Page 20 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
“Mr Colton arrived just a few minutes ago requesting to call upon you,” her mother explained as she too stepped back into the room. “I am sure you remember him.”
Melody searched the man's face. He was quite pale but not quite to the point of looking ill though his over-dark hair contrasting against it pushed it to the borderline.
She did believe she recognised him though only mildly and the name did ring a bell.
“Forgive me, Miss Thornton, it has been several years since last we met and then it was only briefly,” Mr Colton explained, stepping forward with a bow of his head to offer her his hand. “I am Andrew Colton Junior, son of Andrew Colton Senior, the owner of the Colton Company.”
And it was then that the candle flickered on in Melody's mind. This was the eldest son of one of her father's business partners.
Smiling, Melody forced her hand into his and said, “It is a pleasure to see you again after all these years, Mr Colton.”
“Please, call me Andrew. Mr Colton is my father,” the man insisted and when he dipped down to press his lips to Melody's knuckles, she shivered. “I am glad to hear you say it is a pleasure as I was not certain my visit would be welcome.”
“Why ever not?” Melody asked, glancing in her mother's direction for some hint that she might know why.
Discreetly, Mrs Thornton shook her head and Melody reminded herself that her mother wasn't exactly welcome in the social circles who might give her answers about such things.
“I came at the behest of my father, you see,” Andrew explained, his cheeks flushing slightly as though he was embarrassed to admit such a thing. “He has told me of your continued predicament and as such a good friend of your father's, he asked me to stop by for a visit to check up on you all while I was in London.”
“And how long shall you be in London?” Melody's mother asked and Melody's stomach clenched. It was all too clear where her mother's thoughts had already wandered. The simple fact that Andrew had called upon them had given her mother hope, hope Melody could not bring herself to share.
“A few days at least,” Andrew responded with a smile. “And as I know I have dropped in unannounced, I would be happy to go and come back at a more appropriate time.”
He looked from her mother to Melody and back again. Melody was about to say that yes, it would be a good idea, when her mother insisted, “Oh no! You are here now, and it would be a shame for you to have come all this way for nothing. Please, stay for tea?”
“I would be happy to if Miss Thornton is happy to join us?” Andrew suggested.
Out of the corner of her eye, Melody saw the hopeful expression on her mother's face and knew she could not decline. Whether her mother's hopes and suspicions about the man's visit were right or not, she knew she would never forgive her if she spoiled the chance.
And so, she was forced to sit through tea. Though Andrew was quite friendly and polite, and though he was indeed handsome, Melody found she could only offer him half of her attention. The other was focused entirely on her thoughts, unable to stop from thinking of the duke, and the hopes that he would still wish for her to join him at the ball even if she was unable to get word to him.
I should never have left it so late to decide, she realised begrudgingly, a part of her wishing she could find some excuse to remove herself from the drawing room.
Every time she looked at Andrew and answered one of his questions, she found herself wishing he was the duke instead. And though their conversation was pleasant, by the time Andrew took his leave, she was relieved to see the back of him.
“What a pleasant young man,” her mother insisted almost as soon as the butler had shown him out.
“Indeed,” Melody responded, only half listening. She was already thinking of how she might find her way to the Faversham ball that night.
“The Coltons are a good family,” her mother continued, pouring herself another half-cup of tea. “Andrew would make you a fine match if we could stop them from worrying over scandals and such.”
At that, Melody whipped around to face her mother who had been sitting across the room from her and Andrew to give them a little space to talk.
“I am certain Mr Colton did not come with those kinds of intentions, mama,” Melody protested, a lump forming in her throat once more.
“He came at the behest of his father to seeyou,” her mother pointed out, “Not your father or even I. He came to call upon you and I do not like to read into things lightly, but it seems a likely reason.”
Bile rose in Melody's throat. Andrew was a kind and friendly man, but she wasn't sure he was marriage material.
What other options do I have?she thought but in truth her options weren't many if any at all.
“We shall just have to do our best to keep any more scandal from the door,” her mother said firmly, looking at Melody almost as if she knew. And Melody's stomach clenched as she thought once more of her uncle's ball and the invitation she had received.
Chapter 9
Faversham ball was just as James had anticipated—filled with pomp and privilege—and he felt as though he were surrounded by people he would rather have never met. Just half an hour into the event, he had already been forced to endure several uncomfortable conversations with less than interesting young ladies.
Though they were pretty enough to look at, he didn’t feel as though a single one of them had anything between their ears save for what their mother’s had beaten into them. And it was a damned shame as James would have done just about anything for some meaningful or interesting conversation.
