by Claudy Conn
She scoffed, “Oh, but don’t you know yet … you have never claimed me for yourself and, therefore, cannot lose me.”
“I wish you would call me by my given name,” he said, changing the subject.
“Does one call one’s chaperone by his first name? I think that would not be quite the thing,” she answered on a tease.
“I have checked the rules. It is acceptable, and besides that … within days, my guardianship will be at an end.”
She gave him a long look and said in a small voice, “You are quite breaking my heart.”
He laughed this off. “Why? Because I want you to address me by my given name?”
“You know why, and still you mean to give me away … don’t you?”
“Felicia, my own dear heart, what you feel for me … will pass. It isn’t real. It is I who shall suffer the heartache. Not you.”
“I take leave to tell you, Glen Ashton, Duke of Somerset, you haven’t a notion what you are talking about.” She shook her head at him during the movements of the waltz and added, “I have quite a few suitors already, but I want none of them. So what then, Duke, what do you say to that?”
“We shall see,” was all the answer he was going to give her.
* * *
The waltz came to an end, and he stood back and sighed to watch her go off with Reinhart, who had been impatiently waiting in the wings to claim her.
Ah, Felicia, he thought despondently. When she looked at him like she had just done, he almost believed there was something more than infatuation in her eyes. Love was elusive. He didn’t used to believe in love. Lately, Felicia had made him hope …
Hope was a dangerous thing. Her infatuation would pass as soon as her interest was locked elsewhere. He had wanted her to have her pick of men, and as he looked at all the puppies following her about, he knew that had been accomplished.
This sent him further into his despondency.
* * *
Felicia walked out of the ballroom in search of a moment’s quiet, and as she meandered into the Waverlys’ drawing room she gasped.
Scott was just getting off one knee, and Felicia squealed and then joyfully exclaimed, “Oh, I am a wretch to have walked in on you! I knew that Scott had applied to your father, dearest, but I did not realize … oh, do forgive me … I was looking for a little quiet …”
Becky came forward and shoved her hand out in front of her. “We are engaged!”
Felicia hugged her fiercely. Scott had told her that he had applied to Becky’s father for permission to marry Becky and that the squire had heartily agreed.
“We must tell Daffy at once. She will be overjoyed—”
“No, Felicia. This night is yours. Ours will come,” Becky said softly. “Now go on … you had better get back before people come looking and find us all huddled here.”
“Yes, yes, of course, you need some privacy,” Felicia said and hugged them both before turning on her heel and hurrying out.
* * *
Becky waited only long enough for her friend to leave before saying, “Now, I am off to dance with the duke.”
“Are you, precious?” Scott asked, not unreasonably, considering he had rather thought she would remain a bit longer at his side, “Why?”
“Because, dearest, I adore Felicia, but she does not seem to know just how to manage her own affairs, though she thinks she does. Neither does the duke, you see, and this nonsense has gone on long enough. ’Tis time someone—namely me—handled it … him … her.”
He took her hand and led her down the hall and back to the ballroom. She spied the duke chatting with some friends and, with a wink at Scott, moved off towards her prey.
“Dance with me, Your Grace,” she said softly to him as she pulled on his sleeve for his attention.
“With the greatest of pleasure … ah, a waltz,” he said and smiled fondly at her. “This, however, will be our second dance of the evening. Are you not concerned about the gossipmongers?”
She laughed. “Poor dears, might as well give them something to chew on.”
He took her hand and led her onto the floor as she got her words and thoughts in order. She had to speak without offending, without overstepping. Could she? Facts needed to be presented to him in such a way as to make him see that his present course would end in heartache for himself as well as for Felicia. Did he not see that? No, of course he didn’t’. He thought he was being honorable … How could he when he had already been dishonorable with Felicia? This almost made her giggle at herself. Felicia had confided about her night with the duke, which of course happened when neither knew who the other was.
Finally, she said, “I have come to know you … and Felicia very well.”
“Y-y-es?”
“Enough to understand that she knows her own mind … and heart.”
“Yes?” he answered with a question, a frown descending over his handsome face.
“I know her, really know her, and it is next to impossible to move her from a goal once she has set it.”
“Your point, my dear?”
She almost stomped her foot but managed to keep her thoughts in line and continued, “My point, well, she will choose her own husband when she is ready to do so, and she will never marry anyone she is not in love with, and as of this moment, she is in love and has made her choice.”
“What are you saying?”
“Thick, you are so very thick, Your Grace. How can such a knowing man can be so blind? She doesn’t want any of the puppies constantly showing up at Waverly. She doesn’t want Reinhart. She has had her pick for quite six weeks now and has made her choice.”
He seemed to blanch under Becky’s intense gaze. It appeared he was worried and that her words had made him think Felicia might actually be in love with someone else. He said, “Who is it? How is it I have not been told about him?”
“Oh my word! Can it be that you really don’t know?” Becky was, in fact, flabbergasted.
“I am not sure that—”
“Stop it! Listen to me now, for it is evident you have not been listening to her! She knows her mind. She is not infatuated but in love, and your present course will ruin two people with one fell swoop!”
