Last Night with the Duke

by Amelia Grey

  “They have no designs on Sara and Vera, and you know they don’t. They will continue to treat them as if they were their own sisters.”

  “Well, as with this blasted rash I have on my face, I can do nothing about it.”

  Griffin reached over and closed the window. He spread the draperies wider to allow more sunshine to come through. “Auntie, you know you can trust me to take care of my sisters.”

  “Oh my, yes, I can trust you”—she looked up at him with tired eyes—“to tell me only what you want me to know.”

  “Your rash has done nothing to dull your sharp tongue. Very uncommon for one who has been so ill. Now would you like me to help you back over to the bed?”

  “That’s what I have a maid for. You can ask Harper to come up on your way out.”

  “And that sounds as if you are dismissing me, so I’ll say good-bye.”

  He reached down as if to kiss the side of her forehead that was clear of the rash, but she held up her hand to stop him and turned her head away.

  “Are you off to the park?”

  Oh yes. He wanted to see Esmeralda. “I thought I might as well look in on my sisters and see how Miss Swift is handling them.”

  “Yes, I thought you might. I took it upon myself to tell the cook to have a picnic basket ready in case you happened by. They’ll be wanting refreshments by the time you get there.”

  “You are always one step ahead of me.”

  “I try to be. Now, be off with you. Don’t tarry long or you might miss them.”

  Griffin sauntered out of his aunt’s room. He wasn’t worried. If he missed them in the park, it didn’t matter. He would find them walking home. He didn’t intend to let the day pass without seeing Esmeralda. There was something about her that just made him feel good and eager about life again.

  Chapter 15

  Do be on guard at all times. You never know who might be watching you.

  MISS MAMIE FORTESCUE’S DO’S AND DON’TS FOR CHAPERONES, GOVERNESSES, TUTORS, AND NURSES

  It was the warmest temperature London had seen in months. Days of gray and rain had finally ended. The dry air felt fresh, and smelled fragrant. Spring had finally arrived. Esmeralda walked into Hyde Park with a smile on her face. The twins were on her left, Josephine with Napoleon flanking her right. A few wispy white clouds scattered across a brilliant blue sky. Trees, shrubs, and bushes were beginning to show their vibrant green coat of new leaves. Cool breezes lingered in the air and fluttered the pale yellow and pink ribbons on the twins’ parasols. Heat from the sunshine made it an absolutely lovely day for a stroll.

  Though the Season hadn’t officially started, the park was buzzing with pedestrian, horse, and carriage traffic. There were conveyances of all sizes and shapes rolling along the pathways and the open spaces. Milk wagons, peddlers’ carts, and fancy coaches all mingled together in the park. Families, couples, and gentlemen on horseback littered the landscape as far as she could see. Children played, couples walked side by side, and groups of people sat on blankets, enjoying refreshments, chatter, and the beautiful day.

  Lady Sara’s and Lady Vera’s dispositions were much improved from earlier in the day. They chatted excitedly to each other as people passed them. Gentlemen doffed their hats and ladies smiled with nods of friendliness. The twins didn’t seem to mind that they had to stop once in a while for Napoleon to scratch and sniff the ground. They twirled the shafts of their parasols in the palm of their hands and kept watching and talking. Seeing them, no one would know many harsh words had passed between the sisters in the past few days. They appeared such loving and happy young ladies. And they were most of the time, but they could also be unkind to each other.

  Esmeralda had found it was best to awaken early so she could have Josephine dressed, fed, and working on her studies before the twins were up and ready to begin their day. On her first morning, everything had gone quite nicely until Lady Sara and Lady Vera had walked into the drawing room shortly after noon dressed exactly alike, challenging Esmeralda to identify them by name. Her vision might as well have been blurred. She couldn’t have said for sure who was who if someone had been holding a loaded pistol to her head and threatening to shoot her if she got it wrong.

  Over the past three days, the sisters had argued about the silliest of things as far as Esmeralda was concerned. They would get into squabbles over who could read the fastest, who had the finer embroidery stitch, and who could curtsy the lowest. They even had a spat over who was going to play the pianoforte first. That had ended rather badly with a shouting match that escalated into Lady Vera pushing Lady Sara off the stool.

