Theo resisted the urge to grimace. If only the world could see how dangerous love truly was. He straightened, exchanged the necessary pleasantries with the Duchess and her daughters, and turned to the Duke of Wildmoore.
“Duke,” he said, bowing once more.
“Come, come,” Wildmoore beckoned, a faint smile lifting the corners of his mouth. “No need for formality among family.”
Theo crossed the room, noting the frailty of the elder man, the slight tremor of his hand upon the cane, and the way his shoulders stooped despite his will to stand tall. The sight stirred something unwanted in him—a hollow ache he could not name.
“Your estates are prospering, I hope?” Wildmoore asked.
“They are, Sir. My land in Kent has yielded well these past years, and my ventures in shipping have been fortunate.”
“Good, good,” Wildmoore said, his voice tinged with approval. “A man must keep his hands steady on both plow and ledger.”
“Wise words, Sir.”
He spoke with ease, yet a part of him stood apart, observing the easy warmth in the room like a man pressed against glass, unable to step inside.
They spoke a few minutes more, a genuine exchange, before Theo moved back to where Lady April stood waiting.
She lifted her hand toward him with an almost imperceptible arch of her brow. “Will you walk with me, Your Grace?”
“It would be my greatest pleasure.”
He offered his arm, and her gloved fingers brushed his sleeve as they strolled toward the tall windows framing the gardens, where moonlight scattered across the lawns.
“I did not tell my father about you until this morning,” she said after a pause.
He glanced down at her, taking in the stubborn tilt of her chin. “Why?”
She smiled faintly, her eyes tracing the distant silhouettes of trees. “I did not wish to raise his hopes—not when I might yet change my mind.”
Something cold twisted in his chest. He kept his voice measured. “You are entitled to your liberty, Lady April.”
She met his gaze, searching, weighing. “And you, Your Grace? Will you offer me the same?”
“I do not intend to seek another bride,” he said quietly. “You are my choice.”
Her fine dark brows furrowed slightly, her eyes gleaming with something he could not name before she masked it with a smile.
“You are remarkably stubborn,” she observed, nudging his arm lightly with her own.
“It is an occupational hazard for dukes,” he murmured, feeling an unfamiliar pull low in his chest.
“And here I thought it was pride,” she teased, her lips curving as she met his gaze boldly.
“Pride is merely a side effect,” he said, stepping just close enough to make her lift her chin higher.
“If you keep standing so near, Your Grace,” she said, feigning a whisper, “someone might think you like me.”
“Let them think what they will,” he murmured back, catching the way her breath hitched ever so slightly.
For one reckless moment, he nearly reached out to tuck the unruly chestnut curl from her brow, his fingers itching to touchher. But he checked himself, curling his hand into a loose fist instead. The temptation was growing stronger—and that was dangerous.
Lady April laughed lightly, stepping back with a playful glint in her eyes, and Theo found himself momentarily dazed by the sheer light she carried around her.
Before he could say something foolish, the butler announced dinner, and he took Lady April’s hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow before leading her out to the dining room.
The Duchess immediately took charge of the conversation as they all sat. “Your Grace, where are your estates located?” she asked, beaming as the first course was served.
