I turned, and the servant quickly opened the door for my exit. I did not wait for Miss Wood, but I heard her footsteps following behind, out the door, and down the steps.
Their gentle pitter-patter stirred my nerves, tightened my shoulders. She wasn’t even that close, and yet, I knew exactly where she was. Perhaps all this running about had worn me down, and I was catching ill. In truth, I was decidedly out of practice dealing with women, especially after ... well, they werealluntrustworthy, the lot of them, and Miss Wood was unnerving to say the least. Unnerving because I should not care about her at all. She’d dug her own grave, so to speak, after cavorting with that man in public. I should not give a second’s worth of worry to her comfort. Indeed, I should keep her a few paces behind all night.
The carriage door swung open ahead.
Gabriel poked his head around with a stupid grin that quickly vanished at what I could only assume was seeing Miss Wood trailing behind me.
The fact that she was a stranger hit with full force. A beautiful, very distracting stranger I was supposed to be dear friends with. On pretense, I was supposed to know her rather intimately, at the very least enough to invite her out with my family.
Even more reason to keep my distance from her. She’d already proven herself dangerous to the good, honorable men of theton. For the first time I fully understood why. Who knew what she was truly capable of looking as she did tonight?
Not that she could harmmyreputation. The thought was laughable. If anything, I could further harmhersif I wanted to.
Did I want to?
I started to consider ...
No! No, of course not. No. I was not the sort of man to take liberties, and certainly not where this woman was concerned. I was after awife, and Miss Wood was the last woman fit for the dukedom. A country girl with terrible standing. All she had was a respectable brother and likely a decent dowry that was of little consequence to me. No, I needed an equal. Someone who knew what it was to bear responsibility, who’d been trained to run several households at once. Someone who could navigate Society, offer relevant advice, keep our family at the top.
“You didn’t say she wasbeauty personified,” Gabriel whisper-seethed from within as I approached. “Gads, man, I would have put on more scent!”
“Morescent?” Maggie snorted. “Gabriel, you have single-handedly solved the Thames’s stench with the level of scent on your person.”
Lips decidedly pursed, I stopped at the steps laid by the carriage door.Drat, now what do I do? Turn round and help her up?I could let the groom do it—shouldlet the groom do it—and wait outside until she situated herself. Otherwise, she might think me amiable. And that, I most certainly refused to be.
I stood as still as a statue, unyielding. Waiting.
Perhaps she’d let herself up.
I should most assuredly offer my hand. I would for anyone else. Why not now?
Because I am the Duke of Marlow, I reminded myself. And I would not be cowed. Not by anyone.
Miss Wood stopped beside me, and the groom looked to me for direction.
If I gave her my hand, she’d take it, and we’d be on our way. If I didn’t, we might be standing out here all night.
I fisted both hands. Dash it all.
“Smile,” Miss Wood said in a voice that was somehow both soft and sharp at the same time. “And help me up, won’t you, my friend?”
My jaw tensed. Who did this little woman think she was, orderingmeabout? I glanced down at her, and our eyes met. Hers, the clearest, golden-green. That had been a mistake. Then she smiled up at me, and it didn’t feel like one of Maggie’s forced smiles. It was full and genuine. Filled with excitement and a vulnerability so rarely seen in London.
It was a compelling smile. Alluring. So much so that my gloved hand raised of its own accord for hers.
The light pressure of her fingers on mine seared through me, though it lasted less than a second as she took one, then two steps up and into her seat on the bench beside Maggie.
I breathed in her wake. Apples, certainly, for I was suddenly aching with hunger as I followed her inside.
“Introduce us to your friend, won’t you, Marlow?” Gabriel smirked, gnawing on his bottom lip as he eyed her.
I did not know what Gabriel got up to in the evenings beyond our shared excursions to the Club, and judging by how he interreacted with women, I did not want to.
“Miss Wood,” I said as I sat. “May I introduce my cousins—Mrs. Margaret Drexel and Mr. Gabriel Brennan. They are brother and sister. Cousins, this is Miss Wood.”
Maggie’s lips twitched ever so falsely. “NottheGeorgiana Wood from the papers?”
Miss Wood held Maggie’s gaze as though to gaugeherreaction to the recognition. If she was affected by all that had been purportedly written, she was a professional at hiding it.