  Earlier in the day when Esmeralda had heard the two quarreling over the placement of ribbons in their hair she knew she had to do something drastic before she shot one and drowned the other. For the love of heaven! What did it matter if a ribbon was moved half an inch to the left or the right if it was at the back of your head and you weren’t going out for anyone to see it anyway?

  The duke’s sisters were in need of something to entertain them—other than each other. Esmeralda knew that in a few days or a few weeks she couldn’t change the habits they’d developed over eighteen years. Though, if she were going to be with them longer, she might be tempted to give it a good try.

  The day was gorgeous, so she gathered her courage and sent them to ask Lady Evelyn if she might take them for a walk in the park. Thankfully, their aunt had readily agreed to the idea.

  Not long after they entered the park, Lady Vera found a rather stout but short limb. She asked Josephine if Napoleon would fetch it if she threw it as far as she could. Josephine wasn’t sure because it wasn’t a game they had ever played. After a short deliberation, the trio decided to put the Skye Terrier to the test. They watched, laughed, clapped, and cheered when the short-legged dog went running after the stick and promptly came back carrying it his mouth. Esmeralda wondered if it was a dog’s instinct to chase after a stick or something that was thrown or if Napoleon’s previous owner had taught him to play that game.

  Lady Sara quickly lost interest in the merriment and walked over to Esmeralda. “I’m looking forward to our first ball, but I’m quite anxious about it too.”

  “Why is that? You will be one of the most beautiful and charming young ladies there, and not to mention one of the most sought after too.”

  “I know,” Lady Sara managed to say without sounding boastful. “I can’t wait for it to get here, but when I think about dancing with a gentleman, my stomach starts feeling like it has a ball of knitting yarn in it that’s jumping around and won’t be still.”

  “That’s just excitement and nerves,” Esmeralda reassured her. “After the first dance, you’ll be fine.”

  “I’ve never actually danced with a man. Have you, Miss Swift?”

  “No,” Esmeralda answered, sounding a little more wistful than she’d intended. She wouldn’t be dancing at the ball, but she was looking forward to watching all the beautifully gowned ladies being twirled across the dance floor by splendidly dressed partners.

  “Our dance tutor was a woman,” Lady Sara offered. “She was very good. Auntie Eve assured us it will be different when a man is our partner and he takes our hand and leads us through the steps of the waltz or when we hold hands and make a canopy for the other dancers to sashay underneath.”

  Esmeralda thought of the duke’s hand on her cheek, his thumb on her lips. It was as if the breeze had stilled as his warmth enveloped her. Oh, yes. She could attest to the fact that it was a very different feeling when a man touched you.

  “I do hope Lord Henry asks me to dance,” Sara continued. “And I want to be the first lady he asks.”

  Lord Henry?

  Oh, no. This couldn’t be a good thing.

  What was Esmeralda going to do? Maybe Lady Vera was wrong and Lady Sara had no interest in Lord Henry. How had it happened that both young ladies wanted to catch the eye of the same young man?

  She wondered if Lady Evelyn suggested that they b
oth set their caps for the Earl of Berkwoods’ son in hopes one of them would win his favor. Could it be that they both simply wanted him because Lady Evelyn pronounced he was the most handsome? No, Esmeralda quickly convinced herself, that couldn’t be the case. The twins weren’t that shallow. Perhaps it was simply because they were twins. If they looked alike, they probably thought alike and had the same feelings. Maybe it was natural for twins to be attracted to the same man. Whatever the case, Esmeralda couldn’t see this as ending well.

  “I’m sure most of the eligible men will ask you to dance. There should be enough time for you to accept each one.”

  “Auntie Eve said she used to attend balls where everyone danced until dawn, so I should have opportunity to dance with them all.” Lady Sara sighed. “But Auntie said Lord Henry is the one who makes all the young ladies swoon each year, and I really want to know what it feels like to swoon.”

