“Duke of Athlone,” the mother said, holding out her hand. “What a pleasure it is to meet you. I am Anne Huntington, Countess of Westering. This is my daughter, the Lady Alexandra.”
Daniel stopped abruptly, looking down at the woman. He took her hand and placed a kiss on the top of it. He did the same for the young woman, who blushed and smiled at him. He lifted his eyes only briefly to glance over their heads at the duchess and the young woman she was with. The corners of his mouth lifted in a quick grin.
The duchess and Elizabeth saw the grin and looked at each other.
“Do you think that was meant for you or me, my lady?” Elizabeth asked curiously.
Lady Worthington pulled up her shoulders for a second. “I am not sure, Beth. I don’t know the young man.”
“Do you know how old he is? He looks to be at least five and twenty.”
“Yes, I believe he is about that age. His father died two four years ago, I recall, and he took over the title and the duties that went along with it. His father was a good man who had close ties with Shawn.”
“Oh?”
“Yes,” she said, “though I did not know him well myself. And I know very little of his son. He is a kind and generous young man, as far as his reputation goes. But he has not married, which many think is very strange.”
“He is not courting anyone?” Elizabeth could only hope. She was disappointed that her mother had taken Alexandra over there so quickly, especially when he was on his way over to them.
“You should go over there,” the duchess urged her gently. “Allow your mother to introduce you.”
Elizabeth didn’t have to be told twice. She crossed the room, closing the distance between them quickly.
Daniel watched as the young woman approached without taking his eyes from the ladies in front of him.
“This fine weather we’ve been having is perfect for carriage rides and walks through the park, don’t you agree?” Lady Westering was smiling at him.
He smiled back. “Yes, my lady. I agree.”
“How long will you be in Fairbanks? Are you planning to stay for a time?”
“I came to discuss the land I inherited not too far from here. I have been discussing it with Lord Worthington through correspondence for nearly a year. There were some... difficulties attached to its inclusion in the estate.”
Lady Anne’s eyes lit up, giving Daniel a slightly frustrated feeling. While it was true that he would need to be married before he would inherit the land, he did not feel he was quite ready to be a husband. His age, six and twenty years, seemed old to some. Many of his friends had come to the conclusion that he would be a bachelor all of his life.
He didn’t agree with that morose prediction. He would do what he needed to do. If that required getting married, he would get married. But he wanted to be happy with the woman he chose. So far, he had been unable to find a woman with whom he could readily talk. They seemed to be focused only on what they could do to please him, even if it meant restructuring everything about their personality. That was not attractive to him. He wanted a woman who could be independent, a woman with a mind of her own.
Suddenly he blinked, startled back into the present moment. Lady Westering had asked him a question. “Would you agree with that, your grace?”
He looked down, and she was looking up at him expectantly. Daniel was a little flustered, blinking a few times and trying to recall what it was she was talking about. Something to do with the current prices of livestock? It couldn’t be. Don't be silly! That was Chapman this morning, before the coach ride. He decided he had no idea what she’d been saying and instead just smiled and gave the girl a slight bow.
“Daniel Forsley, Duke of Athlone. It’s a pleasure.” She smiled at him.
Lady Westering spoke, drawing Daniel’s attention back to her. “This is my other daughter, Miss Elizabeth Huntington, Alexandra’s sister.”
Daniel wondered why Lady Westering put one hand on Alexandra’s arm, rather than Elizabeth’s. He looked at Alexandra and back to their mother and then to Elizabeth. Alexandra was clearly the older of the two but both young women were quite beautiful. He would have either on his arm. He noticed when Lady Anne placed one hand on the small of Alexandra’s back and gave her a slight push forward.
“Are you having a good time here at the ball?” Daniel asked Elizabeth.
“Yes, your grace. And you?”
“I have only just arrived. I have not had time to formulate an opinion. However, I do know that the Worthingtons are known for putting on a grand party.”
“They truly are. They are good friends with all who live in Fairbanks.”
