Page 24 of The Duke's Indecent Match
Managing a smile for her, Nathanial shook himself and dismounted.Leading his horse over to the side where several of the others were doing the same, he found that there was a length of fence where they could secure the horses for now.
“There is a folly down that way,” Lady Astrid was telling Gregory and Tiffany as Nathanial used his reins to secure his horse.It nickered, and he gave the gelding a good scratch on the side of its neck as a thank you for being patient with him.“And we can go into the church as long as we are careful.Do not lean on anything.There is also a duck pond a little further down, beyond the church.”
Plenty of things to explore.Except Nathanial did not want to explore.He wanted to sit and wait for Miss Little and Christian to appear.
“I would love to see the duck pond,” Tiffany said, smiling.“I have always been partial to ducks.”
“Then to the duck pond we go,” Gregory replied cheerfully, holding his arm out for his wife to take.Looking at them, no one would have ever guessed that mere months ago Gregory had been considered one of the foremost rakes of theton.Now he was slavishly devoted to his wife and whatever made her happy.The largest proof being that he was here at the house party at all, much less willing to explore a duck pond.
“I can show you where.Nathanial, give me your arm.You can escort me.There is a matter I wished to speak with you about.”Lady Astrid’s imperious command was such that Nathanial almost lifted his arm without thinking.
Directing a frown at her, he waited a moment just to prove that he was not her puppet on a string before offering her his arm.It would be ungentlemanly not to after such a request.
He was also somewhat curious what she wanted to speak to him about, if she was not just using him as a shield against Drake.Not enough to fully overcome his reluctance to move away from the front of the church without having seen Christian and Miss Little, but he could hardly refuse.
As if his thoughts had conjured them, he heard the Baroness Voight call out, “Ah, look, there are Montagu and Kalina.”
Turning, he saw the curricle at the very end of the drive, coming up at a decent clip.The baroness was waving at them, as if there were anywhere else they might end up.Relief flowed through him that Christian had not taken the opportunity to dawdle.Though his relief was short-lived as he watched her throw her head back with laughter at something Christian said.
His chest clenched tight.
“Nathanial.”Lady Astrid’s sharp tone broke through his reverie.She gave his arm a very unsubtle tug and an arched look.“You do not need to hesitate on Drake’s account.”
Momentarily confused, Nathanial only then realized that Drake was glaring at the two of them from a short ways away, still holding onto his horse’s reins.He knew Drake knew that Nathanial was not trying to poach.If anything, he was probably annoyed Lady Astrid had claimed Nathanial’s arm rather than giving Drake the opportunity to take his rightful place.
For someone who did not want to marry the lady, he could be remarkably stringent about his position at her side when they were forced to be in each other’s proximity.
“Yes, well.”Nathanial cleared his throat, relieved that Lady Astrid was so preoccupied with her fiancé, she had attributed Nathanial’s distraction to Drake as well and not to the incoming curricle.
Now that Christian and Kalina had arrived, there was no further reason to delay.
“What can I do for you, my lady?”he asked, turning toward the direction Tiffany and Gregory had gone.The couple was only a little way ahead of them, leaning in toward each other as they walked.The faint sound of Tiffany’s giggles floated on the breeze that ruffled Lady Astrid’s skirts.
“The matchmaker I have coming this afternoon.I want you to meet with her.I think she will be able to help you find a bride who not only meets your requirements but also suits you personally,” Lady Astrid replied, her tone softening now that she was no longer glaring at her betrothed.“You deserve more than a large dowry; you deserve someone you can rub along comfortably with or perhaps even discover finer feelings for.”
Miss Little’s face flashed through his mind, and he ruthlessly pushed the image out, telling himself that he was only imagining hearing her laughter.Surely, he and Lady Astrid had walked too far for that to be possible.
“You think a matchmaker will be able to help me with that?”he asked, trying to keep the skepticism in his tone to a minimum.He did not want to insult Lady Astrid, after all.
“I thinkthismatchmaker will,” she said, patting his arm.The confidence in her voice made him wonder if perhaps she was correct.
“Very well, if you are convinced.”
He could hardly do worse than listen to what this matchmaker had to say.One thing he would have to do was make it very clear that Miss Little—no matter how well-dowered and no matter how well they got on—was not an option.
9
Kalina
The Duke of Montagu was a charming companion and a dab hand with the whip.He also seemed to immediately notice that she was not entirely comfortable around the horses, though she was thankfully not sitting directly atop one.For a man who was convinced he would not make a good husband, so far, he was proving the exact opposite to her.
He kept the giant beasts to a fast but smooth walk.The road was not very bumpy, and it made for a rather nice drive.The sun was up, but not too hot, and at the pace they were moving, there was a nice breeze.Kalina tucked in her skirts about her legs to keep them from fluttering too much.She could feel the wind against her bonnet, but the bow under her chin was tied tightly enough, she had no worries about it flying off.
They exchanged several pleasantries about the weather and the Blackstones’ hospitality, and when the horses did not do anything untoward, Kalina felt safer than she had initially.The curricle had her much closer to them than the carriage, but they gave no indication of misbehavior.
“So, you never learned to ride?”he asked, once she had begun to finally relax when it was clear he had full control of the horses.Not that they had been particularly frisky.She had seen worse, but she still did not fully trust them.“Was that not possible in India?”
“It was possible but…” She grimaced.“I saw a rather unsettling incident with a horse and their rider, and it put me off learning.”Unsettling was the least of it, but describing what had actually happened was hardly ladylike.Besides which, she did not particularly enjoy revisiting the experience.
