Page 11 of The Penitent Duke
“Come, Lady Rosalind, Lady Eleanor.” Lord Radcliffe shot another hard, angry look towards the Duke, who only shrugged his shoulders again, as though suggesting he had very little to do with the matter. “Let me take you for a turn around the room.”
Rosalind nodded, her throat constricting. Lady Eleanor began to take her away from the Duke, following after Lord Radcliffe, but Rosalind suddenly paused, a sudden burst of upset and frustration burning through her chest.
She turned to the Duke.
“In answer to your question, Your Grace, yes, I do seek a match.” Her chin lifted a notch. “Though I expect now that to be a good deal more difficult, given that my brother has been nothing but foolish and has brought his family name into disrepute.” Pressing her lips together tightly in order to keep a hold of her emotions, she let her gaze narrow just a little. “There now, are you satisfied? You have not only mortified me in asking such pressing questions when we have only just been introduced, you show no consideration whatsoever for my own feelings. I do hope that you will not ask me anything more for, truth be told, I have nothing more to say to you. In fact, might I suggest that our acquaintance be now at an end? We have been introduced, indeed, but I have no desire to continue our acquaintance. Good evening, Your Grace.”
She did not give him a moment to answer, not even a second to respond before turning on her heel and making her way from his company. Refusing to even glance over her shoulder towards him, she took Lady Eleanor’s arm again and walked alongside her, with Lord Radcliffe taking Lady Eleanor’s other arm.
“Goodness, I did not know you had such spirit in you, Rosalind!”
A flush touched Rosalind’s cheeks as she looked at her friend. “You do not think me cruel, I hope?”
“No, of course not! I think you spoke very well,” came the reply, as Lady Eleanor smiled reassuringly. “You had every right to speak as you did.”
“And I can only apologise profusely.” Lord Radcliffe’s face was red, his eyes darting this way and that, his jaw tight. “I would never have taken it upon myself to introduce you to him had I known that he would have asked you such questions. Truly, I apologise.” He offered Rosalind a small, wry smile. “You had every right to speak to him as you did and I am glad that you felt bold enough to do so. I would like to say that this will encourage him not to be so bold again but I fear it will not be so.”
Rosalind returned Lord Radcliffe’s smile, feeling a little calmer now that she was away from the Duke. “You have nothing to apologise for, Lord Radcliffe, though I do appreciate your concern. I am quite all right, I assure you.” She hesitated, then asked the question which had come to her mind. “Might I ask you if there is some reason for the Duke’s manner? I thought that, as highly titled as he is, he might be…”
“A little more polite?” Lady Eleanor asked, one eyebrow lifting. “I quite agree.”
Lord Radcliffe sighed and looked away. “I will not tell you all, for it is not my place to do so. However, what I can tell you is that the Duke of Strathmore has been living in near solitude for the last few years, holdingonto a guilt that is not his own.” He sighed again, his shoulders lifting slightly. “But even that is not an excuse for his behaviour and I apologise for it.”
“Thank you for your graciousness and your kind explanation,” Rosalind answered, quietly. “It is appreciated though, as I said to him, I do not think that I will ever again be in his company.” She took in a long breath, then let it out slowly, blowing away the tension which filled her. “I fully intend never to have a single conversation with the Duke of Strathmore again.”
Chapter Five
Watching the young ladies walk away with Lord Radcliffe beside Lady Eleanor, Lucian let out a heavy sigh and scowled, hard, before turning away.
That was not very well done.
His conscience pricked him but Lucian ignored it, walking across the room to find a glass of brandy and, thereafter, to step into the shadows. It was fairly easy for him to hide away in solitude, for most of thetonwished to be seen, wanted to dance and converse and laugh with the other guests who had been invited and none would be hiding themselves away as he had done. From here, he was able to watch all the goings on but at the same time, stay back from it all.
“She was pretty, at least.” His head tilted just a little as he considered the lady he had just been introduced to. Lady Rosalind, he remembered, recalling how her green eyes had flashed as she had spoken to him, her face flushed almost as red as her hair. Indeed, he recognized that he had not made a good impression and part of him had squirmed in mortification over his behavior but he had not changed or altered his manner in any way. He had told himself that it was necessary, that he had no need to be cautious and careful with propriety and such like. Thetonalready thought of him as a dark and dismal Duke and he had no need to alter their perception, did he? He had seen it in the eyes of the guests as he had made his way into the room, had noticed how some of them stepped back from him. Clearly his reputation was preceding him and Lucian, as determined as ever not to care about such things, had shrugged off their lack of warmth toward him.
And then, he had met Lady Rosalind and what he had been speaking of with Lord Radcliffe as regarded marriage and the like, had come swiftly back to his mind. She was a young lady in need of a husband, it seemed, and to be the daughter of an Earl was high enough standing to suit him. Lucian was not entirely certain what had driven her away from society, nor was he wholly clear on what wrongs her brother had committed to incur the wrath of the ton. Nevertheless, he apprehended that their aversion to the family would place Lady Rosalind in a rather precarious position when it came to securing a suitable match.
Which is where, he considered, he might then come in and offer a solution. It would be an answer for them both, forhewould be able to marry without any great difficulty and she would find herself wed to aDuke, thereby negating some of the negative views from those in thetonand elevating her family a little more. Surely that would be a good thing for her family, would it not? A hint of a smile touched Lucian’s lips.
I can hardly imagine any father refusing such a request. Particularly not one who has already had society looking down upon them for some indiscretion.
“But I do not know her character,” Lucian murmured to himself, before lifting the glass to his lips. She had already shown him that there was some tenacity there, certainly, but he did not entirely dislike that about her. To see her so determined, to see the courage that she had within herself to speak to him in both firm and yet calm tones spoke of a resolve and that was something that Lucian appreciated.
Though Lady Pearl had the same resolve when she told me she would ride with me. And because of her desire and the happiness she had in being in my company, I gave in to that.
The thought made him shudder and Lucian closed his eyes before throwing back the rest of his brandy. Perhaps that was not a good thing about her character after all. Perhaps he desired someone who would do just as he asked without question, who would not push back with her own determinations. But, Lucian considered, he might not have any choice in the matter for, as his friend had already made clear, there were not going to be a good many ladies eager to become his bride and certainly very few fathers who might push their daughters towards him!
“And this way, I will save time and effort,” he said aloud, nodding to himself. “I will not have any need to survey society in search of such a lady. If I go to Lord Fairmont and he agrees, then the matter will be completed and all will be well.” Setting his glass down, Lucian lifted his chin and after a moment, began to make his way into the crowd, doing his best to ignore the sidelong glances and hurried whispers which accompanied every step. His breathing grew a little quicker all the same, disinclined towards their scrutiny and he scowled hard, shooting an angry glance here and there which, in return, brought some startled gasps and, unfortunately, more whispers.
A dark and dismal Duke indeed.
With that thought lingering in his mind, Lucian spied Lord Radcliffe and, ignoring the fact that his friend was somewhat irritated with him, drew near. Lady Eleanor and Lady Rosalind were nowhere to be seen.
“Radcliffe.” He set a hand to the man’s shoulder. “I must ask for your help. I must know –”
Lord Radcliffe stepped back, his eyes wide but his jaw tight. “I am afraid I have no desire for your company, Strathmore.”
Lucian frowned. “I understand that you disagreed with my questions to Lady Rosalind but there is no need for you to stand back from me because of it.”
