Lord Kentrow gave her one more smile. “We’ll see one another again soon, I’m sure,” he said. “Thank you for the pleasure of your company today.”
“Good day to you, Lord Kentrow.”
The Duke didn’t speak until he was gone. Then he turned to Edwina.
“Lord Kentrow?” he asked.
“A friend of my brother’s,” Edwina said. “I don’t know whether you know him or not.”
“I know who he is, yes.”
“That’s why he came over today. He came to visit with Matthew.”
The Duke inclined his head. “Would you like to come for a walk with me? Perhaps to the city gardens?”
“I’d enjoy that.” She really would enjoy it, she thought. The gardens were lovely, and she knew she owed him an apology for what had happened at the garden party.
She found a maid to accompany them on their walk, and they set off, heading for the city gardens. They traveled some way before either of them said anything, and it was the Duke who broke the silence.
“So,” he said, “I didn’t see Matthew at your house.”
“What?”
“You said that Lord Kentrow had come to see Matthew. But I didn’t see him there.”
“Oh,” she said.
“Why wasn’t he there?”
“Well, he was there,” she replied. “He’s at home.”
“I see. So, he had just stepped out of the room and left you with his friend—is that it?”
“Why are you asking me this?”
“I’m just trying to make sense of it,” the Duke said. “You say that he was there to see Matthew, but from my perspective, he was there to see you.”
“And would that be a problem if he had come to see me?”
“It would be a surprise. I’m not going to say that it would be a problem, no.”
“All right,” Edwina said, wondering what he was getting at. “I’m sorry you were surprised.”
They walked in silence for a bit longer. They reached the gardens and began to walk through, heading toward the hedge maze at the center. Edwina enjoyed the maze. She had liked it ever since she was a child and had often come here with Matthew and Lavinia. She had many fond memories of playing around the maze, though she hadn’t done so in years.
They paused at the entrance. “Shall we go in?” the Duke asked her.”
“I would like that, Your Grace.”
He started in, walking right past her, not even looking at her.
She frowned and hurried after him. “Your Grace—is something the matter? You seem upset about something.”
“I’m not upset,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out what’s going on between yourself and Lord Kentrow, that’s all.”
“There’s nothing going on between us.” This was what had him acting so strangely? “He came over to see Matthew, that’s all.”
“And yet I find him alone in a room with you.”
