Page 24 of A Lady's Beastly Duke
She watched as Rachel styled her hair, and then they headed out to the coach.
“Ah! Lady Anastasia!” Lord Ridley called as he alighted from his coach with its coat of arms emblazoned on the door. His booted feet crunched the gravel.
“Lord Ridley,” she murmured, dropping him a slight curtsey.
“I will return at six o’ clock,” Lord Ridley assured her parents, who were standing on the step. Anastasia glared at him. He barely even spoke to her.
Her father waved and her mother waved too, and then Anastasia let Lord Ridley help her into the coach. His touch was warm and peremptory, and she tensed. Rachel got in next, asthey decided she should chaperone instead of her mother and then Lord Ridley swung up and sat down opposite them.
“To Hyde Park,” he called out of the window, sounding pleased with himself.
Anastasia gazed out of the window, trying to ignore the fellow. She would usually try to make conversation, but he had proved himself so rude the previous evening that she did not wish to attempt to talk. She stared at the bushes and realized that he was staring at her as she did so.
“Do you like flowers?” he asked her as the coach rattled and bumped down the street towards the park.
“I do,” Anastasia replied. It was an odd question, and she felt her frown return.
“Good,” he said, sounding pleased. The coach had stopped at Hyde Park, and he jumped down and reached to help her. “Because Ridley Hall has extensive gardens, and I believe you will like them well enough.”
“Your home has extensive gardens?” She stared at him. He was speaking as though she was going to accept his hand. He had not even exchanged ten sentences with her in her life, and yet he seemed to think it was a foregone conclusion that she would, sooner or later, reside at his house.
“Yes. Yes. Of course, some of the grounds are woodland, but that’s to be expected,” he said lightly.
“Do you have stables?” Anastasia asked as Rachel walkedwith them down the path. She tried not to catch Rachel’s gaze, as she was sure her maid looked as shocked as she felt. She had hardly talked to this man, and yet he was already talking as though they had permission to court from her father.
“Oh, we do. You have no need to miss your little lady’s pony, should you have one.” He smiled condescendingly at her.
Anastasia blinked in shock. Again, his tone was as though he expected them to be living there in a matter of days. She could not believe it. His patronizing manner was a stinging affront, yet she resolved to disregard it.
“Do you ride?” she asked, desperate to change the subject.
“Not often. I assure you, I am often at home,” he replied, giving her that same smile.
“I imagine you do not conduct much business when at the estate,” she murmured. She did not want him to think she imagined, as he did, that she would live there.
“Oh, now and then,” he replied lightly. “But I try to stay at home—especially if I am expected to.” He grinned.
Anastasia looked at the path and wished that her father would explain to her exactly what was going on.
When she returned home, after the walk that must have lasted barely an hour, but which had felt as though it lasted for the rest of the century, she walked briskly to her chamber.
“Sister?” Lily called. “Pray, might you assist me with apassage from my French tome? I have perused it no fewer than twenty times and find myself utterly confounded by its meaning. Would you be so kind as to lend your aid?”
Anastasia smiled. “In a moment, dear,” she managed. “I just wish to rest for a moment. It’s so hot out in the park,” she added, fanning herself and trying to make Lily smile.
Lily grinned. “I’m sure! “I shall await you in my chamber. I am most grateful for your kind offer of assistance!”
“Of course,” Anastasia said wearily. She went into her bedroom, shut the door and sat down heavily on her chair by her desk.
Her father’s plans for her were frightening, and his insistence on Lord Ridley nauseated and scared her as much as his unfair judgements of the Duke of Willowick hurt her and she prayed silently for guidance, for help out of the intolerable situation in which she found herself.
Chapter 9
Anastasia hurried to keep up with Camilla. They were shopping on Bond Street, with Rachel to chaperone them. The window displaying the exquisitely lovely gown that she had paused to admire quickly receded from view as Anastasia traversed the thoroughfare with all due haste.
She was trying not to draw attention to herself while at the same time hurrying to catch Camilla and Rachel, who had not even noticed that she had fallen behind.
“Anastasia! Oh!” Camilla gasped in surprise as Anastasia stepped neatly up beside her. “You scared me. You’re breathless. I’m so sorry. Did you have to hurry?”
