Page 28 of Must Love Dukes
Muriel could not be ungrateful. Buxton had done exactly as she’d asked.
“Thank goodness you’ve secured the duke’s affections,” Nora sniffed. “Which are apparent to everyone in the room despite Lady Lavinia’s determination, or I would grow concerned now that you’ve lost Todson.”
“I didn’t lose him, Mother Nora. Todson isn’t a trinket I’ve misplaced. I did warn you before your arrival that my affections were already fixed.” She gave Buxton a brilliant, false smile that matched his own. “You didn’t believe me.”
“I didn’t. But.” Nora took her arm. “Your father and I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Her stepmother would be less pleased when Buxton failed to call upon Father. There would be no offer from the Duke of Buxton for Lord Allred’s odd daughter. Muriel would fall to the floor, devastated at her broken heart.
Glancing down at her slippers, she took a deep breath.
It wouldn’t be a lie.
11
“Miss Bell.”
“Your Grace.” No attempt at a poor curtsey today, which was fine since he didn’t find it necessary, particularly from her. But there was an edge to her pretty features that hadn’t been there yesterday. Also, she’d avoided him last night after a sumptuous supper. Had the kiss they’d shared…unsettled her to such a degree?
Her eyes snapped at him, daring him to speak.
Annoyed.Hugh had no idea why.
“Am I late for our appointment, Miss Bell?” he asked.
She sailed past him, careful to pull back her skirts. “No, Your Grace. You are punctual, as always.” Motioning for him to sit, she picked up a brush, dabbing at the small mounds of paint on the palette she held.
Hugh walked past, prepared to take a seat on the bench, wondering at her sudden anger towards him, but stopped. “What have you done to my…nose, Miss Bell?”
The portrait bore a striking likeness to him, even with tomatoes for cheeks, leaves for hair and lemons for ears but—thenose was deformed. Not at all like a radish. More a carrot that had been sitting in a root cellar for far too long.
She shrugged and pointed at the bench. “I merely paint what I see in my mind, Your Grace. A radish was far too small for such a protuberance; thus, I decided on a carrot.”
Not annoyance. Anger.
Last night, there had been a grand announcement of Todson’s betrothal to a blushing Miss Phipps, which had filled the drawing room with toasts, laughter, and hearty congratulations. Miss Bell had disappeared from the festivities after refusing to look once in Hugh’s direction. He’d lost sight of her during the final toast and later overheard Lady Allred mention Miss Bell had retired early, exhausted from painting his portrait.
“A carrot?”
“Yes,” she snapped back. “Lady Lavinia has mentioned how much she enjoys”—she stabbed at the canvas with the brush—“carrots.”
Lavinia likely didn’t even know what a carrot looked like if it wasn’t slivered or cut into tiny cubes. “What has upset you, Miss Bell?” he asked carefully.
“The house party will end tomorrow.” Her words were brittle as he took up his pose. “I have considered what tale to concoct to explain your sudden withdrawal of interest once I return to London. Don’t move your arm.”
Hugh intentionally moved his arm, which earned him a pained sound from her.
“If it is convenient, I think it best for you to call upon me, but only once. After which you will leave, and I will burst into tears. Perhaps fall to the floor in a fit of weeping. I haven’t quite decided. If you cannot call, possibly you could send a note proclaiming your desire to never see me again.” Every word was punctuated by a stab of the brush. “Perhaps say you’ve had achange of heart, in Lady Lavinia’s direction, and thus end our association?—”
“Muriel,” Hugh said softly.
“Which everyone will understand, Your”—Stab—“Grace.”Stab. Stab.“Since I am hardly the sort of young lady who?—”
“That’s quite enough.” He came to his feet.
“Sit, Your Grace,” she barked. “I’m not finished.”
Hugh ignored her, walking towards the canvas and attempted to pull the brush from her hand. “Muriel,” he said again. How did she not comprehend what had bloomed between them? Or would she continue to ignore their attraction because she wasn’t interested in marriage, even if it was to Hugh?
