Page 29 of A Duke for Diana
That caught him by surprise. “Did youwantme to?”
“No!” She wrapped her arms about her waist. “But you were gone so long, and . . . and when you left you said you were going there, and I was afraid—”
He pasted a smile to his face as he approached her. “Surely you know your brother better than that, poppet. I growl and grouse, but once my temper cools, I turn sensible again.”
Her face cleared. “So youdidn’tgo there?”
“I did. But Lady Diana and I parted on good terms.” He chucked her under the chin. “She revealed whatelseshe told you, the part you didn’t mention.”
Rosy swallowed. “I–I don’t know what you mean.” Turning her back to him, she hurried over to stoke up the already blazing fire.
He followed her and took the poker from her, setting it down in its holder. “She told me that Lord Winston does indeed have a reputation as a rakehell.”
She faced him with a defiant expression. “A man can change, can’t he?”
“Everyone can change, angel. But that doesn’t mean they do.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, “You’re already changing. Yesterday, you would have refused to continue working with Diana if you’d known what she told me. Today you were more tolerant.”
Today he’d kissed the woman, too, which somewhat colored his perceptions. Not that he was going to tell his sister that. She’d be ringing wedding bells over his head in an instant. “Lady Diana was honest with me—unlike my little sister—so I’m willing to take a chance on her and her business. Might as well see what happens.”
“Oh, I’m so glad!” She beamed at him, which made everything better. “I thought for sure you would dismiss them, and they’ve been so wonderful to me that I couldn’t have borne it.”
Then she and Mother proceeded to tell him about every single thing they’d done with Elegant Occasions that day. He was forced to watch them parade their fashion dolls in front of him and explain what gowns they had ordered. By God, what had he landed himself in?
At one point, he stealthily looked at his pocket watch.
Apparently, he wasn’t stealthy enough, because Mother asked, with a raised brow, “Are we boring you, Son?”
“Certainly not,” he said blandly. “Watching you four show off your gowns is fascinating.”
“We four?” Rosy asked.
“You, Mother, and your two dolls.”
When she giggled, he relaxed. He could always be sure she was fine if he heard her laugh. But when she and his mother demanded to know what he’d ordered at the tailor, he’d had enough of fitting and fabric talk for one evening.
“You’ll see soon enough.” He rose. “Now forgive me, you two, but I’m off to bed.” And if he was lucky he would fall asleep without thinking of the fetching female who kept intruding on his thoughts.
Clearly, for the next few days he’d have to find somewhere else to be.
Chapter Six
During the three weeks of plotting and preparing for Rosy’s first event as Lady Rosabel—Diana refused to count the disastrous musicale the poor girl had attended—Diana had expected to see the duke occasionally. To her chagrin, no matter how much time she and her sisters spent at Grenwood House, she didn’t see him once, even in passing.
He talked to her sisters, though. They were helping him prepare for what was also to behispresentation as a duke. He’d somehow managed to get an agreement from the Earl of Foxstead to sponsor him. Apparently, Lord Foxstead was an investor in one of Grenwood’s projects. But Grenwood said not a word to her, about that or anything else.
It was hard to ignore the truth. He was avoiding her. As that became more apparent, she felt a sickening lurch in her belly very much like the one at that first ball after the news broke that Mama had run away. Everyone had avoided her as if she hadn’t bathed or dressed correctly, and now he was doing the same.
Grenwood had kissed her and found her wanting. What other explanation was there?
Now she and Rosy and Mrs. Ludgate were in the young woman’s bedchamber in the early morning. Mrs. Ludgate was tucking here, snipping a thread there, and generally making a lovely gown into an outstanding one.
Meanwhile, Diana had been putting the finishing touches on Rosy’s ensemble. Today was the big event—Rosy’s presentation and her intimate dinner entertainment afterward. But due to the strangeness of court dress these days, all their focus was on Rosy’s dinner gown, made of bronze-green silk gathered artfully just under the breasts. The dark hue of green with shadings of blue accentuated Rosy’s beautiful emerald eyes, and the silk was embroidered around the bottom. White beads ornamented the neckline as well as the sweet little sleeves.
“It’s finished,” Mrs. Ludgate pronounced and stood back.
“What do you think, Diana?” Rosy spun slowly to show it off.
