“He sounds like a wonderful man.”
“Let’s go out,” he said, changing the subject.
“What?” I was surprised by the change.
“It is so beautiful outside. Why don’t we go out and enjoy it? We could go for a walk in the park or I could bring over my gig if you would rather?”
“I think a walk would be lovely,” I said, standing and brushing the wrinkles out of my cotton morning dress.
He reached out his arm to me like he had before at the dance. I took his arm gratefully and he escorted me out of the townhouse.
We walked the short distance to the park in silence and started down one of the various garden paths. I was content just walking next to Kent and enjoying the beautiful day around us.
I did, however, have some unanswered questions about him. For one, this reputation that the duchess and her friends claimed he had. He didn’t fit the part of a flirt or a cad. I couldn’t deny that would be the name given to a man who’d left an engagement. I couldn’t very well ask him about it though. Even asking Ettie might be offensive to her.
“So, do you regularly come to town for the season?” I tried to pry stealthily.
“Mmm,” he answered in the affirmative. “My uncle always wanted us to be a part of the peerage so that I would be prepared when the time came.”
“And now you are here on your own?” I asked.
He looked at me questioningly. I worried I had gone too far with that question.
“I guess I just haven’t found the right one yet,” he said, his green eyes glittering at me.
I blushed and looked away. I was satisfied with his answer. I shouldn’t be prying into his past anyway. It wasn’t my place to judge whatever reason he’d had for the choices he’d made.
We spent the rest of the day walking the park and getting to know each other better. He told me about growing up with his sister and uncle. I told him about my parents, my brother Henry, and his sweet wife Julia.
Soon, before either of us knew it, hours had passed and the sun was beginning to set. We decided that it was best he took me home. I was hesitant to go. I’d had more fun in this one afternoon walking and talking with Kent than I’d had since arriving here.
“I was wondering,” he said as we came upon my brother’s townhouse. “We are having some guests over for dinner a week from Saturday. Just a small party of family and close friends,” he waved off. “I was just wondering if you would like to come also?”
“I would like that very much,” I replied.
“Wonderful, I will have the invitation sent over at once.”
He paused just before leaving. I watched as he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it. He smiled against my hand as little tingles shook over my whole body.
“I hope I can call on you again soon,” he said as he straightened himself.
“I would like that very much.”
CHAPTER 10
LASTING FRIENDSHIP
* * *
It was the day before the dinner and the Duke of Kent and Ettie invited me over for tea. I had been spending almost every day with Kent since our walk in the park. No words had been spoken between us, but it was becoming clear that he shared the same affection for me as I had for him.
I settled into Ettie’s drawing room. I was trying not to be distracted by the hopes that Kent might be somewhere in the house too.
“Did you hear that Lady Julia has returned back to her country home?” Ettie asked.
“No, is everything alright?”
“Oh yes. She is just getting farther along in her pregnancy and wanted to return to the country for the birth. She will be close to her sister there too.”
“I suppose that is true,” I said. “I just wish I could have said goodbye first. Perhaps I should go and help her. Henry is still out with the regiment. She will be all alone.”
“Nonsense,” Ettie waved me off. “She will have the Duchess of Gaffton there with her.”
“I suppose that is true.”
“Plus,” Ettie said, curling a finger around a red lock. “I think you would be missed here by a certain someone.”
I blushed at her meaning.
She scooted closer to me on the small couch. She took my hands in hers. “You know I just adore you. You have been a very good friend to me. Most people don’t see past my family’s situation and, well, my love of sweets,” she added with a blush, “but you have been nothing but kind to me.”
“Ettie, you are a wonderful person. Anyone who doesn’t take the time to get to know you is missing out.”
“I’m glad you think that. I have a secret that I want to share with you.”
“What is that?” I asked, excited.
“I have had a secret relationship these past few weeks. It actually started the night you met my brother at the ball.”
“You do? With who?”
I searched my mind for who Ettie could have fallen for at the ball.
“You remember when Kent took you to dance. He left me with his friend, Lord Byron.”
“Yes,” I encouraged.
“Well, we talked the whole night through. We have been spending time together when we can here and there. He will be at the dinner tomorrow night. He has told me that his intention is to ask for my hand from Kent.”
We both squeezed hands and giggled like schoolgirls. I wrapped my arms around Ettie in a warm embrace. I was so happy for her. Despite all the downfalls society saw in her, she would be finding her happiness.
“I wish you all the joy in the world,” I said to her. “I am really excited to meet him tomorrow night. I just saw him briefly at the ball. I will want to scrutinize him to make sure he is worth of such a wonderful friend of mine,” I said sarcastically.
“I am more worried about Kent being okay with it.”
“Why would you say that? They are clearly friends.”
“Actually, the opposite. Kent and Byron were kind of rivals in their youth. I think most of that has passed with age, but you still never know.”
