Claire snorted as they walked to the waiting carriage. “Be careful of this man, Eva - he can wrap any woman around his finger. Even my mother is infatuated with him. She used to make him play the piano and sing whenever he visited. If one is gifted with the voice of an angel, one must use it, she used to say.”
“A woman with exquisite tastes, your mother,” Daniel drawled.
“Or she’s tone deaf with failing eyesight,” Simon added.
“I assure you, Lord Kelkirk, my mother is in full control of her faculties,” Claire snapped, the smile leaving her face as she faced Simon.
Simon’s mouth tightened. Bowing slightly, he said, “Forgive my poor attempt at humor, Miss Belmont. I have little doubt after meeting you that your dear mother is both beautiful and in full control of her faculties.”
Rolling her eyes, Claire ignored him. “I am for London next week and I am hoping to see you there also, Eva.”
“Oh - ”
“She will be there,” Daniel interrupted Eva. Taking Claire’s hand, he helped her into the carriage and once she was seated, he gently shut the carriage door.
“Excellent.” Claire signaled to the driver that she was ready to leave.
Eva’s eyes stayed on the carriage following Mrs. Potter’s through the gates until it had left her sight and only then did she turn to face Daniel.
“We are to leave for London so soon?”
“Yes. We will return for the remainder of the season.” Daniel had a feeling that if she hadn’t thought it an unseemly display, his wife would have stamped her foot in frustration. “You cannot hide here at Stratton indefinitely, Duchess.”
“I am not hiding. I am preparing myself for what is to come.”
Color sat high on her cheekbones as she glared at him and he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her, taste her anger. “An excellent comeback, Duchess.”
“I will not embarrass us both by appearing countrified, your Grace, therefore I would beg a bit more time to learn the role I must play.”
“No.”
He just used the one word but it was enough to have her expelling a breath loudly and then turning to stomp back inside without speaking another word.
“You handled that well, Stratton.”
“I would not be one to criticize, were I you, Kelkirk. I have never seen Claire take such an instant dislike to someone as she did with you.”
“She is thankfully not my wife. I have never known you to be so ham-fisted with a woman, Daniel. You weren’t joking when you said you needed help conversing with your duchess.”
“I am not ham-fisted, I am merely trying to get my wife to London and unfortunately I am going to need a firm hand to do so.”
“She is a timid, wee thing, yet finding her backbone, I believe.”
The two men headed toward the stables.
“I found her out riding, in breeches of all things, and she was careening recklessly over the countryside. My duchess definitely has a backbone.”
“Lord, tell me you didn’t take her to task over it?”
Daniel’s silence was enough to have Simon tsking.
“Go to hell, Kelkirk!”
“Just reassure her, Daniel. Tell her she will be safe once there and she will come about.”
Daniel pulled several leaves off trees as they walked. Crunching them in his hand, he released the fresh scent into the air. “I have done that and she has acknowledged that she will go, but her last words tell me she wants to prolong it as long as possible.”
“Well, just don’t bully her,” Simon supplied.
