‘Lotte, would you like to come and sit on my lap?’ asked Emily.
The little girl nodded. ‘Yeth.’
Emily pulled her up onto her lap, wrapping her arms tightly around her as Lotte snuggled deep into her embrace. She’d barely settled when her eyelids began to droop.
‘Poor love. You are exhausted.’ Emily ran her fingers soothingly through Charlotte’s hair.
‘We all are,’ muttered Freddie, foolishly wishing he could be taken into Emily’s arms right at this moment.
Emily’s gaze shot to his, her eyes full of suppressed laughter. The look was like a punch to the gut; it left him winded and off balance. She’d never looked at him like that; her eyes usually expressed extreme disappointment in his very existence, something close to loathing. Right in this moment, he could almost think that she liked him. She dropped her gaze back to the child and he thought she whispered, ‘Poor Freddie.’ Although he couldn’t be sure.
Regardless of whether she had spoken his given name or not, it appeared his body was falling even harder for the perfect Miss Hawkins, which was an unmitigated disaster. He didn’t need this as well today, especially after the time they’d all just experienced. Even as he told himself he was being a fool and an obvious one at that, he was unable to tear his eyes away from her slender fingers as they held on to his niece.
A throat-clearing from close by was what finally broke his stupor. He’d completely forgotten the duke and Emily’s mother were still in the room with them. He looked up. The two of them had moved closer while he’d been gawking at Emily. Tobias was still clutching the dresses, and Emily’s mother was fluttering just slightly behind him, opening and closing her mouth like a fish as she searched for something to say.
‘We will find a way to repay you, Miss Hawkins,’ Tobias intoned, still with none of his usual brusqueness apparent.
Freddie felt his jaw swing open. He quickly clamped it shut. It wouldn’t do to show such obvious signs of shock in front of company; he understood the rules of being a duke’s brother even if he didn’t always follow them. But really… he hadn’t heard Tobias speak that fluently in years, if ever.
‘I understand you like to read,’ his normally taciturn brother continued. From his position on the settee, Freddie saw Emily’s mother’s lips thin at the realisation the most eligible bachelor on the market was aware of Emily’s more academic pursuits. God, how he despised this woman; the way she spoke to her daughter was appalling. Although, now that Freddie thought on it, how did his brother know Emily enjoyed books? Was he paying attention to her in the same way that Freddie was? Not that Freddiewaspaying her specific attention; it was only that he was aware of her most of the time. Because she was his nemesis. But she wasn’t the duke’s enemy, which could mean that he was paying attention to her for different reasons. Gah, he was making himself sick with all this thinking.
‘I have an extensive library here,’ continued Tobias. ‘You are welcome to visit at any time.’
Freddie nearly fell off the chair.
Mrs Hawkins’ mouth fell open before her whole demeanour changed. She looked rather like a cat who had spotted a bird strutting around the garden without a care in the world. Her spine straightened and her eyes gleamed as a small, sly smile touched her mouth and something tight gripped Freddie’s sternum.
Emily’s lips rounded in a silent ‘oh’. Her gaze swung to her mother and she straightened slightly. ‘I would be honoured, Your Grace.’ Her tongue darted out and she licked her top lip and Freddie thought he might be sick. Of course, a duke would be a good match for EmilyHawkins, far better than Baron Mothchild, and Emily was perfect in every way and would make an ideal duchess. That being married to his dour brother would destroy her feisty spirit would be neither here nor there for her mother, who would undoubtedly push for the match. The woman was clearly as desperate as all women in the Ton to be acquainted with his oldest brother and this connection would be exploited unless Emily married someone else. Freddie suspected Emily would now be in the duke’s library daily, whether she wanted to be there or not.
The room had descended into silence in the wake of Emily’s acceptance of Tobias’ invitation, broken only by Charlotte’s gentle sucking of her thumb.
‘I fear trying on dresses is probably beyond Miss Dashworth this morning,’ said Emily eventually.
Tobias nodded briskly, appearing to have used up his speaking ability for the day.
‘Perhaps you could come round this afternoon,’ Freddie suggested. Rationally, he knew he was being ridiculous, but Tobias was meeting with… actually, he wasn’t sure with whom Tobias was meeting. Either he hadn’t listened or he hadn’t been told. The important point was that if the duke wasn’t going to be here, Freddie wouldn’t have to witness Emily flirting with him. Not that Freddie cared, obviously. Emily and Tobias could get married and have a whole bushel of children as far as Freddie was concerned. He just didn’t want to be around to witness it because… because…
‘I’m afraid we have…’
‘Emily would be delighted.’
Emily and her mother spoke at the same time, painfully contradicting one another.
A faint, pink flush stole across Emily’s cheeks, and she dropped her gaze to focus on Charlotte, but it did little to hide her embarrassment,because, from this angle, Freddie could see the very tip of her red nose. Mrs Hawkins didn’t suffer from the same fate.
‘Unfortunately, I am engaged to visit with my daughter and her in-laws, but Emily will be pleased to come.’ Emily’s fingers twitched, the only sign that she had heard her mother speak. ‘Of course, she will bring a chaperone.’ Mrs Hawkins’ laugh was as false as the feathers on her dress.
No doubt that chaperone would be instructed to find Emily and the duke in a compromising position, so it was just as well his brother would not be here. Despite that, Freddie looked at Tobias, trying to communicate the danger with his eyes, but his brother wasn’t looking at him. Instead, Tobias’ gaze was fixed on Emily. Perhaps it was a figment of Freddie’s imagination, but it looked as if his brother’s eyes had softened as he stared at the young woman. A serpent writhed in Freddie’s stomach, trying to force its way to his chest.
‘Well,’ said Emily, shifting Charlotte in her arms, ‘we had better take our leave if I am to return this afternoon.’
Emily half stood while turning and in a move not one of his brothers had perfected, placed Charlotte on the settee behind her without waking her up. Her slender fingers passed over the sleeping child’s face; Freddie was fairly certain Emily was as enamoured with Lotte as everyone who made the little girl’s acquaintance.
While Tobias showed the two women out, Freddie watched over Charlotte. He adored his niece, would travel to the ends of the Earth to make her happy, would throw himself in front of a moving carriage to save her life, but it hadn’t escaped his attention that looking after her was easiest when she was fast asleep.
He was up and moving as soon as he heard the front door close. He signalled to a maid. ‘Please keep an eye on her until I return. If she wakes prior to that, come and inform me immediately. I shall be in the duke’s office.’
His brother was just settling behind his desk when Freddie entered. The deep frown on his face was not encouraging.
