Page 21 of Seduced by an Irresistible Lady
Dr Frederick nodded and extended his hand for a handshake.
“Prince Drew, Dr Frederick Cooper,” he said.
The Prince shook his head.
“No, please don’t call me that. I’m Drew, Mr Drew is much better,” the Prince replied.
His voice was so thickly accented that it was almost melodious. Dr Frederick imagined he wouldn’t fancy talking too much in public.
He’d be getting a lot of stares if he did that. And he’s not taken by fancy a title, that’s good.
“Mr Drew then, forgive my initial mistake,” Dr Frederick said.
“So where and how is Miss Helena?” Dr Frederick said to Lady Lavinia.
“She’s fine. She’s at home. I haven’t really been to her place of late, but I saw her …” Lady Lavinia raised her gaze to the sky. She was trying to remember.
“Three days ago, although we are going to her house tomorrow,” Lady Lavinia said, looking again at Mr Drew.
“Really, you said we, as in you and Mr Drew?” Dr Frederick asked.
“Yes, along with my cousins who visited from Ireland. We want to see if we can buy some things in preparation for the Somerset ball.”
Dr Frederick raised a brow.
Could that be the same ball that the Duke just cancelled?
“Do you mean the same ball to be held by this weekend?” Dr Frederick asked.
“Yes.”
Dr Frederick chuckled.
“I am just returning from the house of the Duke of Somerset. He has cancelled the ball.”
Lady Lavinia’s eyes popped open. Disbelief hung there, but after a while, it became disappointment.
“Why?” she asked in a small voice.
Dr Frederick thought about the Duke’s wife.
That’s private information.
“I don’t know. I do know he just cancelled it,” Dr Frederick said.
The disappointment was so evident that it could have been plucked from Lady Lavinia’s eyes. Her hand wrapped around Mr Drew’s, holding tightly. Dr Frederick removed his focus from their hands and looked back to her face.
“So maybe you should prepare for the next one instead. Please send my regards to Miss Helena,” Dr Frederick said.
“I will,” Lady Lavinia replied.
Dr Frederick stuck his hand back inside the carriage and leaned forward towards the window behind the driver.
“We can move on now, sir,” he said.
“Yes, sir,” the driver said.
The carriage started moving away. Dr Frederick looked back at Lady Lavinia. She was laughing once again to something the young man beside her said. When she saw him looking back, she waved to him. Dr Frederick lifted one arm to her, without waving it.
