“And Father loves it,” Lavinia went on. “First I married the Duke of Loxburgh, and now, you might marry the Duke of Harbeck?—”
“I am certainly not going to marry the Duke of Harbeck!”
“Well, Father thinks you might,” Lavinia said calmly, reaching for a piece of bread. “And you know, I wouldn’t doubt it, Edwina. You never know what might happen. Itcouldhappen.”
“It is not going to happen.”
Lavinia looked as if she might be about to say something more, but before she could, the door to the dining room opened, and a footman entered.
“Begging your pardon, Your Grace, Lady Edwina,” he said. “There’s someone at the door.”
“Who is it?” Edwina asked, expecting another suitor, wondering if she could get away with sending him off.
“The Duke of Harbeck, Lady Edwina,” the footman replied.
Lavinia jumped to her feet. “He’s here! This is wonderful. Come along, Edwina. Oh, I wish you had worn something a little nicer.”
“There’s nothing wrong with this gown!” Edwina objected. “Besides, if I had known that he was coming, I might have worn something different, but he didn’t bother alerting us.”
“Never mind that now, it can’t be helped,” Lavinia said. “Let’s go and see what he’s come to say.
The sisters went out into the foyer. The Duke was waiting there, and he smiled when he saw them.
Edwina didn’t trust that smile, and she didn’t return it.
“Allan,” Lavinia said. “Welcome.”
Edwina gritted her teeth. Why was her whole family on such friendly terms with this scoundrel? She knew that the Duke of Harbeck and Lavinia’s husband were the best of friends, but that didn’t make it any less irritating to have her sister greet the man the way she had.
“Lavinia,” the Duke said warmly, flashing her his signature grin. Lavinia actually giggled.
Then he turned to Edwina. “And Lady Edwina, of course. It’s such a pleasure to see you.”
He grinned at her as well, and Edwina felt a sudden giddiness take hold of her. How she wished she didn’t feel this way whenever he looked at her! It was more than the fact that he was handsome—though he was, desperately so—it was something about the way he carried himself. She could understand exactly why so many ladies had fallen at his feet.
But it wouldn’t happen to her. She was stronger than those ladies and more aware of what he was doing. She wouldn’t be taken in by it.
“Good morning, Your Grace.”
“I wondered if perhaps you would be interested in a promenade this morning?”
“Very well,” Edwina said, knowing this would be the first of their five dates. At least one of them would be over and done with. “If my sister will consent to serve as our chaperone, that is.”
“Of course,” Lavinia agreed. “I would be happy to. Shall we go now?”
They walked out of the house. Lavinia fell behind by a few steps to allow them a bit of privacy. A part of Edwina wished she wouldn’t do that, but another part of her was glad of it. At least now, she would be able to speak her mind to the Duke without her sister overhearing what was being said. She wouldn’t need to worry about Lavinia reprimanding her for her behavior later. And that was a very good thing, because Edwina wasn’t sure she would be able to behave well in the presence of this man.
“Thank you for coming out with me today,” the Duke said.
“I was happy to do it.” Edwina kept her voice neutral.
He looked at her for a long moment, and Edwina felt a shiver pass through her just at the sensation of having his eyes on her.
“You don’t seem happy,” he observed eventually.
“Very well,” she replied. “Since you insist on the truth about the subject, no, I’m not happy. But I can’t imagine that you didn’t know that. You know these dates weren’t my idea.”
“Yet you agreed to come.”
