A Brazen Lady And The Shunned Duke (Faces of Love Series #3) (3 page)

* * *

I
t was
my first official ball with my brother. I had done my best to keep my mouth shut toward the duchess’ remarks. They were, after all, gracious enough to host me. I would not give them the satisfaction of saying who I could and could not associate with, however.

To make my point clear, I scanned the room for Ettie as soon as we arrived at the lavish affair. It was hard to pick anyone out since it was an evening of all white. It was Lord and Lady Newcastle’s daughter’s coming out celebration. She had requested that all the guests dress in white to offset the rose gown of the girl of the hour.

Even with the sea of white, it was easy to spot Ettie with her red hair. I excused myself from the duchess and made my way directly to Ettie. She greeted me warmly and we spent much of the remainder of the evening chatting.

Soon the official dance began. It was no surprise that my dance card was empty; after all, I was new and had hardly introduced myself to anyone. Ettie’s card was also empty of names. She seemed to be fine with this also. We settled ourselves in a small alcove of the dance hall as she told me what she knew of each member of the ton.

We were giggling about a story involving a horse and the Duke of Gaffton when I felt the presence of an addition to our company. I turned to find my brother standing before us with another gentleman at his side.

He was a much older gentleman than I’d expected. I would have guessed at least my brother’s age. He was also very thin and sickly looking, with thin yellow hair pulled back tightly. He was also shorter than my brother; I would say my height, if not a little less. He gave a very dramatic bow when he saw that I had noticed the two of them.

“Scarlett, this is the gentleman that I spoke of before. I wanted to be the first to introduce you. This is his Lordship Gavin Stuart Earl of Milford.”

We both bowed politely and he gave another unnecessary bow in return. I then introduced him to my friend Ettie.

“I am not sure if you remember, Lady Henrietta, but we have met before. In fact, I might humbly say it could have been quite a memorable memory. How funny that rhymes.”

“I don’t think it can rhyme, Lord Milford, if you are simply saying the same word,” Ettie replied.

“Oh really, hmm,” he seemed to be lost, pondering this for a minute. Ettie and I exchanged glances. “Oh well,” he finally waved it off. “We met at your own coming out. I danced with you.”

“Yes, I do remember,” Ettie replied.

“Many say I am very light,” he lifted up to his toes and back down again, “of foot,” he finished dramatically.

I did my best to force a laugh, thinking it was a joke. I then realized he was being completely seriously and did my best to hide it with a cough.

“I was wondering if I could share with you, Miss Scarlett, my superb abilities.”

“At dancing?” I asked worriedly.

“Of course she would love to take this dance with you,” the duke chimed in. “In fact, take a full set.”

There was nothing that could be done after that. He was the duke, and my brother to boot. I couldn’t refuse after he’d so clearly insisted upon it. I did my best to force a smile and allowed Lord Milford to lead me out to the parquet floor.

Lord Milford looked comically serious as we danced, as if he was doing his best to show off his effortless skills, despite the fact that I caught him counting several times. I did my best, though, just to smile politely and look elsewhere when I felt the urge to laugh at his ridiculousness.

“The Duke of Bellingham has told me much about you. We are very close friends, you see,” Lord Milford said as we took a turn.

I had been hoping that I wouldn’t have to talk to him at all. I thought maybe the concentration of the dance would keep him from speech, but I was wrong. “Oh is that so,” I said half heartedly.

“Yes, you see, we grew up very close to each other indeed. It was I, in fact, that introduced him to the duchess. She is my younger sister, you understand.”

“Oh?” I said, actually intrigued by this bit of information. “I had no idea.”

I was scouring his sunken face now for any resemblance between the two of them. Not even an ounce of his looks resembled those of the duchess. In addition, she was so stiff and proper and he was so unknowingly ridiculous.

“Yes, well, she is actually my sister by marriage.”

“Oh, that makes more sense,” I replied.

He gave me a questioningly glance.

“I just mean, I couldn’t see any family resemblance between the two of you,” I corrected myself.

“Ah, yes. Well she isn’t blessed with the handsome physique that comes with the Stuart name. I don’t often brag about myself, but when I do, it is the accurate depiction of my ancestors that I mention.”

I ran that over in my head a few times. It didn’t really make any sense. This man was utterly ridiculous. I don’t know why my brother would ever think I would agree to marry such a man. Obviously, he had requested this meeting on the behalf of his wife.

No woman in her right mind would ever choose this anomaly of a man. Not even for all the king’s gold or title. She was playing on the fact that I had no title and, in her eyes, in need of one. This would be a benefit for her on both those fields. It would secure a line for her brother, and continue to furnish good connections for her.

I looked over the figure of the man that stood before me as he did a little skip in his step. He smiled, quite proud of his pirouette. I shuddered at the thought of being matched with such a comical man. I couldn’t wait for this set to be over. I would make it clear to the duke that I had no intention of marrying such a charmless creature and hopefully never cross paths with Lord Milford again.

Finally, the set was over. Lord Milford made a big show of taking me over and depositing me next to the duke and duchess, though I had expressly told him that I was previously engaged with Lady Henrietta.

“Well, I know first impressions aren’t the most important, but…” the duchess started, waiting for me to finish.

I took a deep calming breath. “I appreciate all that both of you have done for me, your graces. You have kindly taken me in and have been so willing to help me navigate my way through a new adventure. I, however, feel the need to tell you that, though I am sure Lord Milford is a very respectable gentleman, he isn’t someone I am interested in marrying.”

