Page 12 of A Fake Courtship with the Duke
Susan nodded, clasping her hands in front of her.
“Yes,” she said. “I have been looking forward to this for days. And I can hardly go without a proper chaperone.”
The dowager glanced at Richard, who nodded silently along with his sister. At last, she sighed, giving Lady Eleanor and Lady Victoria an apologetic smile.
“I suppose the ride can wait for another day,” she said.
Susan curtseyed to their guests, prompting Richard to bow. He offered the falsest sheepish smile he had ever given, hoping his relief didn’t show too clearly in his eyes.
“Forgive me, ladies,” he said softly. “We really must be off now.”
Without waiting for a response from any of the women, Richard offered his sister his arm and they hurried out of the drawing room. They rushed outside, both of them seeming equally convinced that their mother might try to follow them and question them about the fake trip to town.
Once they were seated in the carriage, which was thankfully ready for a trip, Richard looked at his sister with bewilderment.
“Thank you for intervening, Sister,” he said.
Susan smiled warmly.
“Anything to spare you from another of Eleanor's horrid advances,” she said.
Richard chuckled softly, appreciating his sister's understanding. However, his gratitude was short-lived when Susan leaned in closer with a sheepish expression on her face.
“We're not going to the library,” she said. “We're going to the Huxley residence.”
Richard raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Why would you take me there?” he asked.
Susan shrugged, but she would no longer meet his eyes.
“I’ve been meaning to visit Anne lately,” she said. “And since you are already escorting me someplace, I thought it might be a good time to go.”
Richard surveyed his sister, but he couldn’t read anything in her face as she stared out the window. He sank back in the seat and sighed. Whatever Susan was thinking, he had to remind himself that it had gotten him out of a miserable carriage ride with Lady Eleanor.
As the carriage pulled up to the Huxley townhouse, they were promptly met by the butler and directed to the drawing room. The townhouse was large and spacious, well decorated with royal blue and purple sashes, drapes, furniture upholstery and rugs, and rich red wooden furniture. He was familiar with the dining and ballrooms of the townhouse, but once they passed the grand hall, he felt lost. He remained in close proximity to his sister and the butler as they proceeded to the drawing room.
Miss Huxley was standing at the window, looking out over the grounds of her family’s estate, unaware of their arrival. However, there was something that he noticed as they entered the room, something which made a strange hissing sound. Richard started, glancing around the room, anticipating something like a snake that had slipped in through an ajar door or a cracked window. But when the sound came again, it was clear it wasn’t a snake. And he couldn’t see from whence the sound was coming.
Chapter Five
Anne was deep in thought when she heard Mischief hiss. Without thinking, she followed him to the corner of the drawing room, to which he had retreated. She scooped him up, cradling him protectively as though he were an infant. He was happy to cling onto her, although his ears were pinned flat against his head and he was staring, wide-eyed, toward the door to the drawing room. Only then did Anne turn to see what it was that had disturbed him so. There stood Susan, her dearest friend, but Susan wasn’t alone. Beside her was her brother, the duke of Calder. And he looked as unhappy as Mischief was acting.
Anne shook her head, giving her friend an openly irritated look, despite the expectations of propriety when welcoming guests. She could imagine her mother’s cold eyes on her, and she didn’t say a word right away, despite her mother’s lacking presence. Susan gave her a sheepish look, shrugging ever so slightly. Meanwhile, the duke stood awkwardly at her side, giving Mischief a wary look.
Why would Susan bring her brother here unannounced?She wondered, her frustration mounting. It wasn’t unusual for Susan herself to come without warning. But she had never taken it upon herself to invite someone along with her. Least of all, her brother.
After the embarrassment of the previous night, and the backlash she received from her mother about the scandal sheets, the last thing she was ready to tolerate was the presence of a duke who had always been enigmatic and daunting to her. She hardly knew if she could prepare herself to interact with him if she’d been given advance warning, let alone when his arrival came as a complete surprise.
Mischief gave a low growl, snapping Anne back to the present moment. She forced herself to curtsey, although the displeasure never left her expression.
“Susan,” Anne said pointedly, glaring at her friend once more. Then, she glanced briefly at the duke, who was now looking at her with unreadable blue eyes. “Your Grace. What a surprise.”
Susan gave Anne a timid smile, her eyes filled with an apology that Anne wasn’t quite ready to accept.
“I do hope we’re not intruding,” she said. “We thought we’d stop by for a brief visit.”
Anne opened her mouth, but she quickly bit her tongue. Even though her mother wasn’t there, she imagined that the viscountess’s eyes would be narrowed at her, waiting for her to say or do something untoward. Whilst she was longing to do so, she was aware that she was already in dire straits for the chaos she had wrought the eve prior. It wouldn’t do to say or do something that the duke might report back to her mother.
