Page 26 of The Duke's Gamble
Florentina could say nothing in return, such was the ache in her throat. The Duke of Dartmoor had made it quite plain what he thought of her, eager to drop her from his company just as soon as he could and yet, this was the gentleman she was soon to marry! What made matters worse was the fact that her own heart had been acting so very strangely when Lady Dinah had been making clear her interest in the Duke so that now, as she walked away, there was nothing but agony within her.
I want to hate him,she thought silently to herself, her gaze dropping to the floor as she walked.I want to despise him as much as I ever have but the more that I have seen him, the more that I have been near him, the less that hatred seems to linger.Shaking her head to herself, she closed her eyes tightly, wishing she could find an answer to her own confusing thoughts.Why is it that I cannot despise him as much as I did before? And why do I feel so sorrowful in knowing that I will not be the one to be clasped in his arms for the waltz?
Chapter Ten
“Lord Crawley.”
Samuel moved to stand beside his old friend, aware of the immediate curl of Lord Crawley’s lip. The gentleman did not turn towards him, did not even make a single sound in response to Samuel’s greeting, leaving him to try again.
“You have been speaking with Lady Florentina a great deal these last two weeks,” he said, trying his best to keep any tone of accusation out of his voice. “And you have barely said a word to me.”
At this, Lord Crawley finally glanced at him. “You do recall what I said to you, do you not? That I find your behavior despicable, your inconsideration and selfishness utterly repulsive?”
Samuel’s skin prickled. “You did not say those words exactly.”
“But to that effect.”
Having no other choice but to nod, Samuel did so.
“Then it should not come as any surprise to you that I have not been in conversation with you,” Lord Crawley continued, a little darkly. “Why are you here, Dartmoor?”
Samuel hesitated, unsure of what he wanted to say. He had come to speak with Lord Crawley, hoping to make it clear that he expected his friend to say nothing to Lady Florentina about his current scheme. But now, seeing the anger on his estranged friend's face, Samuel felt a growing uncertainty.
“You are to come to ask me why I am in company with Lady Florentina, Lady Christina and Lady Haddington, yes?” Lord Crawley rolled his eyes as Samuel started in surprise, betraying himself as he did so. “I do not think that you have any rightto ask me any such thing, Dartmoor. We are no longer on such terms, and I am not accountable to you.”
“But I do hope that our former closeness will have a lingering loyalty all the same,” Samuel answered, speaking slowly as he thought about what he wanted to say. “And by that I mean—”
“Lady Florentina is highly suspicious of me and thus far, has not permitted me to say a single word to her in private,” Lord Crawley interrupted, his expression darkening all the more. “Though do not think that I will remain silent should she grant me permission. What you are doing to her is deeply unfair and I have every intention of telling her of your actions, should she give me a chance to speak.”
A knot of fear tied itself in Samuel’s stomach. “You cannot.”
“But I can,” came the answer, Lord Crawley’s face tight with clear anger. “I know that you think you can do as you please, that your only thought is for yourself, but I will not simply stand by and watch you bring pain and sorrow to a young lady who has already given up her future and her happiness for the sake of others.” He threw up his hands. “Do you not see the difference between you both, Dartmoor? You think that you are somehow lost by being attached to her, that you are a fool for your betrothal, but you do not realise just how much you have in that lady’s company! She is selfless, kind-hearted, generous and loving—all the things that you are not—and her character shines out nothing but beauty. You possess none of those qualities, and instead of recognising the precious gift you have in her, you intend to shatter it into a thousand pieces and then trample it into the dirt. You will ruin her utterly, and no doubt, you will take pleasure in it because you will be free once more.”
Samuel swallowed tightly, wishing he could find some way to refute all that had been said. Deep down, he knew that Lady Florentina was precisely as Lord Crawley had stated and yet, hisheart did not want to admit it. If he did, then Samuel feared what might follow thereafter for a hint of that had already struck his heart… and he did not much like it.
“So yes, be assured that I will say what I can whenever I can,” Lord Crawley finished, turning his head away. “Once she trusts me, then I will speak though I can only pray it will come sooner rather than later.”
A streak of anger rushed through Samuel. “If you do so, then I will break Lady Christina away from you.”
Lord Crawley’s eyebrow shot up just as a heavy weight of conscience poured into Samuel’s soul, telling him to stop speaking before he could make such a terrible threat in its entirety. “I beg your pardon?”
“I—I know that you have an interest in Lady Christina. I have seen it,” Samuel continued, though he then closed his eyes, dragging in air. Could he really say this? Could he really threaten someone he considered a friend still?
“Your Grace, I must speak with you.”
Samuel’s eyes shot open as Lord Allington caught his arm. “Allington, now is not a time for conversation. Lord Crawley and I were just— ”
“I do not think that I can do as you have asked.” Ignoring him, Lord Allington threw up both hands, beginning to pace in between Samuel and Lord Crawley, the latter of whom had gone very quiet indeed, his face a little paler than before. “I understand that you have every desire for Lady Florentina to choose to step away from you and that I was only ever meant to play a part but, truth be told, I find that my heart has other intentions.”
Swallowing hard, Samuel’s eyes rounded as he stared at Lord Allington, trying to make sense of what his friend was saying.
And then, Lord Crawley let out a bark of laughter. “Good gracious, Lord Allington! Are you stating that you are truly interested in Lady Florentina?”
Lord Allington groaned, throwing back his head before, after another few moments, nodding. “It is quite dreadful. I do not know what to say nor what to do but what Iamcertain of is that I cannot injure her.”
“But… but you must!” Samuel exclaimed, desperation beginning to course through him. “I must have her fully convinced that you are eager to court her, that your intentions are towards matrimony!”
With a steadiness in his gaze that Samuel had not expected, Lord Allington lifted both hands outwards, a heaviness now in his expression. “That might well be the truth, Dartmoor. I had not expected it but the more time I have spent in Lady Florentina’s company, the more I have come to realise just how much of a treasure she is.”
