Evan stood up and inclined his head. “It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Viscount.” The two of them had made small talk about matters in the House of Lords for the better part of an hour.
The older man was visibly nervous around the duke, but Evan had to admit he still possessed good breeding and sound judgment when it came to matters of politics. He had endured worse conversations by far.
The housekeeper came into the drawing room as the viscount left, most likely to act as chaperone. Evan noticed the woman currently standing at attention was a different one from her chaperone on their dates. Perhaps the older woman was the real Penelope’s maid.
Joanna sat down in the chair across from him. “I didn’t think I would see you again, Your Grace,” she said as she poured tea for both of them. “To what do we owe the honor?”
“I wanted to see you again.” He still wasn’t sure if it was wise that he was here, in this ruined manor. Everything around him told him to run while he still could.
No doubt, the drawing room was the most presentable room in the house, set up for the occasional guest. But it was still barren and shabby. The upholstery in the chairs was worn down and slightly ripped in one corner, and the table needed to be polished and re-stained.
Very little decorated the walls except for fading wallpaper and two still-life paintings that looked amateurish in nature. He would not be surprised if Joanna herself had painted them as part of her education.
If this was the state of the drawing room, then he shuddered to think about what the rest of the house looked like, strategically hidden from prying eyes behind closed doors. Even his butler and housekeeper had more lavish living conditions than this.
He kept his expression schooled as he drank the tea from the plain china mugs and tasted the tea cakes, which were acceptable, but plain compared to what he was used to. “How are you, Miss Thorne?”
“I am quite well, thank you.” She looked at him warily. “I must tell you again how truly sorry I am for my part in the deception. It was wicked of me, and I hope to correct any harm my actions have caused you. Please do not hold my actions against my family.”
“I am not here to seek retribution. I assure you, I am quite unharmed.” He tried for a smile, but he was sure it looked more like a strained grimace. He was never skilled at looking pleasant on purpose.
She frowned. “Then what reason could you have for calling on me?”
“If you recall, at the gallery, I proposed that we would court for the remainder of the Season to keep suitors away from you.”
She lowered her eyes. “Yes, I remember. The real Lady Penelope would have been most grateful for such a generous offer.”
“I am not interested in Lady Penelope, however. It was you who caught my attention. I would like to alter that proposal.”
She looked up at him, looking curious but still quite wary. “I must admit, I am intrigued, Your Grace.”
“I want to publicly court you for the remainder of the Season. I am not looking to marry, but it will give me an excuse to stop going on dates with other ladies of theton.”
He had gone out for tea with Lady Katherine Preston three days ago, just as he had told his grandmother he would. The date was bland and unmemorable. Lady Katherine had been polite, of course, but she seemed just as uninterested in his company as he was in hers.
They had met at the same tea shop he had met with Miss Thorne. Unlike Joanna, Lady Katherine Preston was the picture of grace as she sipped her tea. “The weather has been nice today,” she had offered by way of conversation.
“Indeed,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have so many sunny days in a row. I’ve had the pleasure of taking many walks in the garden.” He reached for the tea pot a little too suddenly and didn’t miss how she flinched away from him, putting her hands in her lap.
The young lady tried to cover it up with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh, I do love walks in the garden. I particularly enjoy the scent of roses this year. Do you have a favorite flower?”
The stilted and strained conversation continued until the date ended, with a half pot of tea and a full plate of scones left on the table. Her relief was ill-concealed as she left with her chaperone and he was relieved to retreat back to the comfort of his manor.
If he spent the rest of the Season attempting to date young ladies who wanted nothing to do with him, then he would surely go mad.
“Are you not worried about your reputation?” She asked. “Even coming here today risks you being associated with us.”
“Perhaps those so-called risks would hurt other dukes. But not someone as powerful as I. I enjoy your company.” He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her for the past week. It was like she had a magnetic pull that drew him to her. As the days went on, his concerns about being associated with the Viscount of Clifford started to feel more and more trivial. But he would not tell her that. “I am prepared to make this arrangement beneficial to you, too.”
She frowned. “I am not sure what you mean.”
“For every date you go on with me, I will compensate you. I will sponsor you for the Season and gather dowries for you and your sister.” It felt crass to offer to pay her, and he felt ashamed of it, but the state of the house was proof enough thatthe scandal sheets were not exaggerating about the Thornes’ financial straits.
Joanna didn’t need a suitor, not really. She needed money. He was willing to provide her with as much financial compensation as she required if it meant she accepted his deal.
She didn’t look insulted, as he had feared. Instead, she looked thoughtful. Her brow knitted in confusion. “Why me?” she asked. “Why would you go through all of this trouble for me?”
He didn’t know how to describe it. How could he tell her that he could not get her beauty out of his mind? Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her mischievous smile. As he fell asleep, it was too easy to recall her scent as he leaned in to kiss her at the gallery. She haunted his dreams and plagued his thoughts when he was awake. All he knew was he wanted her by his side for the rest of the Season. But he could not say that. So instead, he arched an eyebrow in her direction. “I want you because a hawk never backs down from the hunt.”
