“In that case, I won’t be seeing Miss Richie again,” he replied. “I was going to ask you if I should, but it’s clear to me I can’t.”
“Why not? She seems like she’s nice enough, and she’s attractive.”
“Yes, she’s both of those things, but she’s obsessed with animals. I don’t want to spend my life holding a talking bird and riding an ostrich. Nor did I care to learn about the feeding, sleeping, and mating habits of every kind of exotic animal in London.”
His comment came so unexpectedly that she burst out laughing.
He chuckled. “I didn’t realize I said something funny.”
“Oh, it was hilarious, especially since I don’t know the context in which these things took place.”
“Miss Richie has a talking bird, and she has a couple ostriches at her family’s estate that she rides for fun. As for the longwinded lecture on exotic animals,” he shrugged, “she and her brother took me to a menagerie.”
“She rides ostriches?”
“It’s her favorite pastime. But she has to do it when Meredith’s sleeping because Meredith has a tendency to get jealous.”
“Meredith?”
“Her dog. One of them, anyway. There’s more at the country home.” He waved his hand. “I don’t feel up to discussing it all. I was just glad when yesterday was over.”
“It sounds like quite an afternoon,” she admitted. “But fortunately for you, there are other ladies in London, and I’ll have Lady Davenport’s help knowing which ones prefer the country. I’m sorry to say that I don’t know the ladies in London as well as I thought I did. So many like London.”
“Miss Richie does prefer the country. Just not the kind of country living I have in mind. But really, I don’t mind London. It’s actually not so bad if I’m with people I like.”
She wondered if the people he liked included her but thought it’d be silly if she asked him. Surely, there were others he had befriended while here, especially at White’s. Lord Toplyn wasn’t the only gentleman at the club.
“Helena,” he said, drawing her gaze back to his, “I was wondering, could you teach me how to kiss?”
Thankful she wasn’t holding anything since she surely would have dropped it, she took a moment to regain her composure. “Camden, there are some things I don’t teach.”
“Why not?”
“Because…because I just never have.”
“But you’ve never helped a gentleman,” he argued. “Don’t ladies like to be kissed?”
“Of course, ladies like to be kissed.”
“All of them or just some of them?”
She stared at him for a moment, unsure of how to answer him. Just what was he getting at? Why all these questions about kissing all of the sudden? “I don’t understand what this has to do with the ball tonight. Do you intend to create a scandal by kissing someone?”
“No.”
“Then this conversation is irrelevant.” And her heart rate could go back to normal. Why was it ever since Camden came into her life, everything seemed to be turned upside down?
“So ladies don’t want to be kissed?” he asked.
“Every lady wants to be kissed by the right gentleman. She just doesn’t want it to be the cause of a scandal.”
He shifted in the chair, and while she thought he might have the decency to break eye contact with her since he was speaking on matters much too personal, he held her gaze. It took all of her willpower to keep looking at him. She didn’t relish the idea of showing weakness, and if she broke eye contact first, that’s exactly what she’d be doing. It was just her luck that the one time he wasn’t shy was when he was speaking about kissing.
“I don’t understand why you’re suddenly so interested in kissing ladies,” she finally said. “Your sole intent has been to marry into money.”
“I suppose after being disappointed yesterday, I realized I want a lady who’ll not only be happy with me but whom I can also be happy with,” he admitted, his voice taking on a thoughtful tone that made it seem soft. “And that would mean, I’d have to kiss her at some point. I’d like to be adequate in that area.”
Then he finally looked away from her, and she was able to relax, for the most part. As she considered his words, she picked up a crumpet and bit into it. What he was asking was so unexpected. It was the last thing she’d thought she’d have to do. But she couldn’t fault his reasoning, not when he put it that way.
Apparently, he learned quite a bit yesterday while he was with Miss Richie. That was good. And he was right. He should choose a lady who could provide him the money he needed and who could also be his lover. If her husband had desired her, he might be alive today.