“I was aware.” He nodded, deciding that if Lady Anne was insistent on putting Alexandra before him, it must be because she was the older of the two sisters. Elizabeth’s light brown hair had been pulled up and the length of it fell in ringlets over her slender shoulders. Her ballgown was a perfect match for her violet eyes. He had never seen a woman who had violet eyes. He admired the low cut of the front and the lace that seemed to lay so gently against the young woman’s skin.
He turned back to Alexandra and took in her beauty as well. She was the opposite of Elizabeth in coloring. Her eyes were a penetrating dark brown and her hair, piled up on top of her head, hung down in ringlets similar to her sister’s. Her white shoulders were bare and her breasts were full.
He wondered how old they were. His safest bet was to dance with the eldest and hope that she would turn out to be a brilliant conversationalist.
He turned to Alexandra, giving her a bright, handsome smile. “Would you like to dance in the Grand Waltz with me? From the sounds of the orchestra, I believe their warming up time is coming to an end. I would be delighted to appear on the dance floor with a beautiful woman on my arm.” He crooked his elbow, inviting her to take his arm.
Alexandra’s face lit up with delight. “My lord, that would be wonderful. Thank you.”
Elizabeth knew Alexandra wanted to fill up her dance card with this highly anticipated Duke of Athlone. It seemed her wish was coming true.
As the duke passed Elizabeth, he nodded to her, a soft grin on his face. “My lady.”
Before Elizabeth could frame a response, he and Alexandra were away on the dance floor, waiting for the music.
“They make a fine couple, don’t they?” her mother said quietly.
Elizabeth nodded, unable to express how she was feeling.
She had never felt anything like the duke had made her feel. And now he was dancing with her sister.
CHAPTER FIVE
BREAKFAST ENDS ABRUPTLY
BREAKFAST ENDS ABRUPTLY
The sun came through the curtains in Elizabeth’s room, shining directly on her face, as if to entice her to waken. She lifted one hand and shielded her eyes from the bright rays. Stella had come in and flung the curtains open.
“My lady, you have been sleeping late this morning. Are you not well?”
Elizabeth pushed back the thick quilt and swung her legs over the side of the bed, instinctively smoothing out her nightgown. “I am feeling all right, Stella. Just weary. The ball ended late last night.”
“I noticed that. You didn’t wake me to help you get ready for bed.”
Elizabeth shook her head, sliding to the edge of the bed and pushing her feet into her soft, white slippers. “I wouldn't have dreamed of waking anyone at that hour.” She gave Stella a wide smile.
“It is nice to see you in good cheer this morning.” Stella smiled back.
“Is that so unusual?” Elizabeth asked. “I always thought I was a cheerful sort.”
“Yes, you are, my lady,” Stella agreed. “I was only worried because you seemed out of sorts with your sister yesterday.”
“When we returned? I did not know you saw us.”
“No, before you left.”
“Oh.” Elizabeth laughed. “Not out of sorts, exactly. Just... sad. It does seem like she does not like me very much.”
; “She is jealous of you, milady, if I may speak freely. I am glad that I am not her maid. You are a cheerful sort, but she seems always sad. Did she meet her new arrival she kept speaking about?”
The question brought back some painful memories for Elizabeth from the night before. She refused to believe that she had become smitten with the Duke of Athlone on first sight. But she did find him quite interesting and would have enjoyed getting the chance to know him better. Unfortunately, with Alexandra and all the other eligible ladies at the party, she had not even danced with him once. Alexandra danced with him several times, including the Grand Waltz and the Final Waltz. The sight of the two of them so close together had been unsettling for Elizabeth. Only Jonah's presence had enlivened the evening. She chose to dance with Jonah when he was not dancing with his true love, Lady Julia.
It had not alleviated her discomfort all that greatly, however. Disturbed as she was by her own thoughts of the duke, she found his constant mention of Julia slightly distracting. She hadn’t said anything directly to him, but she knew he could tell something was bothering her.
