Page 12 of A Duke's Scandalous Obsession
Timothy still couldn’t understand. “Do you want to go through all that hassle, to pursue a lady who… pardon my saying, but obviously isn’t interested in you?”
“She is,” Dominic corrected him. “She just doesn’t know it yet.”
He locked his hands behind his back, then continued pacing about the room, every step echoing a thought that popped into his mind.
“I just have to learn more about her, about her interests,” he mused. “Stumble onto her during balls, speak with her, show her I am a good listener, invite her to dance, that sort of thing.”
“She has a brother, doesn’t she?” Timothy suddenly reminded him.
“Yes,” Dominic nodded, realizing where his friend was headed with this. It was a direction he hadn’t been considering until that moment. He preferred the direct approach, but if that was unfeasible, he had to try another strategy, one that included a brother.
“Yes! I can talk to Lord Stanhope, man to man. He has to see that I am the perfect man to court his sister, and he will help me in this endeavor.”
“A good brother ought to,” Timothy nodded. “But that is only if he sees you as the right man for his sister.”
“Why wouldn’t I be right for her?”
Timothy scratched the back of his neck, seemingly at a loss for words. “Well… for one, you do have a tendency to be on the, umm… overly confident side.”
Dominic frowned. “What’s wrong with that? I simply know where my strengths lie.”
“Yes, that is technically not a bad thing,” Timothy seemed to agree up to a certain point, but he hesitated to continue. “But remember, too much of a good thing isn’t all that good.”
“You speak in riddles too much,” Dominic pointed out, mildly amused, just as his friend was. Their friendship had always been entertaining banter, with both of them making fun of the other.
“That’s because it annoys you so much,” Timothy laughed. “But in all seriousness, if you really like this lady, then find a way toshow her your good qualities. Don’t just tell her about them. You have to show her.”
Dominic thought about it for a moment. Usually, people took his word as a rule. He never had to explain or prove himself. His reputation spoke for him. However, maybe Timothy was right. Maybe some proof was in order to win Lady Catherine over. After all, she was unlike any other lady he had ever met. That in itself entailed a different approach to the one he had been using all this time.
“First, I have to get her to actually talk to me,” Dominic said. “I fear that after our conversation from last night, she might try to avoid me, to avoid the awkward situation.”
“Makes sense, no?” Timothy commented.
“I suppose,” Dominic nodded.
“My advice is to give her time until you stumble onto her by accident,” Timothy suggested, getting up. “Don’t write to her, don’t invite her to any more dinner parties. Let nature take its course until fate puts you together in the same place, at the same time. Then, see what your options are and act upon them.”
Dominic nodded, pondering those words. “You know, that isn’t a bad idea at all.”
Timothy grinned. “I am full of good ideas, old boy. I just wish I could actually use some of them myself.”
The two men chuckled, then Dominic approached him and pressed his hand firmly on Timothy’s shoulder. “Thank you for lending me your ear, Tim. I always appreciate your point of view.”
“Always, Dom,” Timothy nodded. “And speaking of good ideas, I just happened to remember something.”
“What?” Dominic inquired.
“I know you are not a big fan of the hustle and bustle at the theatre, but you might want to attend the play this time,” Timothy grinned.
“Why?” Dominic frowned.
“Because I happen to know that Lord Stanhope and his sister will be attending,” Timothy revealed victoriously. “He told me so himself, while you and his sister were dancing, annoying each other. And that, old boy, gives you the perfect opportunity to put your plan in motion.”
Timothy was right. Yet another good idea.
“Alright,” Dominic agreed. “I’ll endure an evening of theatre, but I will not enjoy a single moment of it.”
“I know,” Timothy chuckled, heading outside, grabbing the knob and opening the door. “But some things are worth sacrificing for. Maybe this is one of them.”
