Page 25 of Taming a Beastly Duke
“Thank you, Edith,” she said. “That is one of my favourite pieces.”
Lord Thomas grinned, bowing to Adelaide as he lightly applauded her once more.
“That much was quite clear,” he said, his sincerity and warmth surprising Adelaide. “I must agree with Lady Edith. I have never heard a more appealing performance.”
Adelaide smiled again, shifting uncomfortably at the praise. She had heard much praise about her musical talents. However, she had never heard it with such genuineness behind it.
“Your music speaks of depths that others might miss,” the Duke said softly, giving her another long stare. “There is a certain passion that seems to speak directly to one’s soul.”
Adelaide regarded the duke, feeling more deeply affected by his compliment than by those of Lord Thomas and Lady Edith. No one had everseen past her accomplished playing to the passion and emotion she conveyed beneath the skill.
Mother certainly never did, she thought bitterly as she imagined her mother’s boastful preening. Her pianoforte skills were the only thing for which her mother ever praised her. Even then, however, she was often busy taking credit for Adelaide’s talent.
She blinked to dismiss the negative memories, turning back to the duke and instantly blushing when she met the passion within his eyes once more.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” she murmured softly, the flush of her cheeks deepening alongside the understanding she now saw in his dark brown eyes. It truly felt as though he saw her, not just physically but spiritually, as well. The feeling was so overwhelming that the warning from that morning faded, its echo present but dull in the recesses of her mind.
The dowager duchess approached, disrupting the moment of bonding with her grandson. She embraced Adelaide not as a warm, hospitable hostess, but as a dear friend.
“Adelaide, darling, that was spectacular,” she said. “I could only hope to advance to the level of skill that you possess.”
Adelaide blushed again, glancing once more at her aunt. Helena was smiling fondly at her with her hands clasped at her breast and tears in her eyes, and Adelaide felt great love for her aunt.
“You are too kind, Your Grace,” she said. “I am certain that with the experience you must have had with teaching Edith, your skill largely surpasses mine.”
The Duchess shook her head with a warm, wistful smile.
“I can play the notes as they are written,” she said. “And I find joy in some of the pieces I play. But I can admit where I fall short. I lack a natural love for music.”
The Duke surprised Adelaide by speaking again, moving as close as he could within propriety standards.
“It is a rare gift that she has,” he said softly as he glanced at Adelaide once more. The gaze fixation was brief, but it was as powerful as ever. Adelaide smiled softly at him, watching him even after he turned his attention to his sister. Her heart thundered wildly, and she struggled to remain calm. She could see the desire of the duke to speak with her alone, and she was surprised at her visceral desire to be alone with him, as well.
***
Thomas stood patiently beside Edith, who looked exceptionally radiant as she smiled at Miss Barrett. The young lady's skill impressed him greatly, but he couldn’t deny he was even more captivated by the beauty in Edith’s face asshe watched her friend’s performance with wonder and delight. While Edith waited to speak with her friend, Thomas glanced at his friend.
Marcus still stood closely behind Miss Barrett, and Thomas noticed how even while she spoke with others, Marcus’s eyes never left her. For the first time, Thomas realized the affection in his friend’s expression as Marcus stared at Miss Barrett. He was surprised it took him so long to recognize the attraction the pair seemed to share.
My preoccupation with the lady I fancy has made me oblivious, he thought, smiling softly at Edith, who had just approached Miss Barrett and embraced her. Perhaps that infatuation is why I can now see the same sentiment in Marcus.
Indeed, there was a blaze in Marcus’s eyes that matched the fire Thomas felt when he and Edith shared secret glances. Thomas often watched Edith’s lips when she talked, entranced with the idea of how they might taste if he were ever fortunate enough to kiss her. There was also a powerful attraction between them when they danced that made him want to hold Edith forever. There was indeed a yearning for more intimate contact that he noticed became more intense with each encounter he had with her. With Marcus, it seemed that a similar, more intense longing was difficult for him to hide.
He glanced around the room, noticing Edwin across the room. What caught Thomas’s attention was the sour expression on his face. As he followed Edwin’s gaze directly to Marcus, Thomas realized he was not the only one noticing Marcus’s attraction to Miss Barrett. Besides his seeming worry about Marcus’s illness, Edwin always appeared charming and calm. However, he now looked concerned as he observed Marcus’s interaction with Miss Barrett.
Thomas first thought that Edwin might be worried for his cousin’s sake. Edwin seemed like the type to be protective, especially of his family members. However, the longer Thomas watched him, the more Edwin’s expression changed. No one other than Thomas noticed, but Edwin’s eyes slowly took on an air of sharp calculation. It appeared to Thomas that Edwin was pretending to be concerned for Marcus. However, why would he do such a thing when Marcus was genuinely ill?
Thomas shook his head, trying to dismiss the unfounded thought. He had never had reason to believe that Edwin was nothing other than a dutiful, loving relative of Marcus and Augusta. He chastised himself for letting his imagination run wild. He tried to turn his attention back to Miss Barrett, who was still receiving commendation for her performance. But just as he turned to look away from Edwin, Edwin looked his way and met his gaze.
Edwin’s eyes widened at the sight of Thomas as if horrified that Thomas had been looking at him. Then, Edwin’s eyes twitched, as if briefly narrowing, before leaving his seat and approaching his mother. Thomas experienced an unexpected shudder. Something about the instant of cold detachment inEdwin’s eyes made him uneasy. Why did Thomas suddenly feel as though Edwin was acting suspiciously?
***
Marcus managed to keep the symptoms of his ailment from overwhelming him during the hours they spent at Beatrice’s townhouse. When they returned home, however, he had just closed the door to his chambers when the spinning sensation in his head overwhelmed him. He gripped his head in his hands, stumbling to his bed where he sat gingerly, covering his face and closing his eyes as he waited for it to pass.
As he gathered his wits, his thoughts turned to Miss Barrett. Her musical performance had been something that no mundane words could describe. He had been sincere with his compliments, his most genuine words about the depth of the passion of her talent. He had never been able to effectively read someone’s thoughts during a musical performance. However, with Miss Barrett, he had felt that he lived inside her thoughts, seeing each in perfect detail. And the concentration on her face as she had focused on the music had given her lips a pucker of determination that left him thinking of nothing other than when he could kiss them again.
Why do I feel this way? He asked himself, referring to far more than his mystery illness.