“Rivals?”
“Yes, they were always very competitive with each other. They used to race their gigs in Hyde Park,” she added with a small smirk.
“That just sounds like boys being boys.”
“Yes, well, there was more to it. Involving a girl, that is. Byron hasn’t told me the complete details, but I think it permanently hurt the friendship.”
“How terrible.” I wanted to ask more. To pry whether there was stock to the rumors that Lady Newcastle had told me that day in her garden. It wouldn’t be fair to ask a sister to speak such horrible things about her brother.
I didn’t believe the gossip. I had spent enough time with Kent to know that he was a good man. I knew he could have never done the things he was accused of by society. At the same time, I still had that nagging realization of not knowing in the back of my mind.
“You and my brother have become very close,” Ettie said, changing the subject.
“Yes,” I answered simply as I sipped my tea.
“And…” she encouraged.
“I don’t know. It is just the beginning of something if nothing else. I can’t help but say that I am attracted to him. I don’t know if he feels the same though.”
“Trust me. I know the way he looks at you. He is in love with you already.”
My cheeks blushed with excitement. Even to hear someone else say the words I had hoped for was enough to make me jump for joy.
“I just…” she trailed off for a second. “I am only saying this because I am your friend. I want you to make sure it is the right choice for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are a beautiful girl, and you have a wonderful opportunity to marry anyone you want because of, well, you know.”
“My father’s fortune,” I corrected.
“Yes. I know your brother doesn't think much of my brother and I. I just don’t want you to make a choice that will hurt your relationship with your famil
y.”
“You know, sometimes I think my father’s money is more of a burden than it should be. I don’t see why my brother has a say in who I marry at all. The only reason he does is because my parents gave him permission to help me find a suitable match while I am here. I barely knew the man before coming here this season. Why should he have so much sway in my life?”
“I know. I agree with you. I just don’t want you to have suffering if it isn’t necessary. There are so many eligible lords that would be happy to have you.”
“But what if my mind is already made up?” I asked.
“Then I will be more than happy to call you my sister,” she said with a smile.
“There is no other reason, right?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“That you would caution me from your brother. There is no other reason that he might not be suitable for me, right?”
She smiled at me, “Some gossip should be ignored.” I relaxed at her reassurance. “And one day, I hope he tells you that story himself.”
CHAPTER 11
OUT IN THE OPEN
* * *
The dinner at the Duke of Kent’s home went better than expected. My brother and his wife were actually cordial throughout the evening. I couldn't help but smile when I looked at Ettie with her beau. They seemed so genuinely in love and happy.
I also met Kent’s uncle, the man who had basically raised him. He shared Ettie’s same red hair, but with dark brown eyes. He was also the same shape as Ettie, with plump cheeks and a full body. He wasn’t the jolly uncle I had expected. Instead, he was very somber and distant. I wondered what it would have been like for Kent and Ettie to be raised by a man like that.
After dinner was over, Kent invited me to take a tour of the small garden behind his house. It was becoming late in the summer, with a small chill starting to sweep through that evening. I hugged my light cotton shawl close around me as we walked. The rest of the party was just inside the drawing room. Some of the ladies were playing a game of cards while the gentlemen talked and smoked cigars.
“Scarlett, there is something I have wanted to say to you for some time now,” he said, looking down at me.
“Yes,” I encouraged.
“It has been a long time since I could say that I had hope for a happy future. I want you to know that in the time we have spent together, I have felt more hope than I have felt in my whole life. What I am trying to say is that I would like the opportunity to court you officially?”
I gave a little giggle. “I thought we were already doing that.”
He eased the tension out of his massive shoulders at my response. It was funny to see him nervous. “Good,” he said, taking my arm in his again.
“I must know something about you first,” I said, now being the one filled with nerves. “I have heard some rumors. Now, don’t think I put stock in any of them or that I am a gossiper. I need to know the truth though, Kent.”
He nodded solemnly. “You have the right to know.”
We walked a bit farther while he composed the right words to say.
“As a lad, when my uncle took us on, he also prepared for me to wed the daughter of a wealthy earl. As you may well know, my father had abused his estate almost to insolvency before his death.”
“She was a sweet girl,” he continued. “I knew her pretty well growing up. When it came time for our wedding, she informed me that she had fallen in love with another. In honesty, I didn’t feel much beyond friendship for her. I thought it was only fair to release her from the contract. She was only marring me because her parents wished the title, and I was only marrying her because my uncle wished to replenish the estate. It didn’t seem a good enough reason for either of us.”
“So what happened,” I encouraged.
“I am not entirely sure. I assumed that she went to this certain gentleman that she loved. I later found out that she had been exposed as with child unmarried. Everyone assumed it was mine, since we had been engaged. She told me who she had fallen in love with though.”
“Did you confront the gentleman in question?”
