There was a beat of silence and then… “That logic makes no sense.”
Joseph felt his lips curve upwards.
“Miss Wallace.” This was a male voice, likely the butler. To think they were having this conversation when he was still present. “Should I ask the Duke to leave?”
Catriona sighed so heavily it nearly rattled the walls. “No, I will see what he wants. Thank you, Francis.”
“Of course, Miss.”
Joseph stepped away, quickly moving back to the spot the butler had left him. Seconds later, the man appeared, his features pinched with disapproval, but Joseph hadn’t expected Catriona to be right on his heels.
“You’re still here,” she observed, her voice tinged with surprise.
“I am. I wished for us to go for a promenade.”
She blinked. “Why?”
Joseph frowned, a little taken aback by her bemusement. “So that we may spend time with each other. And so that others may see that we are courting.”
“Is that necessary in our case?”
For some reason, her questions bothered him. He hadn’t expected her to blush and accept immediately, but he certainly hadn’t expected this level of hesitation. Almost as if she did not care to be in his presence which grated his nerves.
“Yes,” he clipped.
She studied him for a moment then nodded. “Very well. Please allow me some time to fetch my parasol and bonnet.”
She walked away before he could respond. Joseph watched her go, feeling warring emotions gather in the center of his chest. Lord Heaton had said that Catriona was frustratingly independent and that she always thought herself to be right. He’d left out that she was also remarkably capable of making a man feel rather inconsequential.
Her heart was about to explode. It had to. That was the only logical outcome of her heart pounding so erratically against her chest.
All because of the man she walked beside.
It was her third time at Hyde Park since coming to London. The first time was in the first week she’d arrived, and Ava and Maisie had begged Frederic to take them. She’d enjoyed the fresh air and nature-filled surroundings but found herself desperately missing the quiet peace she enjoyed in Scotland. There were too many people, a lively hum of chatter constantly buzzing in her ears. The second time had been when Ava had dragged her to go horseback riding with her in Rotten Row. But Catriona had never cared much for horses—and had only learned to ride because she thought it expected of her—so she’d never cared to go back.
Now here she was, returning to Hyde Park during a fashionable hour, on the arm of a handsome gentleman. And everyone was looking.
The Duke ambled along as if he didn’t notice the attention they were receiving. Or he was simply so used to it that it didn’t bother him. But Catriona was not used to his attention. She’d been so convinced that she was meant to play a background role during the Season, only seen when she wished to be seen, that suddenly becoming the subject of everyone’s curiosity unnerved her.
“You seem tense,” the Duke observed suddenly, startling from her thoughts. “Are you uncomfortable being here with me?”
“Being here, yes,” she answered honestly. She tried not to look around too much, knowing that she was bound to catch the eye of a curious passer-by.
“Do you not enjoy walks in the park?”
“I enjoy walks in my garden. To the river even more. But being in a public park is not a relaxing time for me.”
“Ah, I see. You do not like being in the public eye.”
She nodded, happy that he understood so easily. Perhaps being married to him would not be so bad. She wouldn’t dare entertain any thoughts of love, but it was comforting to know that they could at least have a proper conversation without sniping at each other.
“You will have to overcome that soon.”
Catriona looked sharply at him, unable to hold back her scowl. The handsome, infuriating Duke of Irvin, her future husband for God’s sake, only looked back at her.
“I don’t have to do anything,” she countered. Maybe she was getting worked up over nothing. Maybe he only said it with good intentions.
But then he followed up with, “If you expect to be a proper duchess, then you will be expected to be in many social situations, whether hosted by you or not, so an introverted lifestyle won’t suit you any longer.”
