a reply, Ashby offered Aidan a final nod, opened the front door, and departed.
Aidan cast a glance down the hall toward Diana’s workshop. His eagerness to see her was nearly unbearable.
“Hello, sir,” a dark-haired woman called from the top of the stairs. “You’ve come to call on me?”
Aidan noticed she leaned on a cane and he climbed the stairs to offer his arm to help her descend.
“Chivalry is always appreciated, sir,” she said when they reached the bottom step. “Thank you. But perhaps you should tell me your name.”