She placed the rest of the crumpet on the tray then drank some tea. Finally, after what seemed like the longest moment of her life, she turned her attention back to him. “All right. I’ll do as you wish.” She scooted down the settee and patted the spot next to her, “Sit over here, please.”
His eyebrows furrowed as he glanced from the settee to her and back again.
She chuckled, relieved she was, once again, the one who was more in control of the situation than he was. Feeling more like her normal self, she waved for him to join her. “Come on. I promise I won’t do anything to hurt you. Kissing isn’t supposed to be painful.”
As she hoped, he relaxed at her joke and went over to her.
“I assure you, ladies do enjoy being kissed. But you want to start out gently. If you start out with a subtle kiss, you can get an idea of whether or not she’d like to continue kissing you.”
“What’s a subtle kiss?”
“It’s a soft one. Very light. Almost unnoticeable.”
“Almost unnoticeable?”
“Yes. Because it’s so light. Think of a feather. When it touches your skin, it’s so soft and light you could have missed it if you didn’t see it. Now, try it. Lean forward and give me that kind of kiss.”
“Pardon?”
Taking in the uncertain expression in his eyes, she chuckled again. “Did you want to kiss me or not?”
His face turned pink and he cleared his throat. “Of course, I do. I’m a bit nervous, though.”
“There’s no need. This is merely a lesson. It’s not a real kiss. Lightly touch your lips to mine then lift your head.”
He shifted. “Oh, all right. I suppose that sounds feasible.”
Feasible? She couldn’t help but be touched by his honesty. In all of London, she couldn’t think of anyone who wasn’t somehow tainted by the world. Indeed, there shouldn’t be any problems with finding him a wife. If Lord Toplyn and those others who placed their bets against him understood that, then they wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss him.
Camden paused for a moment then lowered his head to hers. The second his lips brushed hers, a spark shot straight through her. Goodness, but she didn’t expect that!
When he lifted his head, his gaze met hers. “Was that good?”
She swallowed then nodded. “Yes, that was good.” It was more than good. Her husband had never provoked that kind of response from her.
“Should I kiss you again?” he asked. “The next one should be longer, shouldn’t it?”
“The next one would be longer, yes, but there’s no need to do it again. Your kiss was sufficient.”
“Sufficient?”
She stood up, ignoring his bewildered tone. “Yes. Sufficient. You did very well. You have nothing to worry about. A lady will very much enjoy kissing you.”
Before he could argue, she strode across the room and opened the doors. This was ridiculous. She should be able to handle a simple kiss. It was hardly a kiss, really. It was more of a whisper of one. So why couldn’t she seem to calm her racing heart?
Turning to Camden, who was still sitting on the settee, she cleared her throat. “We both have much to do to get ready for this evening’s ball. I’ll be there to help you if you need it.”
Despite the disappointment on his face, he slowly rose fr
om the settee and crossed the room. And curse her, but it was hard to meet his gaze. She found she couldn’t, no matter how much she willed it. Instead, she was staring at his cravat.
“You don’t need to lie,” he whispered. “I can handle the truth. Maybe next time, my kiss won’t be so unpleasant.”
Unpleasant? Her eyes grew wide, and she watched him as he left her townhouse. Hadn’t he heard what she said? She had complimented him. She had told him she liked the kiss. Liked it a little too much, in fact. But there was no need to go that far in-depth about it.
Well, if he didn’t believe her, then that wasn’t her fault. She’d been honest. It was all she could have done. But it told her a lot more than he’d ever willingly reveal. The poor duke didn’t see his worth. For some reason, he couldn’t accept the possibility that a lady might find something in him worth loving.
Chapter Twelve
It was easier to ask ladies to dance this time, though Camden was still having trouble picking one he fancied more than the others. As he was dancing with a lady he thought was Miss Sarrell, he glanced around the room, wondering where Helena was.
