Page 11 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
The butler's loyalty shone through in the way he hesitated, glancing at Lady Fyling for a moment before he looked at James again and bowed his head, “I shall be only a bell away, Your Grace.”
“Thank you,” James said again, waiting for the butler to leave before he turned back to his aunt. He did not wish for the man to be around when this angry conversation eventually grew worse.
He braced himself once more, waiting for the angry words to be shot at him again. This time, Lady Fyling looked deflated as she sighed, “You really ought to be setting your sights on the likes of the Earl of Faversham's daughter. A duke should entertain the diamond of the Season.”
At that, James couldn't stop from scoffing. He couldn't think of a worse partner to have for life. In fact, Lady Florence reminded him of a fox, beautiful and elegant on the surface and yet sly and vicious when it truly came down to it. Though she tried her best to hide her true nature from the male members of theton, James had a keen eye and he had often seen her glowering at other women whenever she believed nobody else was watching.
More than that, he remembered all too well the sensation he felt when he looked into her eyes. He could not quite put his finger on exactly what it was, but it was a sensation in his gut that left him entirely uncomfortable. And the thought of having to look into those eyes every day for the rest of his life made him feel quite ill.
“Lady Florence thinks entirely too highly of herself,” James commented grimly, remembering how pompous and arrogant the woman could sometimes look with her pinched nose upturned as though she wished to look down upon everyone else around her.
“I do not believe she would consider a courtship with myself; not with my reputation.”
This time it was his aunt who scoffed. “Poppycock.”
James' skin crawled.
“Besides, it would not be down to Lady Florence in the end but her father, and the earl would not be foolish enough to turn down the attention of a duke, even one with a reputation such as yours.”
Lady Fyling levelled her gaze with his and furrowed her brow. She paused only to reach out and take up her cup and saucer. Never did she blink or take her eyes from his even as she sipped at her honey-less tea.
“Lady Florence comes from a well-connected and wealthy family. Many might say she is the diamond of the Season,” Lady Fyling commented, putting her cup and saucer back on the table. “There shall be many looking for her hand in marriage this Season.”
And they are all welcome to her,James thought, sickened at the mere thought. Lady Florence was far too proud, far too 'perfect' and far too likely of a match for him to ever consider it. In short, she was all too good to be true and over the years James had come to realise that things like that often were exactly as they appeared.
Lady Florence was not the kind of woman who would let her guard down until the deed was sealed and then it would be too late. He would never allow himself to be tricked into such a marriage.
Yet, he could sense that his aunt was not willing to let the idea go.
“With every Season that passes by your options grow smaller, James,” Lady Fyling commented, fiddling with her reticule once more. “I fear that by the time you are ready all the fine young ladies shall be married off and you shall be too aged to attract an appropriate match who might give you the heir that this dukedom so desperately needs.”
And there it was, the very reason why everyone was always so adamant to marry quickly, an heir to continue the family name and to ensure the positions of all other family members around them for the foreseeable future. Heavens forbid that the Lady Fyling would not be the aunt to the Duke of Haston any longer.
“James, I only wish for what is best for you,” she insisted, and James knew that she would continue to insist unless he said something that might put her off a little while longer.
Sucking in a deep breath, James took a moment to prepare himself for the words that were about to fall from his lips.
“If I were to agree to begin taking courtship a little more seriously, would you refrain from visiting with this lecture every other day?” he asked, bile rising in his throat at the thought of what he was suggesting.
I have not offered a proposal of marriage, James thought, trying to keep his emotions on the subject at bay.
His aunt looked at him, intrigued and perhaps even a little suspicious.
“Did you have a lady in mind?” she asked and though he shook his head, the image of a petite and pretty redhead did in fact pop into his mind for just a second.
The smug smirk on his aunt’s face was more than a little infuriating and a part of him wanted to tell her exactly what she would not want to hear, that he was considering courting Miss Thornton. Though it was not at all true, he would have liked to have seen her face.
He just barely managed to stop himself from doing so and instead shook his head. Through gritted teeth, he said, “No but if you were to give me reprieve, I might consider offering my attentions to a lady or two.“
The look of surprise and excitement that flashed through his aunt’s gaze made him more than a little uncomfortable, and a part of him wished he had never made the suggestion.
“It would most definitely be an improvement,“ Lady Fyling stated. Her gaze darkened then and she glowered at him all over again. “Though it would have to be a valiant effort in order to ease my worries.“
“I would give it nothing less, Aunt,“ James assured her, and for once he felt a little relief from the constant and increasing pressure she had been putting on him over the last few months.
“I do suppose I have been a little too hard on you of late,“ she said, shrugging her shoulders and looking more than a little nonchalant.
A little?James scoffed silently, barely able to stop from showing his begrudging amusement.
