Page 11 of The Duke's Gamble
Florentina shared a small, soft smile with her sisters. “I am well used to watching quiet creatures,” she answered, directing her gaze towards Christina, who immediately laughed. “They intrigue me so, since I am quite the opposite from them!” Her sister Christina did not often share her thoughts or feelings and did not often enter deep conversations. “For my part, I have observed that the Duke appears to be a gentleman with a rather fiery temper and a keen determination that will not permitanyone or anything to stand in his way.” Tipping her head, she looked carefully at her sister. “And what have you noticed?”
Christina spread her hands, just as Miriam’s book toppled from her lap to the floor as she sat forward, listening to Christina. “They have been here a sennight now, have they not? We have been forced to share our dinner table with them and, on occasion, been required to spend a few hours in their company in the drawing room. I have been able to note some things aboutbothgentlemen, and I must confess that I am not certain I would agree with your description of Lord Crawley.”
Florentina blinked. “Indeed?”
Christina nodded, then looked away, her lips pressed tight for a moment. Florentina wanted to say something more, catching the slight tremble about her sister’s mouth, but Christina spoke again before she could do so.
“If only Lord Crawley would say what he truly thinks to his friend, then perhaps the situation might not be as difficult as we find it at present,” she began, speaking quietly. “You may not have been aware of it, Florentina, but I have seen him frown. I have seen him look away when the Duke states certain things. I do not think that Lord Crawley is as readily accepting of this entire situation as we might believe him to be.”
“But what is it that can be done? If it is as you say, and Lord Crawley sees the matter differently but is unwilling to speak, then it is not as though we can compel him to act.”
Miriam nodded slowly, turning her head to look out of the drawing room window before returning her gaze to Christina. “Perhaps we need not do anything of significance but merely ask him. Or, at leastoneof us might ask him? Though I do not mean you, Florentina.”
Florentina struggled to contain her quiet laugh. “I fully understand. Christina? Is that something you feel able to do?”
Christina said nothing in reply, but instead simply turned her green eyes towards Florentina and looked at her steadily.
“You are strong enough to do such a thing, Christina, I am sure of it.”
Her sister shook her head. “I do not think I am strong at all. I speak too little and hide my considerations.”
“And yet that is what Lord Crawley does also. There might be an understanding there,” Florentina answered, encouraging her as best she could. “It is clear that you see more in Lord Crawley’s character than we have.”
Christina closed her eyes, then nodded. “Very well.” She rose to her feet, making Florentina’s eyebrows lift.
“Are you going to speak to him now?”
Lifting her shoulders, Christina nodded and then made her way to the door. “I do not see any reason to hold back or to delay. If I give myself too much time to consider it, then no doubt, I will convince myselfnotto speak with him! No, I shall go now to him directly. It may achieve very little, but as you have said, at least then we will know that we have pursued every option.”
Florentina and Miriam shared a smile. “We shall pray for your success!” Florentina exclaimed. “Do not be afraid of speaking openly but permit yourself to express all that you feel and think. You have a good deal more passion then than when you hold yourself back with reservation.”
“I shall do my best,” Christina promised. “Though I do think that one of you might try to speak directly with the Duke also.” Her gaze pinned itself to Florentina, a sharpness there which surprised Florentina a little. “I speak with gentleness but you speak with strength andthat, I think, is what the Duke requires.”
Florentina swallowed tightly, her spirits suddenly sinking. “I am not certain that it would do any good.”
“But you would try, would you not?” Miriam asked, as Florentina closed her eyes tightly. “We must all make an effort.”
With a heavy breath, Florentina set her shoulders and then got to her feet. “Very well,” she answered, using the same words as Christina. “I shall speak to the Duke if you will speak to Lord Crawley. Let us hope, my dears, that fate will guide us to success.”
Chapter Four
“Your Grace.”
Samuel turned, only for his jaw to clench as Lady Florentina entered the gardens. He had been enjoying his solitude and, quite frankly, Lady Florentina had been nothing but a thorn in his flesh ever since his arrival at the Haddington house.
“Lady Florentina.” He inclined his head, his back straight, shoulders broad as he stood tall, hoping that his stance might make her reconsider her clear desire to speak with him. Of late, he had endured her icy stares, her narrowed eyes, her clear dislike of any attempt at conversation that he attempted to make. Truth be told, all of the ladies in the Haddington house did not appear to enjoy his presence in even the smallest amount which, Samuel considered, was a little unfair of them all given that it was nothisfault that their house was now his!
“I do hope that we might have a conversation, Your Grace.”
Samuel glanced back at her, only to turn his gaze once more to the roses. It had been a fine, sunny afternoon, and he had intended to take a solitary walk through the gardens. Having made little to no progress in devising a satisfactory solution for Lady Haddington and her daughters, he had hoped the walk might bring him some clarity, perhaps even a fresh perspective. Yet, it seemed, his moment of solitude was to be interrupted by the very young lady he had hoped to avoid.
He sighed.
“Might I ask what it is that you wish to speak with me about? If it concerns this house and my ownership of it, then I must inform you that such a conversation would be entirely pointless.”
“I wish for you to do precisely that.”
“Then this conversation is at an end,” Samuel replied, with a wry but dark smile. “I have no intention of relinquishing what I have justly won.”