  Esmeralda smiled. She knew exactly what it felt like to swoon. She had thought she might faint when the duke was so close to her she could almost feel his lips on hers.

  “Since you haven’t met him, you know there’s the possibility you will see someone you are attracted to more than the earl’s son. Handsome is not the only thing that attracts a young lady to a gentleman. You’ll want him to be kind, have a good wit, and be affable too.”

  “Aunt Evelyn says he must also come from the right family, have a plump allowance, and not be given to too much wine or gambling.”

  Esmeralda’s spine stiffened. Yes, first and foremost, the right family. How could she have forgotten? That was the mistake her mother had made. Apparently, the twins didn’t intend to fall into the trap of loving a man their family disapproved of.

  “Have you thought about the possibility he may not be ready to marry? At twenty-four, he’s still quite young. I don’t want you to be disappointed if he’s not ready to make a match.”

  Lady Sara frowned. “Oh, but I will,” she said earnestly. “I’m the daughter and sister of a duke. Auntie Eve said I should have my pick of all the gentlemen, and he’s the one I want.”

  Oh, dear.

  If there was yelling and a shove when they both wanted to play the pianoforte, what would happen when they both started vying for the same young man’s attention? That was a road Esmeralda didn’t want to go down until she must. She would hope that one of the twins would be swept off her feet by a different bachelor and avoid the fight that was sure to come if their expectations didn’t change.

  “Look over there, Lady Sara. A crowd is gathering. What do you say we get your sister, Josephine, and Napoleon and go see what everyone is watching?”

  “I think it’s a juggler. Did you bring some coins we can toss to him?”

  Esmeralda smiled and opened the black knitted reticule that swung from her wrist. “I believe I do have a coin or two in my purse. I’ll give it to you and let you take care of tossing it in the man’s hat.”

  “Oh, that would be wonderful, Miss Swift,” Lady Sara said, smiling from ear to ear and taking the coin. “Auntie Eve would never let us get near someone like that. I knew I was going to enjoy you being our chaperone.”

  A few minutes later they were standing on their toes behind about thirty people. They moved from side to side, twisting their heads this way and that, trying to see through the throng to watch a man throwing six balls into the air while another man was off to the side setting up a puppet tent.

  “It’s not fair,” Josephine complained as more people crowded around them. “I can’t see.”

  “We can’t break in line,” Esmeralda told her. “Do you want me to see if I can lift you up high enough to see over their heads?”

  Josephine folded her arms across her chest and pouted. “I’m too heavy for you to hold.”

  “Maybe not. We won’t know unless we try. Here, jump up into my arms and let’s see.”

  Lady Vera took hold of Napoleon’s leash and pulled it from Josephine’s hands. “That’s nonsense. There’s no reason all these adults should stand in front of a child. Come with me, Josephine. I’ll walk you up to the front and find someone to let you stand in front of.” She looked over at Esmeralda, smiled, and in an authoritative tone said, “Napoleon will lead us. Everyone likes dogs. And we won’t be breaking in line; someone will step aside and let us in. Watch.”

  “If you’re going,” Lady Sara said, “I want to.”

  Making a waving motion with her hands, Esmeralda said, “All of you, please go ahead.” She quickly glanced at her surroundings. “I’ll stand over there and observe from that rise.”

  Esmeralda kept her gaze on the twins as she walked the short distance. After they melted into the crowd, she knew exactly where the girls were because of the twins’ parasols. It was fascinating to see how effortlessly the juggler kept the leather balls in the air. But he soon tired out and stepped aside. Then the marionette show began. She couldn’t hear everything that was said, but judging by the laughter and clapping, all were enjoying the puppets’ antics.

  The crowd grew larger as time passed and, unexpectedly, she realized someone had moved very close to her. Someone warm. Comforting. Someone too close. An arm brushed against hers as they clapped. Her body tingled. She knew it was the duke who had come up beside her.

  Esmeralda turned her head and stared up at him. Her stomach turned a slow, easy summersault. Joy filled her at the sight of him. He was so divinely handsome she was tempted to throw her arms around him, hug him close, and tell him how good it made her feel just to see him.

