“Oliver. Surely we are on first name basis at this juncture.”
“You certainly are but I am not sure it is proper in any situation to refer to a non-related duke by his given name.”
“Yes, you may be right except I give you leave to use it in private. I think you are right about being tired. I meant what I said, Lilli. I meant every word. I also mean it when I say that being as distracted as you were today is dangerous. You could have run into a fox den, or badger. You may have fallen and been unable to get home. Finding you would have been a challenge if you were too far away. Your wellbeing is not to be dismissed. Itis paramount that you take it into consideration at all times. Do not put yourself in jeopardy again.”
His imperial attitude incited her anger. “I said it was an accident. What do you want from me? Am I a gypsy? Can I know the future?”
“I require assurances that it is an accident that will not be repeated.”
“Yes, fine. If it will get you gone,sir, I give you my word.”
He stood briskly. “Good. We understand each other. I shall go now. Tell Lady St. Matthews I apologize for not taking my leave of her.”
“I’m sure she will understand.”
Before the tall stately gentleman took his leave of Lilli, he turned back at the doorway. “Broken promises have consequences. Remember that, my darling Lilli.”
The duke hesitated as though he wanted to do something but after some consideration, he decided against it. Watching him leave the room and then hearing the resounding echo of the heavy wooden front door closing, signaling his exit, should have brought her relief. His presence was strong in any room he was in and not to be ignored. Instead of making her day lighter, she felt a weight descend. She found herself longing for him to take over parts of her tasks as he had offered. At the very least, coddle her some. He possessed a powerful personality and an arrogance—no, confidence, to go with his entitlement. He was master of all he surveyed and today that had included Lilli. And dammit, she liked it.
The next week was filled with mundane tasks and enjoyable time spent with Lady Elizabeth visiting close neighbors after their last dinner party attendance. It had taken quite a while before Lilli had been able to do this very thing. Her memories were so traumatic of the carriage ride home after visiting with her mother But with patience and perseverance, hergrandmothers had been able to entice her to go with them with several armed footmen.
Regardless of her grandmother’s advanced years, she was often agreeable to socialize and required Lilli to attend in most cases. On the days she was not, it was up to Lilli to represent the estate and family. Such was the case of the larger dinner party she attended, given by her friend Lady Mary Margaret Downing’s parents. Lady Elizabeth did not often stay away from home these days, and Lord and Lady Downing lived a distance away.
Most others had friends or family nearby or lived nearby themselves. Lilliana did not. Therefore, staying the weekend was to be expected. Lilli would spend the night before and after the party because she and Mary Margaret were close friends and had been for years. It was perfect. Until she found that Mary Margaret’s brother had been at Eton with Oliver. They were going to spend the weekend with several other men from their Eton days.
“Mary Margaret, has the duke spent weekends with you before?”
“The duke? It’s possible. Point him out to me again?” Lilli did very discretely. “Yes, several years ago, I believe. When I was preparing to go to London, he came and visited. Is that a problem?”
“No, I just had never seen him when I visited you. It was idle curiosity.”
“Nice try. There is never anything idle about you or your interests. Do you fancy him?”
“No. Of course not. Besides, he is now the Duke of Weston. Completely above my station in life.”
“Poppycock. You are very well set in the ton, if you would only embrace it. Any man would think himself fortunate to gain a wife such as yourself. The daughter of an Earl andgranddaughter to two Marquesses. Who here can be of better heritage?”
Lilli squeezed her friend’s hand instead of hugging her, which was her first desire. “You are always good for one’s ego, my lovely friend.”
“Thank you,” she said with a smile, “but that isn’t going to get me off the subject of you taking notice of His Grace.”
“I recently met him and just wondered about him. I find he lives rather close to me if I do not take the public roads.”
“Convenient.”
“No, it is not. Well, not necessarily. Grandmother has taken a liking to him, and I must say I believe she is influenced by the duke’s late father.”
“I see. Well, I think we should spare some of our attention on him, discreetly. It might be fun finding out what these gentlemen are up to.”
“No, I have no interest in doing that, Mary Margaret. I want to enjoy my time and cannot if I incorporate him into the mix.”
Mary Margaret pouted. “Pooh. I had wanted to liven our weekend up.”
“Promise me.”
“Fine. I’ll do what I can. If we aren’t to entertain ourselves that way, we might as well mingle and find some gentlemen to dance with us. Mother is having another dinner party in two days. She said she didn’t get to invite everyone to the first one and Father agreed to another.”
“My goodness. I am glad I do not have to organize two in three days. I don’t even have many now, for Grandmother is feeling more frail these days.”