“No. What proof did I have, other than her word that she cared for him? That was not reason enough to suspect that anything had happened. Mind you, I can’t say that after such a situation I can ever fully trust the gentleman again.”
“That sounds just awful.”
He shrugged and held my hand tighter against his arm. He guided me back into the house. We had been gone long enough. Any more time and our integrity would come into question. I believed his story. Any man as aware of propriety so as not to let us linger out in the garden for too long would never take advantage of a maiden and then leave her destitute.
“Your Grace,” Lord Byron said as we re-entered the drawing room. “While the ladies are at cards, I thought I might have a word with you and your uncle privately?”
“Of course,” Kent said, ushering him out of the room and down the hall.
Ettie came up next to me.
“He is going to ask now,” she whispered to me. “I do wish I could know what they were saying.”
“Well, come on then,” I said, grabbing her arm. “No one will even notice we are gone.”
We casually walked out of the drawing room and made our way down the hall. Adjoining Kent’s study was a library with large mahogany doors. It would be the perfect place to spy. We crept in as quietly as our petticoats would allow and leaned our ears against the door.
“Absolutely not!” We heard Kent’s voice yell. “I will never allow you to take my sister’s hand in marriage.”
“Why on earth not?” Byron retorted.
“Like hell you don’t know! I know exactly what you want from her too, otherwise why involve my uncle?” Ettie and I exchanged confused worried looks. “As long as I am alive, you will stay clear of my sister.”
We heard as Lord Byron exited into the hall with a huff. Ettie ran off to met him. I was about to leave too, to head back to the drawing room before we were missed. I couldn’t help myself when I heard Kent and his uncle, Lord Rainier, start talking again.
“I don’t know what that was all about, but this could be her only chance, Edward. Why rob her of that?”
“He obviously found out that you are supplying the dowry, so why else would he start to show any interest in her?” Kent fired back. “You’ll just have to believe me when I say he is not to be trusted.”
“Trusted with what? Her money? Who cares. She won’t be a burden on this estate any longer. It is a better option than we can hope for.”
“You just don’t understand.”
“You’re right, I don’t. Like I don’t understand why you haven’t married that rich girl out there. You’ve practically sealed the deal with her. This is what I have been working you toward from the beginning. When you finally have it in your grasp, you are hesitating.”
“I’m not hesitating.”
“You will never find a better chance. She has more than the estate even had in the first place. Plus, she has a pretty face to look at. You have had your fun, now it’s time to settle down. Do it for the estate if nothing else.”
I turned away. I couldn’t listen anymore. I couldn’t understand why Kent would deny his sister her happiness. Even more so, I could not believe what I was hearing spoken of me.
I should have known. Why on earth had I expected less from him than what I knew would be the case with any other impoverished peerage member? It was exactly what my mom had been playing on, I realized. Maybe I was better off with someone like Lord Milford. At least then I wouldn’t have to worry that he only wanted my money.
CHAPTER 12
ROMANTIC ESCAPE
* * *
I looked for Ettie, but couldn’t find her. No doubt she was too upset to come back to the party. I didn’t want to be there either. I feared if I looked upon Kent again I would spew the venomous words in my heart right there in front of everyone.
I couldn’t decide what was
more infuriating, that I had fallen right into his charm or that he had lied right to my face and I didn’t know it. I decided my ego was the most wounded of all. I had always thought I was a good judge of character.
I found my way to the duchess and informed her of a headache so we could leave right away. She was all too happy to oblige and we were gone before Kent made it out of his office.
The next morning, I woke early to my maid shaking me. “I’m so sorry miss. Lady Henrietta is here. She says it’s very important.”
I immediately hopped out of bed. I donned my light robe over my nightdress and ran downstairs barefoot.
I burst into the drawing room not only to find Ettie, but Lord Byron. I did my best to cover up my disheveled look.
He cleared his throat, embarrassed for me. “I’ll wait for you in the carriage,” he said to Henrietta. Turning to me, he added, “I know we haven’t spent much time together, but I hope someday we can be good friends.”
With that, he made his way out of the room just as my maid came in with tea in her hand.
We sat on the couch next to each other.
“We are running away,” Ettie said.
“You are what?”
“After we overheard what happened last night with Kent, I ran after Byron. I found him just as he was about to leave. He assured me he wasn’t going to give up. He told me he would be willing to elope if that was only way to be together.”
“And you think that is a wise idea? Your family could disown you!”
“They won’t. I don’t know what has come over Kent. Maybe just hyper overprotective or something. He will come around in time. Even Byron agrees to that fact. We don’t want to wait though.”
“I really think you should stop and gauge your choice before you just rush off. This is something you can’t turn back from, my friend.”
“I know. I am prepared to make that choice, no matter the consequences.”
A Brazen Lady And The Shunned Duke (Faces of Love Series #3) Page 4