He finally found her toward the corner of the room, talking to Lady Davenport and her mother. The only reason he recognized them was because of the wager Davenport and Pennella had made the previous year.
The mother pointed to a lady, and Camden glanced over at the brunette who was wearing a green dress. Looking back at Helena, he saw her nod then turn her gaze to him. Face warm, he quickly brought his attention back to the lady he was dancing with.
At the moment, Miss Sarrell was talking about some paintings she liked to work on, and while he knew he should be paying attention to her, his mind kept drifting to Helena. Why didn’t Helena want to dance with anyone? Even if she had no desire to marry again, there were widows who danced. It seemed to him that she had chosen to close herself off from gentlemen. It would explain her reluctance to teach him when he first talked to her.
Originally, he had assumed it was because she didn’t think he was a worthy client, but now that he’d gotten to know her better, he was beginning to believe she enjoyed challenges. The harder the client’s prospects, the better. She’d seemed amused enough with Toplyn’s wager. Camden thought for sure such a thing would upset her, but she’d laughed it off.
He dared another glance at her and was relieved to note her attention had gone back to Lady Davenport’s mother. He shouldn’t keep staring at her. It was inappropriate, especially when he was supposed to direct his gaze to the lady he was dancing with.
He forced himself to make eye contact with Miss Sarrell, who was still talking about painting. Maybe he wasn’t more interested in Helena than he should be. Maybe he was simply bored. There were only so many ways to blend colors that could keep him intrigued.
“A variety of colors are especially important if you want to paint trees in autumn. I just love autumn, don’t you?” she asked. Before he had time to respond, she added, “The colors are so vibrant that time of year. I think that’s why I love painting that season more than any other.”
Not sure what he could possibly say to that, he settled for smiling. Then, recalling how Helena warned him he often looked like he was in pain when he smiled, he quickly stopped and nodded. Fortunately, the music ended. After he offered a polite bow, he left and went to get something to drink. He knew Helena wanted him to ask Miss Reynolds to dance next, but he needed a moment to himself.
He made it to the table where he grabbed a cup of punch when Toplyn came over to him. “I heard your visit with Miss Richie ended in disaster,” Toplyn said and poured himself a glass of brandy.
Camden grimaced. Why did Toplyn insist on following him all over the place? “It didn’t end in disaster.”
“I heard you shrieked when she wanted you to hold a snake.”
“I didn’t shriek. I declined the opportunity.” With a sigh, he turned away from Toplyn and walked to the veranda. But as he feared, the irritating gentleman followed him. He spun around to face his opponent, an action which almost succeeded in his spilling punch all over Toplyn since he was right behind him. “Why can’t you annoy someone else?” Camden asked.
“I’m not here to annoy you. I want you to make the wager harder for me to win,” Toplyn replied. “Do you know how hard it is to make a substantial earning on the wager when few dare to put money up saying you’ll win?”
With a roll of his eyes, Camden plopped down on one of the benches and took a long drink from his punch.
Toplyn sat beside him, not the least bit disturbed by Camden’s sour demeanor. “Lord Davenport’s taste in music isn’t as good as Lord Edon’s, but the ladies here are more than adequate. There ought to be one you can successfully visit more than once. I hear Miss Telmar is agreeable to seeing anyone. She’s a little on the plain side, but if you can overlook the large nose and buck teeth, I’m sure you can have a nice enough time. Who knows? Maybe you’ll almost get married.”
“While I appreciate the encouragement,” came a familiar voice from behind them, “I believe it’s my place to guide him on which ladies to dance with this evening.”
Camden and Toplyn looked back to see Helena whose arms were crossed, a scowl on her usually pretty face.
“You’re not doing a good job if the best you can do is Miss Richie,” Toplyn told her, rising to his feet and facing her. “Did you at least ask him,” he gestured to Camden, “if he liked animals before suggesting he dance with her?”
“Toplyn, that’s unfair,” Camden said. “I do like animals. I have a dog and a couple horses. Besides, I wanted to hear a bird talk.”
