Page 5 of The Duke and the Widow
James followed the rest of the guests outside and joined the group that formed a circle around their hostess. He could not focus on the rules of the game as his eyes remained locked on Lady Preston. She was whispering with Lord Craven, an earl he’d met the previous evening. Her hand patted the man’s arm when he spoke to her, and she gave him a wide grin. The entire exchange was far too familiar, and it irritated him.
As if she sensed his irritation, she caught his gaze before he could look away and flashed him that smirk that tempted him beyond measure. He needed to control his reaction to her, since it wouldn’t do to pitch a tent in his breeches in the middle of the Pall Mall game.
Before he could attempt to claim her as a partner, she was already at the rack, selecting a mallet.
“I hope you won’t mind purple, Nick, but it is my favorite color,” she called out to Craven.
That she was on such an informal basis with the man, using his given name, didn’t bode well for him, especially if she were thinking of taking the earl to her bed instead of him. He glanced around, realizing he had claimed no one to partner with, and noticed a young lady, Miss Stone, standing alone. Thankfully, he had been introduced to her after dinner the prior evening.
“Would you like to partner with me, Miss Stone?”
She looked up at him, and her eyes sparkled with delight. “Oh, very much so, Your Grace.”
Just perfect. The chit was already setting her cap at him, planning their wedding, and imagining what their three children would look like.
James offered her a polite nod. “Why don’t you select a mallet for us?”
She giggled, and he fought the urge to roll his eyes. Miss Stone sauntered up to the rack and selected the white mallet. She brandished it as if she wished for him to give some sign of approval. James offered a tight smile, and they moved to stand beside each other in line to await their turn.
Conveniently, he was standing beside Lady Preston. The alluring scent of lilies met his nostrils, and he knew it came from her. He leaned slightly towards her. “Good to see you this morning, minx.”
“You as well, Duke,” she whispered.
“Can we—” he started before the chit beside him interrupted.
“Your Grace, tell me all about your country home,” Miss Stone said. When he glanced at her, she was staring daggers at Lady Preston, and when he glanced between them, it appeared that Lady Preston was highly amused by the turn of events.
“Don’t let me keep you from your young lady,” she whispered, muffling her laughter.
He did roll his eyes that time and then turned back to face the eager young chit. “Willowcrest is a beautiful estate. I prefer to spend most of my time there.” His tone was a bit more clipped than he intended, but she didn’t seem to notice or care.
Fortunately, it was their turn, so he motioned for her to take the first swing. She was an abysmal player and sent the ball past the first wicket. It was going to be a long morning, indeed. James glanced back at Lady Preston, who was setting up to take her swing. She was graceful in the way she moved, and her ball smoothly rolled right through the wicket. She caught his gaze and gave him a bit of a sympathetic grin.
“Your Grace,” the chit beside him said, attempting to get his attention. “We must wait by our ball until our next turn.”
“Oh, of course. Lead the way, Miss Stone.”
The rest of the game was spent much the same way over the next few hours. He watched Lady Preston as often as he could, while Miss Stone tried to engage him in a one-sided conversation. It wasn’t lost on James that the young miss attempted everything to catch his attention, hoping he might court her. He did his best to dissuade her of such a notion by keeping his distance from her when they awaited their turn and only engaging in light conversation.
Finally, Lord Irvine and Lady Eliza were declared the victors of the game, and he could vacate the presence of Miss Stone to seek an audience with Lady Preston. He breathed a sigh of relief when Craven left her side, but then a pretty, red-haired young lady with spectacles joined her side. Would he ever have the opportunity to speak with the lady alone again?
James stood there for a few moments, debating whether he would join their conversation, and his hesitation cost him dearly when the voice of his Pall Mall partner sounded behind him.
“Oh, Your Grace, I believe I am in need of assistance.”
He cringed and then schooled his features before he turned around to face her.
“How might I help, Miss Stone?” His tone didn’t convey his excitement to assist, but it was one occasion when he was thankful that his duke title afforded him the right to be haughty and no one would think twice about it. It wasn’t a behavior he used often, but he was beyond annoyed.
“I believe I hurt my ankle. Might you help me back to the house?”
So that was what she was playing at.
“Of course.” He stepped closer to her and put her arm around his shoulder so he could support her and help her walk.
“Ouch. I’m not certain I can walk.”
The chit was unbelievable. He glanced around, hoping any other gentleman was nearby that he might pass her off to. The whole thing reminded him of why he avoided social events. The marriage-minded woman hoped to win the opportunity to become a duchess, and their aspirations erased all of their good sense.