She was glad he had not asked why she was so distant: She did not wish to tell him about her instant attraction to Daniel. He would probably have told her all the reasons why she should give up on the idea, including the fact that he seemed interested in her sister. The last thing she wanted to do was give her heart to the man who would most likely marry her sister.
Daniel had danced with other ladies, too, the Banning sisters and a few others. But he’d danced with Alexandra the most. His interest in her was obvious.
“Would you like some help to dress for breakfast or am I not needed anymore?” Stella gave her a smile, which Elizabeth returned.
“I will always need you to help me, Stella. I don’t know how I would get along without you.”
Dressed in a muslin day dress patterned with lilacs, she took the stairs down to the dining room slowly. She could hear her parents talking and the chatter of her two younger brothers, David and Frankie, and youngest sister, Camilla. She didn’t hear Alexandra, but that was as it should be. Alexandra was usually quiet. She kept to herself, unless there was some topic of misery to discuss, in which case she joined in with enthusiasm.
“God forbid someone come and see such a spectacle in front of our home,” her mother was saying when she came through the door. They were all there, including Alexandra, waiting for her before they ate breakfast. Her mother looked up at her. “There you are. You look very refreshed.”
“I do hope I did not keep you waiting. I slept late.” Elizabeth dropped herself in her chair. “I would not have wanted to hold you back.”
Her father shook his head. “No, my dear, we all rested for a time this morning. Why, I only sat down a few minutes ago myself.”
“Did you enjoy the ball last night, Lizzie?” Camilla’s inquisitive eyes betrayed curiosity and anxiety at once. At thirteen, it would be a few years before she was able to join in the dances, parties, and balls her sisters attended, and her exclusion seemed to give the events an air of glamor and mystery they did not truly have. She had begged her mother on many occasions to allow her to go along just to watch the dancing. But so far, Anne had not given her permission. David and Frankie were only ten. They had a long time to go before they would be ready to attend the dances. They were more interested in catching frogs, playing in the woods that surrounded their mansion, and throwing rocks into the pond to see who could throw the farthest.
Elizabeth smiled at Camilla, turning it to her brothers and parents as well. “I did. You would have enjoyed it, too, I think. But your time will come, I promise.”
Camilla nodded, looking only slightly forlorn. “I know. I must be patient. That’s what Mother says.”
“If that’s what Mother says, you’ll have to do it.” Elizabeth glanced at her mother, who looked amused.
“I’m not sure that obeying me is always on my youngest daughter’s mind,” she said dryly.
“Oh, Mother.” Camilla shook her head. “I always listen to you.” She dropped her eyes and mumbled, “Even when I don’t want to particularly.”
Anne and Elizabeth chuckled. Camilla was a good girl. She was an accomplished artist for her age and spent most of her time in the drawing room, where she filled canvases with beautiful landscapes, portraits of her friends and family, and any other object that caught her eye. She had a knack for making her paintings look almost as if you could walk right into them and enjoy the sunshine.
“Did you see how often I danced with the Duke of Athlone?” Alexandra said. Elizabeth bit her lip at the triumph in her voice. She tried to convince herself that it was her own jealousy making her interpret it as a triumph over herself. But she also knew Alexandra. Her sister’s next words betrayed her. “He did not ask you to dance, did he?”
“I’m sure you had your eyes on me the entire dance,” Elizabeth retorted. “When you weren’t staring at the duke, that is.” She did not look up from where she placidly buttered a scone.
“I didn’t have to stare at him,” Alexandra replied smugly. “He was with me for more dances than any other lady there.”
Elizabeth sighed. “I’m very happy for you, Alexa. I know you were looking forward to meeting him and you hoped to dance with him. It looked like you had a very good time.”
Alexandra lifted her nose haughtily. “I had a grand time. I expect he will come calling sometime very soon.”
“That would be lovely, my dear,” Anne said lightly, picking up her fork and preparing to eat her dish of kedgeree. “He is a very handsome man. I’m pleased that we were able to get to him before any of the other ladies there.”
