“I bloody well nearly begged Wellington to let me go.”
“I don’t think he wants our entire family in danger. You know it would crush Mother.”
Derek nodded solemnly. “Take care of yourself, Collin.”
“I intend to, and I intend to bring Adam back with me. For Mother.”
“Thank you,” Derek said softly.
Collin shook his head and changed the subject. “Speaking of Mother, seems you’re about to make her a very happy woman indeed. What’s this I hear about you courting a lady? Marriage and children in your future?”
Derek laughed a humorless laugh and turned to face the windows. “Ah, yes, my courtship. It’s going about as well as the search for Swifdon and Rafe, I’m afraid.”
Collin arched a brow. “Really? Courtship is not your strong suit, Your Grace?”
Derek gave his brother a warning look. “Don’t call me that.”
Collin barked a laugh. “I’d have thought that gaining such an illustrious title might have helped you attract a bride.”
Derek pushed back in his seat and breathed a long sigh. “I’d have thought the same thing… until I met Lady Lucy.”
“Lucy? I thought her name was Cassandra, something.”
“Oh, the lady I’m courting is named Cassandra. The lady who’s causing me no end of trouble over it is named Lucy.”
Collin poked his tongue into his cheek. “Lucy, eh? Careful, Your Grace, you sound as if you just might be enjoying the trouble.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lucy had been relegated to the back of the carriage like an unwanted maiden aunt chaperoning on May Day. She jostled along as the conveyance bounced through Hyde Park, giving the footman, who was clinging to the back of the thing, a commiserating smile every once in a while. Cass had given her strict orders. “Please don’t say anything too, too rude. I shall attempt to make my intentions clear myself this time.” Cass had given a firm nod.
Lucy had reassured her friend. “I’ll try, truly. I’ll do my best. And I have complete confidence in your ability to handle the duke.”
“It may be best if you remain silent.” Cass bit her lip. “If he invites me to do anything else with him, I’ll be firm.”
Lucy nodded. “Understood.”
Cass gave her friend a bright smile and a tight hug. “Oh, Luce. WhatwouldI do without you?”
“You’d probably end up married to a duke.”
They’d both laughed, but their laughter had been cut short by the arrival of the duke himself. He’d entered the drawing room, as handsome as usual, and managed to keep a smile on his face even when Cass announced, “I would feel ever so much better if Lucy joined us.”
For her part, Lucy managed to keep a perfectly innocent look on her face. The duke accepted the pronouncement with as much grace as His Grace could muster. “As you wish.”
Lucy and the duke exchanged fake smiles before Lucy took her place in the second seat of the phaeton. The groom jumped up into his position and they were off before Lucy had a chance to finish tying the wide bow of her bonnet beneath her chin.
As the conveyance bumped along the dirt road toward the park, the duke and Cass talked about the weather, the Season, Society, and the latest amusements at Vauxhall Gardens. Lucy kept her mouth tightly clamped the entire time, not particularly interested in the conversation, until the talk turned to the war.
“Did you lose many friends in battle?” Cass tentatively asked the duke as the coach made its way through the impressive iron gates of Hyde Park. Lucy turned her head to listen, precariously perched on the seat behind them.
He replied with one nod. “I did. Too many.”
“The man I… have feelings for. He was there,” Cass admitted.
Lucy’s heart wrenched for Cass.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” the duke continued. “Did he make it home safely?”
