Page 2 of A Duke's Scandalous Obsession
Catherine offered a polite curtsy, her shy smile illuminated by the glow of the chandeliers above. “Thank you, Lady Chatham. The ball is truly enchanting, and your hospitality is beyond reproach, as always.”
“You are most kind to say so, my dear,” Lady Chatham chirped in response, a host who loved to hear that her guests were enjoying themselves. “And how is your esteemed uncle, Lord Pembroke?”
Reginald responded with a measured politeness. “He is quite well. Thank you for inquiring. He is currently attending some business matters out of London and sends both his regards, as well as his regret that he was not able to attend your annual ball this evening, which he was really looking forward to.”
“Why, that is why it is an annual affair, my dear,” Lady Chatham chuckled at her own words, gesturing busily with her hands as she spoke. “There is always next year!”
Both Catherine and Reginald smiled out of sheer politeness. Something told Catherine that Reginald, just like her, might find a clever excuse the following year, just like their uncle did, and skip this artificial smile festival.
“Well, I apologize, but I do have to greet other guests as well, I wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out,” Lady Chatham excused herself, drifting away to attend to other guests, leaving Catherine and Reginald with a sigh of relief. Although she meant well, sometimes, she was a bit overwhelming in Catherine’s opinion, especially when she felt that she could help someone in need, someone who didn’t really need help.
The Stanhope siblings were well-off, living off the estate left by their deceased parents. It was a sad topic for everyone involved, as their mother died shortly after the birth of her daughter, who was the younger child, and their father seemed to die of a broken heart several years later.
Those were indeed challenging times for both Catherine and Reginald, who were eventually looked after by a distant yet benevolent uncle.
While the man made sure that the children were never in need of anything, he omitted to provide the most important thing a child needed, and that was the love of a caring parent. It was simply a void that could not be filled by any amount of wealth. As a result, Catherine and Reginald found solace in each other’s company, forming a very deep bond.
Catherine tried not to dwell on the past, especially not at a moment like this, when the present required her full focus. Her eyes surveyed the lively scene, observing the ladies as well as gentlemen, when unexpectedly, her gaze unintentionally locked with that of a gentleman standing right across the room. In that single second, she was able to observe everything about him and lock it inside her mind.
There was something about him that instantly set him apart in the glittering assembly of all the other gentlemen. Tall and impeccably attired in a well-tailored coat that accentuated his broad shoulders and muscled arms, he stood there with a self-assured grace that turned heads.
Indeed, her attention was not the only one he had managed to catch. A nearby assembly of ladies was whispering something ina hushed manner, occasionally glancing at him, and Catherine knew they could only be talking about him.
His dark, wavy hair framed a strong jawline and only seemed to make his features even more striking. The subtle hint of a well-groomed beard added a touch of rugged, almost careless elegance to his appearance. She could not see the shade of his eyes from so far away, but whatever color they were, they held a magnetic intensity she could not deny.
“… and I thought that was hilarious, don’t you agree?” Reginald spoke, drawing Catherine back to the present moment. She reluctantly pulled away from the mysterious stranger, turning to Reginald, blinking heavily. “Cate? Cate, are you even listening to me?”
Caught off guard, Catherine blinked heavily, revealing a flicker of surprise in her gaze. “Yes? Oh, yes indeed… quite hilarious. I definitely agree, Reggie.”
That was when she realized that she was a bit too assertive in her comments, as Reginald tilted his head a little, amused. “What is?”
“What is what?” she asked, clearing her throat, realizing that she had been caught. She was not listening to a single word he had just said, and he knew it. He could always just take one look at her and know whatever it was she was endeavoring to hide.
“What is hilarious?” he repeated the question, crossing his arms in the level of his chest, almost like a governess waiting to catch a naughty child in a lie, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the child betrayed its own self.
“Well… that… what you just said,” Catherine mumbled, gesturing with her hands for support, much to her brother’s delight.
“You are a dreadful liar, Cate,” he chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her in for an affectionate embrace. “Always have been. What has caught your attention so much that you forgot all about your dear old brother telling you a rather funny story?”
Catherine hesitated for a moment, refusing to allow her eyes to wander toward the other end of the room and expose her. “Oh, nothing worth mentioning, I assure you.”
“So, you arethatbored that you have to imagine being elsewhere?” he continued to tease good-humoredly, which he was always wont to do.
“Well, you don’t seem to be having a lot of fun either,” she replied playfully, deciding that turning the tables on him would be the safest option to play this game.
“Au contraire, my dear sister,” Reginald spoke theatrically, as usual. “I am bored now, yes. But someone’s arrival will change that, I assure you.”
“Whose arrival?” she wondered curiously, although she could venture a good guess.
“Why, Annabel’s, of course,” he clarified, then seemed to change the topic hastily, afraid that someone might overhear them. “Now, have you tried the petits fours? Lady Chatham’s catering never disappoints.”
Reginald took her by the hand and led her to the table laden with all sorts of delicacies. Catherine could almost feel the scorching gaze of the stranger, burning a hole in the back of her head, yet she dared not turn around. Acknowledging him in any manner would mean putting herself in the spotlight, and that was the last place she wanted to be.
No. She would simply remain the wallflower she always had been, endure this ball and retire to the safety and comfort of her own four walls, with the company of her books and flowers being more than enough.
Chapter 2
Dominic Worthington, the Duke of Fairhaven, decided that he would wait to collect his dance. Any lady would do. The will did not specify. All it specified was that he had exactly a year left. That meant that the clock was ticking dangerously fast.
