Page 20 of The Duke's Tempting Widow
Lydia could not even summon words to say goodbye. She merely turned on her heel and walked straight back up to the house.
That night, Lydia could not sleep–torn by her guilt, her desire to be free, and her desire for the duke. What would the future hold for her and her daughters? Is it possible that the duke could be part of it all?
Chapter 11
The duke would meet the girls today. Both Lydia’s own biological daughter as well as the one whom he was going to be charged with caring for moving forward. A prospect that was anxiety inducing on its own, let alone with the added tension of her own unsorted feelings toward the duke. Both girls were riddled with nerves.
It was the first day that either of them had felt up to leaving their rooms. They had been rather sequestered in their wing of the house with their governess during the worst parts of their mourning period. That, and Lydia had wanted to have some time to sort out her own feelings about the men in the home before risking introducing either of them to her children.
But it would be nice to have them in her arms once more. If they were feeling up for it, they might even take tea in the garden. The fresh air would do them all good. Lydia had hoped that the longer she was in the company of the duke that she might get a clearer head about things, but that was proving to not be the case. Her sister had become rather fond of both men.
That should have been enough for Lydia to give them more of a chance than she was presently doing. As it was, she felt like every moment that passed was simply her waiting for theother shoe to drop. As if something horrible might happen at any coming moment.
The best laid of Lydia’s plans always had a wrench thrown in them.
When her daughters came bounding down the stairs shortly after breakfast in their lovely gowns, begging to go into town, how could she ever say no to them? It was the first time that they wished to be out in public again after her husband had passed.
It was the least that she could do to indulge them. Even if she was still wearing her own mourning black, they girls did not need to stay sad because society dictated it. They would always miss their father. It was a loss that could not be filled, but perhaps a day of fun would cheer them.
Lydia and Kitty had quickly planned a whole day for the lot of them. Lunch would be served in a local tearoom that they had been known to favor. The establishment had a lovely selection of cookies and cakes that would be indulgent as well as one of Lydia’s favorite blends of tea.
Then, if they so wished, they could go and allow the duke to buy them new ribbons and perhaps even a carriage ride through the countryside after. The weather was supposed to be splendid all day and if the clouds were any indication, they should be well met and without rain for the duration.
The whole carriage ride into town, her two girls had tucked themselves under her arms and nestled into her sides. It caused her ribs to ache, but she would never dare ask them to move. It was a lovely distraction from the work that she had been doing lately in avoiding the duke at all costs. It was becoming next to impossible to avoid him when they lived under the same roof.
“Do you think that we shall like him, Mama?” Juliet asked finally, inquiring to the man they were going to meet.
That was the question of the hour, was it not? She could feel Kitty’s eyes on her. All of the unasked questions hanging between them. Kitty had been attempting to figure out her unexpected change in attitude since their picnic.
“Do you like him, Mama? Is the duke a good man?” Margaret asked.
Lydia hesitated. Not because she did not think of the duke as a good man but because she was stunned to realize that she had not even given him the chance to properly get to know her. Was she truly such a slave to her lust that she could not have the decency to have a proper conversation with the man? She was ashamed of herself.
“Of course he is.” Kitty interjected, answering on Lydia’s behalf. She quickly nodded along with the sentiment.
“I think that he shall have nothing but kind words to say to you and your sister both. It is important that you do not feel intimidated or frightened. He was your father’s cousin, and family to us as well. We shall have to treat him as such.” Lydia said evenly.
Kitty snorted. “All of us, sister?”
Lydia could have kicked her, if the girls would not have wanted to know why she was doing such a thing.
The carriage finally came to a stop in front of the local tea parlor. The girls were escorted out by their footman, and Lydia followed slowly after. She worried that sitting so close to the duke when she had not even been able to say two words to him would pose a challenge in and of itself.
Much to all of their surprise, the duke was already waiting for them inside of the tearoom. His friend, William came bounding out to greet the small group excitedly. Though, Lydia did not miss the fact that his attention seems to be focused on one person in particular. The same someone whose face tinted pink the moment that she felt William’s attention upon her. Truthfully, she could not recall the last time that she had seen her sister so effortlessly happy. It was a refreshing thing to see.
Lydia found herself looking over their shoulders, straining to see where the duke might have been.
“Mama, is that the duke?” Juliet asked, tugging softly on Lydia’s skirt.
“No, this is Sir William.” She answered after a moment, snapping out of her daze. “Remember? You met him once before.”
At Lydia’s reintroduction, he seemed to remember his manners and turned away from greeting Kitty to enthusiastically greet the two younger girls.
“Hello! It is so lovely to make your acquaintance! I hope that you will not find the duke and I’s presence in the home to be too intrusive. I should not wish to burden you in the slightest.” William said with a polite bow in their direction.
Juliet was the younger and shyer of the two, so she needed to ensure that nobody took her shyness for rudeness.
“I do believe that the duke is awaiting us inside of the shop, if you would allow me the privilege of escorting you?” William asked, extending his arms to Margaret and Juliet. Lydia appreciated the effort. It was difficult not to snatch them away. The impulse to keep firm control over them was intense, but she knew that she would have to loosen her hold on them a little, no matter which way all of this went.