The waltz over, Scott came up to them to claim Becky’s hand. She looked over her shoulder as she walked away and glared at the duke.
* * *
Ashton was still staring after them when Felicia appeared at his side and remarked, “Such a dreadful frown!” Felicia giggled. “Who has annoyed you now? Surely not our Becky?”
She had watched the two twirl around the floor, and while she had not been quite jealous, she was certainly curious, especially now watching the duke’s flitting expressions.
He smiled down at her, caught her ungloved fingers, and took them to his cheek and held them there a moment for all the world to see. He didn’t care. In that moment, all he wanted was his madcap, his love, near and touching, even through the material of her lace gloves.
“Becky didn’t annoy me. She made me look into myself … into you,” he said softly.
“Has she? And what, my beloved guardian, did you see?”
“That she has asked the band to play another waltz, and that I am going to claim your hand for it.”
“Oh, but how can you? It would be our third waltz. You will set tongues on fire.” Felicia laughed openly at the notion.
He took her waist and hand and began to lead her into the steps of the waltz and bent to tell her, “You know, I love your eyes. I have from the start … they speak. Even when your lips are sealed tight, your eyes say so much.”
“And what are they telling you now?” she whispered.
“I see myself in them,” he answered, and his voice was a caress.
Tomorrow, she thought would be another day. Tonight. She would always have tonight … and the night she had spent in his arms in his bed. Would that she could spend another such night … forever!
~ Thirty-One ~
LORD WAVERLY EYED
his lady as he helped her out of their town coach and said in an undertone, “He is going to put up a fuss, and then when she finds out what we have done, she is going to put up a fuss—two of them, fussing, and I don’t like fusses.”
He turned to his coachman and told him, “Sorry, ol’ boy, we shall probably be about twenty minutes or so.”
Daffy sighed as she took her husband’s arm. “The trouble is, Freddy, you are right. You are always right.”
He patted her hand. “Dearest heart, don’t fret then. We’ll muddle through.”
“Shall we? Shall we muddle through and stand by and watch my brother make a mess of this entire business? Felicia is with him right now with his solicitor. His guardianship is at an end as soon as they sign the necessary papers. What then?”
At that moment, a young man came dashing out of the duke’s house just as they were about to knock. He stopped, mumbled something incoherent in the way of a greeting, and told them that his life was at an end. So announcing, he dashed past them, down the steps, and along the avenue out of sight.
“That was young William,” Freddy said on a frown. “Seems a bit … distracted.”
“Oh no, Freddy. My brother cannot have refused William of Hartford’s courtship of Felicia?” Lady Daphne wailed. “William is an earl and wealthy, so wealthy. If my brother doesn’t mean to have her, and I am beginning to think he doesn’t, then he must not stop all these wonderful suitors from courting her.”
They went inside and were led to the library, Freddy muttering about keeping well out of it as things had a habit of sorting themselves out. His wife said she wished this were true, and then a most charming vision met their gazes.
The duke was seated by the fire in a leather-bound chair, a folded document in his hands. At his feet, Felicia in a gown of dark blue velvet was comfortably leaning against his chair and perusing a fashion plate and reading the duke a lecture about something. Daffy was too stunned to hear over the din in her head.
“Daff!” Felicia said, looking up at the newcomers. “Finally, you are here. Good. I must tell you what this brother of yours just did. I am so embarrassed.”
“Never mind,” the duke said on a frown.
“He sent poor William of Hartford off. Told him he wasn’t fit to stand up to a waltz with me, let alone court me,” stuck in Felicia, ignoring the duke’s warning look.
Daffy eyed her brother. “Yes, we saw the poor young man as he dashed out of here. Said his life was over.”
“I do not think that is true, do you?” the duke countered ruefully. “Besides, he is no more than a puppy. How dare he come here after only a day after Felicia’s ball and declare himself!”
“Glen—” Daffy started to object but was pinched by her husband.
“Hush,” Freddy whispered to her. He eyed his brother-in-law and said reasonably, “Can’t go about insulting bloodline like Hartford’s, you know. Will cause your sister … discomfort.”
“Oh, as to that … well, what is done is done,” the duke answered. He ran a hand through his locks and got to his feet. “I’ll ring for coffee.”
“Felicia,” Daffy said, ignoring this. “Come sit with me on the sofa, and then we will return to Waverly. My brother’s guardianship is at an end, but you know Freddy and I wish you to remain for the season … or even longer. I love having you at Waverly.”
“You are wonderful, and I thank you so much. I would love that.” She peeped at the duke, “Tomorrow, I will be one and twenty, and do you know what that means?”
“What?” three people said at once.
“Freddy has promised to tell me … as his birthday gift to me, why he doesn’t like Reinhart,” Felicia said on a laugh.
“I didn’t say that, puss, and you know it,” Freddy returned affectionately.
“You said you would think about telling me when I am old enough to understand. So, tomorrow I will be old enough.” Felicia smiled brightly.
Scott appeared in the doorway and said, “Flip—there you are. Have you forgotten?”
