Page 13 of The Duke's Scandal
“And yet, she did,” Lord Galbraith said, speaking slowly as Amos nodded fervently. “She has told you from the beginning that she is a bluestocking.”
“Even when she knew I was a Duke, she did not even think to hide that about herself,” Amos continued, warming to the subject. “The way she has spoken to me is unlike any other young lady I have met as yet. There is frankness there,a direct manner of speaking that is both refreshing and surprising.”
Lord Galbraith began to smile. “Does this mean that you are thinking of considering her as a bride?”
Scoffing at this, Amos sat down in a chair, only to get up again as the dampness of his clothes stuck to his skin. “Not as a bride, no, not as yet. I do not know her well enough yet to consider such a thing.”
“Then you will call upon her, I presume?”
Nodding, Amos’ heart lifted with a fresh hope. “Yes, I think I shall. Take tea, and the like.”
“You are aware that thetonwill speak of such a thing, yes?”
That made Amos frown, his hopes crumbling at the edges. “I confess, I had not thought of that.”
“Then mayhap do not call upon her,” his brother-in-law suggested. “Not as yet. You might, instead, walk through the park at the same time as she and unexpectedly meet.”
Amos chuckled. “A little more clandestine, yes?”
“Yes, but it is to keep the gossip from you both. Until, mayhap, you decide whether or not to pursue a connection with her.”
“An excellent notion.” Throwing back the rest of his whisky, Amos let out a sigh of contentment. “You have greatly improved my afternoon, Galbraith. I thank you. Now, however, I must go and change.”
“And see if your tailcoat can be repaired,” Lord Galbraith called after him, as Amos quit the room. “Perhaps the buttons need to be sewn on with double the amount of thread so that Lady Clara will not be able to pull them from you again!”
Laughing, Amos walked out of the room and made his way towards his bed chamber, more than ready for thisafternoon to be at an end. The ball this evening should be an excellent one, and with any luck, he might find Lady Isobella again. Yes, he would have to dance with all those he had promised to already, but mayhap he would also be able to stand up with her, and that, Amos considered, would be a very enjoyable time indeed.
Chapter Seven
“You do not look as though you are enjoying this ball in any way.”
Isobella glanced at her friend. “Oh, but I am,” she said, not wanting Lady Amelia to think her bored or dulled. “It is a very pleasant evening thus far.”
Lady Amelia sighed. “Ah, but we are all a little more… fragmented, are we not?” she said, softly. “We have all found ourselves a suitable gentleman, and you are left alone. We should be considering you a little more, I am sure, and – ”
“You are doing nothing wrong,” Isobella replied, interrupting her friend gently. “Please, do not trouble yourself on my account. I am quite contented.”
“But shall you be in the future?” Lady Amelia wanted to know, giving Isobella a searching look. “Will you truly be happy alone?”
Recalling how she had previously expressed to Lady Amelia that she had no need for an attachment, Isobella shrugged lightly. “I am determined to be happy.”
Lady Amelia’s lips twisted to one side.
“I have already had a time of being in love,” Isobella continued, feeling the weight of the memories beginning to pull down her heart. “I do not need to be so again.”
“Why ever not?” Lady Amelia’s eyes were wide as they made their way to the side of the ballroom, stepping out of the large crowd and into a quieter part of the ballroom. “Why would you step back from it if it was offered to you again?”
Isobella hesitated. She had not spoken of her past with very many people at all, and certainly none of her friends knew of her pain. In attempting to keep it out of her heart and mind, in trying to step away from the pain and to leave it in the past, Isobella had determined to say nothing to anyone, and yet, now there came a tug of longing to share with her friend all that had transpired.
“You do not need to tell me if you do not wish to.” Lady Amelia ducked her head, looking a little embarrassed. “I will not be in the least bit upset if you choose to keep it to yourself; I ought not to be pressing you.”
“It is all right.” With a small sigh, Isobella closed her eyes. “I have not shared this with anyone, Amelia. Mayhap I should have done, but I thought to try and forget about it.”
Lady Amelia said nothing, and Isobella, swallowing at a lump in her throat, tried to explain.
“I have had three gentlemen interested in pursuing me,” she said, as Lady Amelia’s eyes rounded. “The first was very eager, but as I was considering his request for courtship, he decided that I was taking much too long and stepped away.”
This made Lady Amelia’s brow furrow almost immediately. “That says nothing good about his character.”
