Page 7 of The Trouble With Her Duke
A broad smile lit up his face and caused a case of the flutters in her midsection.
“And I must dash into the club,” he said with a grin.
Oh, my! There’s that dimple again.
“Liam, my driver, will take you to the Dowager’s home when you’ve completed your purchases.” He turned to speak to the driver, who tipped his hat.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Lydia said when the duke turned back to her with another charming smile.
“The carriage will be in front of the bookstore, Miss Hammond,” Liam, the driver, said.
“Thank you, Liam, I appreciate the kindness.”
“I bid you good day then,” the duke said, tipping his hat.
“Good day, Your Grace.”
The duke turned and strode into the four-storied, red-brick building.
Heaving a deep sigh, Lydia made her way to the bookstore, feeling completely discombobulated by the entire ordeal and yet strangely enlivened by her interaction with the handsome duke.
Don’t even think it!
As handsome and eligible as the Duke of Danforth was, he was certainly not for her. Besides, she had vowed never to marry. She refused to end up like her late mother. She valued her independence and enjoyed her position as a companion to the dowager.
Just forget those emerald-green eyes and that cleft in his chin and go about your business.
Chapter 2
The door closed behind him, but Damon lingered for a moment, peering through the window of The Gentlemen’s Club’s anteroom. He noticed Miss Lydia Hammond enter the bookstore several buildings away, and without thinking, he withdrew the broken timepiece from his pocket. Never have I met a more vexing individual in my life. But her beauty was mesmerizing. Those violet-blue eyes had held him spellbound, and even now, he found it impossible to remove her from his thoughts. He hadn’t even looked at another woman since the death of his wife.
Aimee had died giving birth to their twins, and Damon had stayed busy in the lives and upbringing of his children—something he and Aimee had agreed to do before their births. Theirs had been an arranged marriage, and while it hadn’t been entwined with passion, it had been comfortable. Love had grown over the years, although it had never been soul-shattering. He doubted that was even possible!
Shoving the watch back into his pocket, he handed his hat and coat to the footman in the cloakroom. “Has the Duke of Richmond arrived?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Grace. He arrived half an hour ago and said to tell you he’d be in the lounge,” the footman replied.
“Thank you,” Damon said, moving towards the lounge.
“Would you care for your usual, Your Grace?” a footman carrying a tray of drinks asked.
“Not today, George, but thank you,” Damon replied. He had hoped to find Richmond in the gym, ready to spar. He supposed it didn’t matter. But after the morning he had had, he could think of nowhere better than the ring to work out his frustration.
Scanning the room, he spotted his friend in a vigorous discussion with two other men. He recognized Lord Felton but couldn’t see the face of the other. No matter. I don’t feel like engaging in a discussion with Felton, he thought. The man argues the most minute points, and I just don’t have the patience today. Instead, he raised his hand slightly and caught the attention of George, who was still passing out drinks. The footman nodded understanding and Damon leaned back in the leather chair to relax.
Despite his frustrating conversation with Miss Hammond, he realized he also felt strangely exhilarated. “Such a conundrum,” he said out loud.
“What is?” his friend asked, pulling up a chair.
“There you are. I thought you’d be pulled into one of Felton’s exasperating discussions, so I waited for you here.”
“Smart. I stopped to answer a question from the Earl of Bixby, and Felton walked by. Before we knew it, he had drawn us both into one of his inane debates,” Carlton said, laughing. “Totally my fault. The man has been lonely since becoming a widower and comes here almost every day. Most days, I try to keep the conversations light.” He shook his head as if to clear it.
“What was it about?” Damon asked.
“Child labor. He supports the manufacturers and other businesses where this is concerned,” Carlton said. “The man has no concept of what happens to children.”
“Probably because he’s never had one. I’m glad I didn’t go over there. The topic infuriates me,” Damon admitted. He blew out a breath. “Speaking of children, I lost another governess.”
