Page 22 of An Arranged Betrothal with an Icy Duke
Henry shook his head and beckoned his friend in. “I thought you would have been rather tired after your journey.”
“I should be, should I not?” Lord Eaveswood chuckled and shrugged. “Alas, I cannot sleep. It evades me. Though I am sure that tomorrow, when your other guests arrive, I will find myself suddenly so exhausted, I shall have to retire early when Iwould much rather stay and enjoy their fine company!” Walking across the room, Lord Eaveswood chuckled as he gestured to the decanter of fine French brandy on the table. “I see that you have still kept the brandy in the very same place as you did some years ago. Do you mind if I have a measure?”
“Of course, do help yourself.” Henry took in a deep breath and, setting his shoulders, went to pour himself a measure also. Lord Eaveswood had arrived a little earlier than anticipated due to a problem with the inn where he and his wife had meant to be residing overnight. Henry had not had any difficulty in welcoming them into the house, however, and there had been more than enough food for dinner to go around. Truth be told, he had been glad for a little extra company for it meant that he had not been required to speak at length to his betrothed, as his mother – and Lord and Lady Tidemore – might have expected.
“Might I ask why you cannot sleep?” Lord Eaveswood asked in a genial manner, that friendship between them returning to the same strength it had held some years ago. “I was watching you over dinner. Might I ask if there is a concern in your heart as regards Miss Tidemore?”
Henry scowled. “No, there is no concern. Not as yet, anyway.”
“And yet, you frown very heavily indeed even just mentioning her name.”
With an effort, Henry pushed the scowl out of his expression. “She spoke to me very bluntly this afternoon,” he told his friend, finding that his burden began to dissipate the very moment he began to share his concerns with his friend. “I did not much like it, truth be told.”
“Oh?”
Hearing the question in Lord Eaveswood’s voice, Henry shrugged. “She told me that she was not at all delighted with the engagement. This came after I put to her that every young ladyin London would have been thrilled to be engaged to me and it seems, to my mind, that she wanted to refute that notion for the sole purpose of irritating me.”
Lord Eaveswood’s eyebrows dropped low. “But why would she seek to irritate you?”
“Because she was upset – and continues to be – that I am a little far from her company,” Henry stated, firmly. “I have no intention of letting myself draw close to her and she stated – much too sharply, I think – thatherthoughts, feelings and the like were not once considered during this engagement. I, as I have said, told her that any young lady would be glad to be a Duchess and she immediately said that she was not in the least bit pleased to be even considered for such a standing in society. I do not believe that for a moment.”
Lord Eaveswood sat down on one of the couches, stretching out his long legs and crossing them at the ankle. “Then you think she lied to you?”
Henry considered this, finding his heart pulling back from such a thought. “I – I think that she must be.”
“For her own gain?”
Henry nodded.
“So what would that purpose be? Why would she lie about her own feelings and thoughts in that regard?”
Henry opened his mouth to answer, and then closed it again, his brows knitting together.
Lord Eaveswood took a sip of his brandy and shrugged lightly. “It seems to me a very strange thing to do. It means that, by speaking so, she jeopardizes her chances as regardsbecomingthat Duchess. After all, are you not testing her? Making certain that she can be all that is required?”
Nodding slowly, Henry caught the edge of his lip between his teeth, struggling to find an answer.
“I do wonder why she thought to speak so,” Lord Eaveswood continued, thoughtfully. “It is certainly a little unusual if she is then putting her engagement at risk.”
“Unless she wants me to believe that she truly cares nothing for my position, only to secretly relish it.”
Lord Eaveswood looked at him steadily, his eyes fixed. “And what if she was telling the truth, Your Grace? What then?”
Henry could give him no answer. The thought had come to him but he had quickly dismissed it, telling himself that there had to be a reason that the lady had spoken with such seeming upset and hostility. To his mind, there had been a dark purpose behind it and yet, all the same, he could not simply turn around and break their engagement because of it. She had not done anything overly serious… as yet.
“It may be that your past wounds might now carry forward to an unfair view of the lady,” Lord Eaveswood continued, quietly. “Not that I can speak into the situation very well, since I am only a little aware of what took place, but all the same… ”
“I suppose it will come out, one way or the other,” Henry replied, trying not to let any of his friend’s words affect him. All the same, however, he felt a creeping guilt nudge against his heart which he did not like in the least. Could it be that his friend was right in what he was suggesting, that therewassomething in his view of Miss Tidemore which was not right? Perhaps he was placing too much scorn on her words, attacking her silently while, without fully realizing it, comparing her to Rachel and what she had done.
“I personally think that Miss Tidemore is an excellent young lady.” Lord Eaveswood threw back the rest of his brandy and, puckering his lips together, rose to his feet. “A very kind, considerate young lady, in fact.”
“She said that she has not been courted – and did not have any gentlemen interested in her company either.”
Lord Eaveswood made his way to the door, clearly ready to retire. “I think that is true. I shall clarify with my wife but from what I know, the young lady was not being courted by any gentleman and though she certainly would have been well acquainted with many gentlemen and ladies, there was no-one seeking her out. Not from my knowledge anyway. After all, it was not as though they had been in London for very long before you made your engagement known!” He opened the door and lifted one hand. “Good evening, Your Grace. I hope you too can retire very soon.”
Henry grunted and waited until the door closed before he sank down in one of the chairs and, setting his glass aside, dropped his head to his hands. It seemed that Miss Tidemore had been speaking correctly in that regard, at least. She hadnothad any gentlemen interested in her company and had not had anyone seeking to court her either. Did that not add a greater weight to her other words too, then? Was there not a high chance that everything she had shared with him – whether delivered bluntly or not – could be true? With a groan, Henry sat back and reached for his glass again. Despite Lord Eaveswood’s wishes, Henry did not think that he would be able to retire any time soon. There was far too much on his mind.
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