Elizabeth and her father exchanged a grin. Her mother could be very forceful when it came to setting up Alexandra with men. She was terrified her oldest daughter would end up an unhappy spinster and had a bond with her that none of the other family members shared. Hamilton also picked up his fork, nodding at Elizabeth, knowing the two of them were sharing the same thoughts about the situation. Anne was determined to see Alexandra married off as soon as possible.
“Well,” Alexandra was saying to Elizabeth, “at least you won't have to be worried.”
Elizabeth frowned slightly. “Why should I be worried?”
“Because you don’t want to make Jonah jealous making sidelong glances at another man, especially one who is showing interest in me.”
“That is unfair, Alexa. I was not making sidelong glances at him.” Elizabeth looked down, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing. She wished Alexandra had not noticed, but it was typical of her – she might be quiet, but she missed nothing.
“You looked at him more often than I looked at the back of my eyelids while I slept last night,” Alexandra retorted, pouring tea.
Elizabeth shook her head.
“You can deny it until the sun goes down, Lizzie.” Alexa said lightly. “It doesn't make it true.”
Elizabeth felt her cheeks burn with shame. Her pride was hurt by the statement. Had she really stared at him so much? “I am not interested in the Duke of Athlone,” she said bitterly.
Alexandra laughed. “Of course, you are. All the ladies on the ton are interested in him. But he chose me.”
“Alexa, you do not know what His Grace is thinking just yet,” their father said, attempting to put the argument to rest. “He has a lot to worry about at the present time.”
Elizabeth and Alexandra looked at him in surprise. “You know the duke, Father?”
Hamilton nodded. “Yes, I have had the opportunity to meet him on several occasions.”
“I thought he said he was new to Fairbanks,” Elizabeth said. “Has he been here before?”
“He has been here in the past but I have met him while I was myself in Town. He spends most of his time there nowadays.”
“What do you know about him?” Alexandra and Elizabeth were both curious but Elizabeth let Alexandra ask the question.
“I know that he is highly respected
. An honest, open man, very intelligent. And he takes his responsibilities as a duke most seriously. Too seriously, one might say.” Her father huffed a laugh as he stirred his drink. “I think it is fair to say he would be married, had he time away from his duties to attend more balls and parties. In fact, I have never seen him attend a dance party before. It surprises me that he is here and appears to be searching for a bride.” He looked at Alexandra. “Surely, he mentioned something to you about his reasons for being here, since you had his company most of the evening.”
Alexandra nodded and gave Elizabeth a smug glance. “He did. He has inherited some land here in Fairbanks – or will soon. He is thinking of starting a family and moving here. He has big plans for the land and gave me the strong impression he wants a bride to be with him when he moves.”
Hamilton nodded. “I knew that he was gaining some land from his father’s will. They own a small estate here – Athlone. I think the land is attached to that. I wonder,” he mused. “Perhaps there is a clause in the will that states he must marry before he can inherit? That would explain his sudden interest in dances.”
“Or maybe I caught his eye,” Alexandra said. “When he comes calling, I must look my best. Please everyone, act naturally when he is here? I would die of mortification if you did aught else.”
Elizabeth’s face stiffened at the unfairness of that statement. She had no intention of embarrassing her sister! Camilla and her brothers just looked at Alexandra in confusion. They could not recall having embarrassed their sister in the past.
“They won’t embarrass you, Alexa,” Hamilton said stiffly. Elizabeth could hear he was as upset by the unfairness of the statement as she was.
Alexandra looked directly at Elizabeth. “As long as she knows not to fawn all over the duke. I would prefer the poor man not to be discomforted.”
Elizabeth stared, shocked. “That is unfair, Alexandra. I would never comport myself so!”
“It is not. You always spoil my prospects. You are always around. You should concentrate on pleasing Jonah.”
Winning The Indecisive Duke: The Fairbank Series Page 4