“I would be happy enough to go,” Edwina said because it was the truth. The idea of a day out of the house spending time with Lord Kentrow was more than just tolerable, it was downright appealing. It would mean a day away from the watchful eye of the Duke, and that was something she badly wanted.
“Well, that’s wonderful.” Lord Kentrow sounded delighted. “I’ll make the arrangements.”
It seemed the Duke had been listening, for now, he spoke up from across the table. “Are you intending to go out on your own with no chaperone, then?”
Edwina was furious. How dare he interfere like this in her business? “It’s no concern of yours if I am,” she said.
“But of course I wouldn’t dream of taking a lady out without a chaperone,” Lord Kentrow assured with a smile. “I’m sure your brother would be only too happy to accompany us.”
Of course, he would. Edwina knew that. Matthew wanted to see a proposal here, so he would do whatever it took to facilitate that. Thinking about it in those terms made her want to go on the promenade less than she had before because shewasconcerned about giving the wrong impression. But at a certain point, Lord Kentrow simply had to take responsibility for his own perceptions. She hadn’t promised him anything, and she’d made no secret about who she was or what she wanted in life. If he had failed to understand those things, there was very little she could do about it.
“Perhaps it would be best if a group of us went into town on this promenade,” the Duke suggested, his eyes on Edwina. “Perhaps it would make for a fun excursion, and everyone would have a good time together. You wouldn’t object to that, Lord Kentrow, would you?”
“Oh, certainly not,” Lord Kentrow said. He smiled again. Edwina usually found that smile charming, but at the moment, it irked her. Didn’t the man ever stand up for himself? Didn’t he ever have anything to say on his own behalf? Or was he so determined to be easygoing that he would simply agree with whatever anyone else said? If he wanted time with her, surely, he shouldn’t be so amenable to someone else joining them.
She reminded herself that she was not supposed to want him to want to be alone with her. She was supposed to keep him at arm’s length. In fact, she ought to consider it a good thing that more people would be joining them at their promenade. Itwasa good thing.
There was only one thing that wasn’t good about it, and that was the fact that now the Duke would be with them. She had looked forward to this promenade as a way of putting space between the Duke and herself, but that opportunity was lost. He would be right there. He would probably spend the whole time in her company, trying to speak to her…she wouldn’t get a moment’s peace.
Or worse yet—what if he ignored her altogether? That shouldn’t be worse, and yet it was.
“It’s a wonderful idea,” Lord Kentrow said. “I’m so pleased you brought it up, Your Grace. We’ll have that much more fun, won’t we, if we go as a group?”
“I think so,” the Duke agreed. He sipped his wine. “Now, I hear, Lord Kentrow, that you’ve been spending quite a lot of time with our unattainable spinster lately.”
“Lady Edwina is a delight,” Lord Kentrow said. “As I’m sure you know yourself from the time you spent in her company. Tell me, have your five dates come to an end?”
“They have indeed,” the Duke replied. “She’s all yours now.”
“Excuse you,” Edwina objected. “I belong to no one, Your Grace.”
“Of course not. Heaven forbid anyone should try to take possession of the unattainable spinster.”
“Well, if anyone ever did, it would be because I’d fallen in love,” Edwina said. “It certainly wouldn’t be because I’d been charmed against my will or maneuvered into marriage by someone who thought himself more clever than me.”
Lord Kentrow looked from one of them to the other, confusion etched on his face.
“I never expected this of you,” the Duke said.
“You never expected what?”
“To hear you talk of love like this,” he replied. “I would have thought you more sensible than that.”
“I see—you thought me too sensible to talk of love.”
“Well, there must be some reason you’ve dedicated yourself to a spinster’s life, and we all know that it isn’t because you’re unable to attract the attention of a gentleman,” the Duke said. “But perhaps I misunderstood you. I thought it was your choice, being alone as you are.”
“It is my choice.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps you simply waste your time in pursuit of something that doesn’t exist.”
“You believe love doesn’t exist, Your Grace?” Lord Kentrow asked. “I daresay I have experienced it myself.”
“Maybe you have. I wouldn’t know. What I do know is that ladies have an unfortunate tendency to seek fairy tales. I must say, I did believe Lady Edwina was different, but perhaps she isn’t. It would go a long way toward explaining why she has remained a spinster all these years, wouldn’t it? Because we know the trouble isn’t that she can’t catch a gentleman’s eye. She was the diamond of her season. She could have had any gentleman she fancies, but she chooses to be alone. Why? Perhaps because she doesn’t understand the true nature of love, and so has passed it up when it has been offered to her in the past.”
Edwina was fuming. “You’ve no idea what I do and don’t understand about love, Your Grace,” she informed him coldly.
“Well, I know that you are a spinster. How much can someone know of love who has never experienced it?”
