Yes, she would accept kindness, because falling in love with this Silver Duke, despite Fiona’s schemes otherwise, would only lead to heartbreak. If he was determined never to marry, thenshe would have to settle for something less than marriage if she wished to be with him.
No matter how deeply she could grow to love the Duke of Bromleigh, she would never accept becoming his mistress. It did not matter that she might crave to be held in his arms every night for the rest of her life. To be at his mercy, a mere bauble for his amusement, was a fate worse than spending her life as a drudge at Northam Hall. No, she would never be with any man who had the power to toss her away with the promise of a few coins to ease his conscience.
“You did brilliantly, Lady Cherish,” Reggie said when they finished going through the first round of steps.
“You made it easy for me, Lord Burton,” she replied, genuinely pleased he approved of her attempts. “I cannot thank you enough. I was so afraid to make a fool of myself, especially at tomorrow night’s formal soiree.”
“You shan’t, I assure you.” He glanced over at his uncle, but quickly returned his attention to her. “I shall claim at least one dance from you. Perhaps two, if it is permitted.”
He bowed over her hand and kissed it gallantly.
She heard the duke softly growl again.
Had Fiona told Reggie about her plot to match her and the duke?
Because it truly felt as though Reggie was having jolly good fun playing the role of attentive beau. After ignoring her for the past three days, she had to question his sudden interest in her. It was not possible for him to be infatuated with her.
Fiona must have let him in on her plans and he was joining in with hearty approval. That was all it could possibly be.
But what if his sudden notice of her was real?
No, there had not been the hint of attraction between her and Reggie until supposedly this very moment…and the way Reggiekept sliding glances at his uncle was telling. Yes, he had to know of Fiona’s plan.
Cherish now felt caught in the middle. But she could not weaken toward the duke so long as he held to his conviction of never marrying. Did she not have herself to think about? And had the duke not insisted that he wanted her for his nephew?
Cherish shook her head. It was all getting a bit too complicated for her. She decided to simply go along with whatever was happening and do her best to get to know Reggie. Time would reveal how everyone’s plots were to play out.
Reggie cleared his throat. “I plan on going for a morning ride tomorrow, Lady Cherish. Would you care to join me?”
Honestly, had Fiona primed him?
She smiled sweetly. “What a coincidence that you should mention riding. Unfortunately, I am afraid of horses. Your uncle was going to help me get over my fear.”
“He was? How splendid of him, but not at all necessary. Allow me to assist you. I’ll attend to it, Uncle Gawain. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time. Perhaps you ought to sleep in late, recover from today’s strenuous activities.”
Cherish covered her mouth to prevent a strangled laugh from escaping her lips. She masked it with a quick bout of coughs.
“How in blazes is a picnic strenuous?” the duke grumbled, now striding toward them and looking not at all pleased.
She stood between the two big men, feeling the flames of defiance shoot back and forth between uncle and nephew.
But she silently cheered, for Reggie was not spineless after all. Good for him.
As for the duke, he appeared as stoic as ever. However, there was something in his eyes…could it be jealousy?
No, impossible.
Yet as silent and unmoving as he was, she could not help wishing he would be a raging ape on the inside. Bouncing offwalls. Tossing chairs. Wildly jealous and beating his chest while grunting,Mine. She is mine.
“The riding lesson is not important,” she said, dismissing her fanciful notion and addressing these two before they came to blows over her. Well, that was also ridiculous. These men were family to each other and hardly likely to come to blows overher.
However, they were challenging each other, and she did not like to be the one creating a split, no matter how harmless, between these two. “I am always going to be afraid of horses, and that will not change. Why don’t you two go off together for a morning ride? I’m sure tomorrow will be a lovely day for it.”
The duke cast her a soft look. “No, let my nephew help you out. He has an excellent way with horses. In truth, he’s much better around them than I am. You’ll be in good hands with him.”
Reggie glanced at his uncle in surprise. “Thank you. I never realized you thought so.”
“I should have told you more often,” the duke admitted, and Cherish realized he had taken her earlier words about being kinder to Reggie to heart. “How about we all share a lemonade on the terrace before retiring upstairs to ready ourselves for tonight? What does Fiona have planned for us after the musicale?”