  “Hello, Miss Swift.”

  Pushing all those delicious feminine feelings aside, she asked, “Your Grace, is something wrong?”

  He glanced over the crowd in front of them and said, “Not as far as I can see. Why?”

  She frowned and pursed her lips before saying, “That’s too bad. I was hoping there was.”

  “You’re upset that nothing is wrong?” An inquisitive expression settled on his face. “Why is that?”

  “I was hoping there was something amiss so it wouldn’t feel as if you were here in the park to check up on me.” Her gaze briefly darted to the basket in his hand and the blanket thrown across his arm. “That is what you’re doing, isn’t it?”

  He gave her a good-natured smile. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

  She didn’t want to get caught up in the magical feelings that always assailed her whenever they were talking, so she looked away and gave her attention back to the parasols and puppet show. She would have loved to have been offended by his arrival, but she wasn’t. As hard as it was to admit, no matter the reason, she was happy to see him.

  “Any other gentleman would have denied such a breach in common decency and here you are almost boasting about it.”

  “Ah, but I knew you would have seen right through my attempt to be so noble. So why do it, right?”

  “Still, you could have tried in order to save my feelings.”

  “That’s true. I’ll do my best to be more gentlemanly next time I want to see if you have everything under control.”

  “I will have to give you high marks for being honest about why you have followed us here.”

  “That’s a good sign, at least. Tell me, did the twins come below stairs dressed alike for you this week?”

  Her head snapped around and her gaze caught his. “How did you know? Did you tell them to do it?”

  “Me? No. Believe me, those two don’t need coaxing from anyone to be mischievous. It’s been one of their favorite things to do since they were little girls. Guests of the Griffin family have always been treated to the twins dressing differently on one day and then dressing identical on another. It was probably Lady Evelyn who first gave them the idea. They get an enormous amount of delight out of confusing people about who is who.”

  “The girls did seem to relish seeing me perplexed. Maybe it would have been easier if I were more familiar with them.”

  He grinned. “How did you do?”

  “Quite we
ll, oddly enough. I knew I had a fifty-fifty chance of getting their names right, and luck was with me. I called the right name each time I needed to.”

  “I’m not surprised you were so intuitive, but I bet they were.”

  His praise pleased her. She smiled and remained quiet.

  “Most of our guests would end up being so flustered by seeing double that they wouldn’t try to get their names right. They would just say ‘my lady.’”

  “Unfortunately, I wasn’t given that option.”

  “After you’ve been around for a few more days, you’ll be able to tell them apart no matter how they are dressed.”

  “It’s already getting easier.”

  “Good. They may look exactly alike at times, but they have different natures. Vera’s nature is more forceful and cantankerous. Sara’s sweeter.”

  Esmeralda started to say she agreed completely, but then thought better of it, and simply replied, “But both are lovely.”

  The duke faced her. “Did Miss Fortescue teach you how to be so diplomatic?”

  “No,” she answered with a teasing smirk. “It’s my nature.”

  His smile was natural as he said, “And a temperamental nature it is at times.”

  She frowned. “I’ll ignore that comment.”

  “But you know it’s true. I’m glad you suggested bringing the girls to the park and so is my aunt. And I see you brought Josephine and Napoleon along too.

  “You don’t mind, do you? I supposed I should have cleared it with you first.”

  “I don’t mind. I can see you aren’t neglecting Sara and Vera. They are enjoying the show too.”

  “I think so. Vera showed Josephine how to play throw and fetch with a stick. Napoleon was already quite familiar with what to do, so his former owners must have taught him. And the twins were very accommodating to him on our walk over here. They didn’t get upset when Napoleon wanted to check out every doorway, hitching post, and tree along the way.”

  He chuckled. “Living a protected life at Griffin for so many years, Sara and Vera have had few occasions to enjoy friendships or relatives their own age. It will be good for them to have you as their chaperone. Except for me, my aunt, and the servants, they’ve had only each other to get to know. It’s made them close, but it also, regrettably, causes a fierce competitiveness from time to time.”