“Forgotten what?”
“The balloon, girl, the balloon. We can stop by Becky’s and collect her and still make it on time if we leave now,” Scott explained.
“Oh faith,” Felicia said and ran towards him. She turned to the duke. “Do you come?”
“I think not,” the duke said.
She stomped her foot. “You must … you said yesterday that you might.”
“I find that I cannot,” he said quietly.
She put up her chin, made her farewell, picked up her cloak, and left with Scott.
Freddy turned to the duke and said, “I have never known you to be a fool.”
“I am not being one now. You must trust me in this.”
~ Thirty-Two ~
WAVERLY HOUSE WAS built, furnished, and designed with modern fashion in mind. Every room was decorated with style, elegance, and good taste. Felicia, however, meandered from room to room as she found on this, her twenty-first birthday, that she could not achieve comfort anywhere. She was restless. She was anxious. She was worried, and she was desperately in love with a man who put the proprieties first.
She had wanted him, for these past six weeks, to fling those proprieties to the wind and declare himself, but he had not. Even yesterday after they had signed all the documents that would make her a free woman on this, her birthday, he did not take her into his arms. She was heartsick and determined to be so.
She had to believe that he loved her. She had seen it in his eyes and, even in those early days, had heard it in his voice. But here it was, her birthday … and where was he?
She peeped in at the study and found Freddy.
She liked this room. It was a man’s room, warm and cozy with comfortable furniture. Yes, she would stay in here with Freddy.
She plopped on a deeply worn leather winged chair facing him and said as he eyed her doubtfully, “Go on with whatever it is you are doing. I shan’t bother you.”
He eyed her in some fascination, and she knew that was because this was Freddy’s private domain where even his beloved wife did not intrude. He had set down his quill, but as Felicia appeared to settle down with a book, he picked it up again.
Only a brief moment or two went by before she advised him conspiratorially, “I am hiding, you know.”
He eyed her and asked, though seeming to regret it as soon as the words were out, “Why? From whom?”
“From Daffy,” she answered happily.
“Ah, yes. I adore my Daffy, but one must hide from her at times,” he agreed.
“It is my birthday today. She has been fussing over me without giving me leave to breathe,” Felicia further advised him.
He shook his head. “A fusser … is my Daff.”
“She wants me to go out with her this morning, but I am determined to stay here,” Felicia confided.
He sighed heavily and gave up whatever it was he was doing, and Felicia beamed at her victory as he asked, “Why?”
“Because I am hopeful … well, I think perhaps …”
“You are waiting for the duke to pay you a call,” he finished, tapping his nose as though to emphasize that nothing got past him.
She clapped her hands. “You are a knowing one, aren’t you?”
“In this case, one would have to be blind,” he answered with a warm smile. “Fond of him?”
“Yes,” she said solemnly.
“Well, I believe he is here now,” Freddy said quietly as he got to his feet.
The duke stood in the doorway, and Freddy said, “I shall leave you two for a moment, as I have just remembered that I need speak with my lady.”
So saying, Freddy was gone.
* * *
Lady Daphne heard her brother’s voice as he parted with Freddy and closed the study door at his back. She hurried forward, towards the study, but Freddy took her hands, pulled her to him, and said, “No, my dear, leave them be for a moment.”
“Them?”
“Yes, Feli
cia came into the study while I was trying to get some paperwork attended to.”
“You mean she was in there with you? Whatever for?”
“Hiding from you.” He chuckled.
“But why?”
“Didn’t want to go out. Wanted to wait for the duke,” he answered her.
“Yes, but we weren’t expecting Glen.” Evidently puzzled by this, Daffy frowned.
“No, but he is here,” he said patiently.
“Yes, but what is going on?”
“Don’t you know, dearest? You are usually more knowing than you appear to be right at this moment.” He held her hand and pulled her along. “Come on, then, I fancy we should prepare some champagne.”
“What? At ten in the morning?”
“Precisely!”
* * *
Inside the study, the duke stared at a vision in green velvet. She sat on the winged chair, with her dusky curls tied high and bouncing long to frame her piquant face. Her green eyes glowed with wonder as she waited for him to speak. Her cherry lips beckoned as they always did. She was everything he had ever wanted.
He couldn’t, mustn’t botch this.
This was the moment …
She saw him enter and close the door and sat perfectly still, then bopped up and moved from the winged chair to the dark leather sofa and sat watching him.
He was everything she had been aching for, this vision of a giant, this man in superfine dark blue coming towards her. He was her world, and she put out her hands in welcome.
He clasped them, and she said, “So, you are here at last.”
“Happy birthday, brat,” he answered, taking her hands and sitting beside her without letting either hand go.
She giggled and kissed his bare knuckles as he held her hands. “I knew you would come.”
“Did you? Do you know why I am here?”
“Tell me,” she answered.
“Because I cannot contemplate a life without you in it. Because my bachelor days were done the moment you appeared, because I love you with all my heart …”
He took her into a crushing embrace, and his mouth covered hers as his tongue joined and sealed the truth of his words.