“Don’t be silly,” the duchess waved me off. “He is perfect for you. He is titled, he has plenty of his own money. There is no risk involved for you. In fact,” she said, hands on her hips, “you should be flattered that a man of his means and title would show any interested in you at all.”

I was doing my best not to flick her nose right there in front of everyone. I took a steadying breath and remembered where I was. “I absolutely agree,” I said, much to their shock. “I am very flattered by his interest. So much, in fact, that I must insist that I aim lower. Thank you for your assistance, but I think I will be fine on my own,” I turned on my heel.

“What are you doing?” my brother hissed. “Everyone is watching and listening. You think you can just walk away angry from the Duchess of Bellingham and not cause a scene?’’

I turned back to face them. For the first time ever, I saw color in my sister-in-law’s cheeks. She was red with anger and huffing indignantly.

“I am not walking away, dear brother. I just need to get some air. I am not used to such extravagant events. The heat of the crowd is causing me to feel dizzy.” I made a point to say all of this with as much sarcasm as I could muster. I turned on my heel for the second time and marched straight across the gawking crowd and out onto the balcony, where I welcomed the crisp night air.

* * *

I
rested
my bare arms against the stone wall lining the patio as I took calming breaths. I should have commended myself for not snapping at them sooner, but all I felt was guilt. He was my brother, after all. I should have tried harder to get along with them, to appease them.

I was looking up at the stars when I was startled by a second person out on the deck. It was still pretty dark outside, despite the light filtering out from the open doors. At first I thought it was the duke coming after me. I soon realized it was just someone else coming to catch some night air. I relaxed a little.

“What are you running from?” a deep voice asked.

I was taken aback by how handsome he was as he came closer to me. He was at least a head taller than myself, and had large square shoulders. Matching his shoulders was his square chin and chiseled facial features. His eyes were the most stunning green color I had ever seen. Complementing them was his bright auburn hair, which he had kept short with playful curls to it.

“Excuse me?” I finally asked in a mousey voice.

He leaned against the wall next to me, setting down a champagne flute. “It is my experience that if a lady comes out to the patio at such a lavish event, it is because she is running away from something.”

“Oh,” I finally said. I was so enamored by him that I was for the first time in my life having trouble speaking.

“I’m not running away, not really. Just came out to get some air. I am new to all of this, you see.”

“You don’t seem that young to be at your first ball.”

“Well, I guess it’s not my first ball. Just such a big one, I guess,” I said.
Why did this guy find the need to eat through every one of my excuses?

He watched me with his emerald eyes, brows raised in unsatisfied question.

I gave a huff of resignation. “I was avoiding my brother and his wife. There, are you happy?”

He gave me a beautiful pearl white grin. “And what, pray tell, did this offending brother do?”

“Probably nothing. I am sure that after a few minutes of reflection I will realize that I am overreacting. It’s just that he’s paired me with the most horrid man I could ever imagine.”

“Paired you?”

“Well, just for a dance. But he clearly wants more to happen than just that dance. Even more irritating, he gave the certain gentleman in question the idea that there could be more between us. I don’t know what words have exchanged between him and our mother, but I am certainly not that desperate.”

“For a match?” he asked, to clarify.

“Yes,” I said, biting my lower lip. “I’m sorry. I know I tend to ramble on.”

“No, it’s all fascinating to me.”

I looked him up and down. I was trying to decide if he was joking or being serious. I decided on the latter. “Well, if you say everyone comes out here to run away from something, what are you running from?”

“Maybe I am running toward something,” he said with a suave smile.

I blushed and looked away. I was pretty sure that he was flirting with me. Men had flirted with me in the past. It had never affected me like this strange gentleman was affecting me now. “How about the truth now,” I said with a cocky raised brow of my own.

He gave a little laugh. “I am actually here with my sister. In fact, if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would come to town at all for the season.”

“Why is that?”

“I suppose I don’t much have the stomach for it. She enjoys it, though, so I do it for her.”

“What a very kind brother you are,” I said sincerely.

“I’m sure your brother is trying to be kind too, just in his own way.”

I gave a huff. “I wouldn’t know. In all honesty, I don’t know him well at all. He is much older than me. He is actually my half brother, you see. I know he thinks he is doing what is best for me. Pushing a match on me when I would rather find my own.” I couldn’t believe how frank I was being with a complete stranger. “I feel like I have to bite my tongue when I normally wouldn’t. That I need to pretend to be someone I am not around him. Then what if I do take his match, either this one or another, it is on these false pretenses of this imaginary person I am trying to be. I can’t be that deceitful, nor can I be so untrue to myself.”

I gave another huff. It felt good to let it all out, even if it did make me sound like a raving madwoman.

“I have some advice for you,” he said, standing to his full height.

“And what is that?”

“It is a story my mother told me. She said when she was a little girl she went to catch ladybugs in the garden of her country home. She struggled all morning long to chase them down, only to have them fly away at the last moment. Finally, she grew tired, and lying down in the soft grass, fell asleep. When she awoke, she found she was covered in ladybugs.”

I thought over his words and the message he was trying to convey. “So you are saying putting in effort is futile and if I just give up, I will have all that I want?”

He smiled at me. “Not exactly. I mean it sounds like you, your mother, and your brother are trying to force something. Maybe you should just enjoy the moment and when you wake you will find you have everything you were wanting and more.”

He bowed politely and turned to leave.