Helena’s mood didn’t lighten at all. In fact, it only seemed to darken. “Your opinion has been noted, Lord Toplyn. When I want to hear more of them, I’ll be sure to ask. In the meantime, let me do what His Grace has paid me to do.” She glanced at Camden. “Your Grace, will you come with me?”
“Have him dance with Miss Telmar,” Toplyn said as Camden passed him. “She’s more in need of a husband than he is of a wife.”
“She’s already promised to someone,” Helena told him. When Toplyn’s eyebrows furrowed, she added, “Perhaps you ought to keep track of who’s available and who isn’t before offering unwanted advice.”
Camden couldn’t help but smile at the dumbfounded look on Toplyn’s face as Helena led him back into the ballroom.
“He’s an insufferable oaf,” she muttered under her breath. “I feel sorry for the lady who ends up with him.” In a louder voice, she continued, “I think I found the perfect lady for you. Miss Beacham. Her family enjoys being in the country and spends most of their time there. They don’t often make it to London, but they’re here this year because this is her first Season. The best part? They are wealthy, and she comes with a very impressive dowry.”
He followed the direction of her gaze and saw the brunette in the green dress she’d been watching while he was with Miss Sarrell.
“Before I dance with her,” he began, “I’d like to dance with you.”
“I don’t come to these balls to dance.”
“You can make an exception this one time, can’t you?”
At first, he thought she was going to say no, but then her eyes met his and her expression softened. “All right. I suppose one dance won’t do any harm.”
Any harm to who? And how? His first inclination was to ask her these questions. He’d had no trouble asking her questions before, even ones she’d been reluctant to answer. But in this case, he surmised the time wasn’t right. Perhaps, it’d never be. She was a mystery. Unlike the other ladies he’d talked to this Season, she was harder to figure out.
Miss Richie’s sole passion was animals, and had he shared the same desire for them, he was sure they would have gotten along just fine. Miss Sarrell’s passion was painting. Had he an interest in art, they would have probably gotten along very well, too. But Helena was harder to decipher. And maybe that was part of what intrigued him.
As the music b
egan, he led her in the familiar step, realizing he didn’t have to worry so much about whether or not he was graceful. In the brief time he’d known her, he’d gotten comfortable.
“Do you hate dancing?” he asked her.
“No, I don’t hate it,” she slowly replied, seeming to choose her words carefully.
“Then why the hesitation?”
She shrugged. “It’s been a long time.”
“You haven’t danced since your husband died?”
“I don’t think this is an appropriate place or time to discuss this.” She glanced around them. “Let’s stay on matters that concern this evening.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“I’m not uncomfortable,” she replied. “I just don’t see what relevance my past has to do with you finding a wife.”
He didn’t believe her, but he gave her the courtesy of nodding. “I will ask Miss Beacham to dance once we are done.”
“Of all the ladies we’ve come across so far, she seems to be the one who best matches what you need. I think she might be the one.”
Well, he was willing to give it a try. He’d gone through the process enough now where it no longer intimidated him. And though he didn’t think dancing would ever be one of his favorite pastimes, it was nice enough.
It was especially so with Helena. In fact, many things were especially nice with her. Not only had she been willing to take a chance on him when no one else would, but she seemed to honestly like him. He’d been so shy and clumsy while growing up that his father admonished him to stay out of sight.
But Helena hadn’t minded his quirks. She was gentle, and he felt that she respected him. She didn’t try to change him, nor did she criticize him for not being able to do everything perfectly. She accepted him the way he was.
He smiled, something he hadn’t planned to do but it came naturally, and when she returned his smile, he was struck by her beauty. Yes, he always knew she was good looking. He’d known that from the moment he’d stepped into her drawing room to ask for her help. But when she seemed relaxed, her beauty was especially enhanced. Add that to the candles lit in the chandelier above and the festive mood around them, and she was absolutely breathtaking.
Love Lessons with the Duke Page 10