Page 59 of The Duke's Carriage Window
Darius reigned in his temper. The last thing he wanted was to infuriate the future King of England. “That is correct.”
Prince George nodded to himself. “Tea, gentlemen?” He waved for the footman to pour tea.
“No, thank you, Your Royal Highness.” Darius waved off the offer of tea. “I’ve come to seek your approval. The Archbishop said he was under strict orders to reject any application for Miss Montague without your express permission, and he did not explain why.”
“Nor would he, since I didn’t provide him with an explanation. Who is the gentleman she will be marrying?” The prince sipped his tea with an amused light in his eyes. “Rumor has it there is quite a line of interested men. Some say Mr. Evers is the current contender for the young lady’s heart.”
Darius was not at all surprised by this knowledge of Meredith’s marriage prospects. Ever since the prince had sent Meredith that letter following their meeting, Darius knew he’d taken an interest in her future.
“It is…” Darius straightened his shoulders, preparing for the prince’s judgment. “Me, Sir. The license is for me.”
“You?” George’s brows rose. “Come now, Tiverton, do not jest with me.”
“I am not, Sir.”
“But you’ve never shown an interest in marriage before. Most of the eligible ladies have given up hope of catching you. You can’t expect me to believe that a woman with Miss Montague’s scandalous history is suitable to be the future Duchess of Tiverton. No, I simply do not believe it.” The prince’s tone was almost dismissive. “Timmons, poor the tea, please. Mr. Burville, would you like some tea?”
“Yes, thank you, Your Royal Highness,” Warren replied as the Prince waved them over to sit down.
Darius refused to sit and began to pace around the room. Warren and the Prince George drank their tea and watched Darius prowl about.
“Well, are you going to tell me the truth of this matter?” George finally asked Darius. “And please stop that pacing. I find it distressing.”
Darius halted near the chairs and waited for his stomach to stop twisting itself in knots. There was no other way around it. He would have to be honest with the prince.
“The truth is, I have a duty to marry Miss Montague.”
“Oh dear, duty is it?” The prince attempted and failed to hide a little smile behind his teacup and Warren outright grinned.
“Oh yes,” Warren interrupted. “As you must be aware, Sir, Tiverton’s very soul is comprised of duty.”
“Indeed, I do,” George replied. “And that is why I’m not going to allow his marriage license to be approved.”
“What?” Darius sputtered.
Prince George frowned at him, causing Darius to mutter a mortified apology.
“Please, Sir. It is of the utmost importance that I marry Miss Montague at once.”
“What could be so important to drive you to the altar, Tiverton?” The prince’s voice dropped slightly as he arched a brow, with a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Are you madly in love with the young lady?”
He was in lust, certainly, and obviously he cared for her. He even suspected he was falling in love with her, but he wasn’t about to admit that to the prince.
“I find her company to be pleasing and I believe we shall do well together.”
There was a heavy silence and Darius realized he’d made some terrible error in his choice of words, only what it was he hadn’t the foggiest.
George set his cup down on its saucer with a sharp clatter. “Then I’m afraid the answer is still no, Tiverton.”
Warren choked on his tea.
“But Sir, I—” It would only make matters worse if he admitted what he had done last night, but there seemed to be no other way forward. “Sir, the lady has been compromised,” Darius said, his tone quiet, his cheeks on fire.
“By whom?” The prince asked.
He felt like a schoolboy called upon the carpets by his governess for spilling the pot on his father’s favorite white rug. That had been an awful day, and it felt just the same as now…only far more than his father’s disappointment was at stake.
“By me.”
