“My apologies, Mother, but I have already promised Madeline,” Lavinia interjected.
She felt her mother getting upset, but she’d rather have that than be with Lord Windham and his questioning eyes for the rest of the day.
“That is all right, Lady Crawford,” Lord Windham said calmly. “There’s plenty of time for Miss Fitzroy and I to continue our conversation later.”
She watched him bat his eyelashes at her. She felt an unpleasant chill run up her spine, and she quickly averted her eyes.
However, a troublesome gentleman stood behind her, and she was irritated with herself for forgetting.
The Duke chuckled softly, apparently delighted by her mounting dismay, and she sighed. Frustration flared in her chest. She wished to run from the gardens and hide in her bedchambers, where she could write letters and behave as she normally would on such a day.
“Where are we going?” Peter asked as Madeline grabbed both his hand and Miss Fitzroy’s, then proceeded to tow them across the garden.
“There are too many people here,” she huffed as she pulled them to a stop in front of the mouth of the maze. She lifted her head and squinted at the tall, green shrubbery. “When was the last time you got lost in there, Lavinia?”
Miss Fitzroy shrugged. “I don’t know. I tend to stick to the pathways or stay inside, where I can do a bit of writing.”
Peter was intrigued. “You mean you have this maze but never take the time to appreciate it?”
Miss Fitzroy turned to stare at him but said nothing.
What is she thinking?
“Should we race to the other side?” Madeline suggested in a childlike manner. While she was one-and-twenty, the child inside her had thankfully never left.
Peter had never seen his sister as happy as she was when she was with Miss Fitzroy. There was a sparkle in her eyes that was absent when she was not with her friend.
I am just glad I get to see her smile. I am glad she brought me along with them.
And Peter was glad, truly, for standing beside his unusually gleeful sister was a lady who piqued his interest.
He could not help but steal glances at Miss Fitzroy. She was awfully different from the lady who had found him half-dressed in his room last night. There was a glow in the air around her that kept him looking at her. His heart skipped a beat when he heard her laugh. He was attentive every time she spoke. Therewas something that drew his attention to her, and when he was gazing upon her, he honestly did not want to look anywhere else.
“Well, I do not think that would be a particularly promising idea, Madeline. Especially since it is your first time,” Miss Fitzroy said, worry lacing her voice.
But Peter knew his sister very well, and she was not the kind to back down when discouraged.
“That is the challenge, Lavinia!” Madeline exclaimed, almost jumping like an elated juvenile.
Peter could already sense Miss Fitzroy’s disinterest, but he could forgive her for being less than enthused by the idea of skipping through the winding maze because she already knew the correct path.
“Don’t you think it’s unfair that you’re competing against Miss Fitzroy? She’s already memorized it anyway,” he commented lightly, not wishing to crush his sister’s spirits.
Madeline’s smile faltered. “Well, that is a shame. I would love to race you, but I know you would just let me win,” she said, disappointed.
“Or I could just lead you through it,” Lavinia suggested.
Madeline’s eyes widened at the suggestion, as if agreeing that it was actually a great idea. “I would love that,” she said.
A heartbeat later, the trio entered the maze.
Peter stared at Miss Fitzroy, who seemed unsettled. He already knew how this was going to end up.
CHAPTER 6
The maze was the part of the estate where Lavinia used to hide when she was a little child, but that seemed a long time ago. As soon as they were surrounded by tall, thick green walls, she slowly lost confidence in herself.
But it was too late to back down now that she had already claimed to have memorized the maze by heart. She did not want to seem incapable in front of the Duke. Although he was not someone she would want to impress, her ego would not allow him to see her embarrassed once more.
