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“Oh, yes… I…” Lord Hayworth stumbled a bit as he glanced down at Lady Darcy. It was clear that he wanted to go with Lady Juliette, but he was too much of a gentleman to abandon the young lady on his arm.

Lady Darcy smiled up at him. Lady Juliette looked expectantly at him.

“What is going on here?” The quiet question made Rose jump, as the Duke of Montagu appeared behind her. His voice was just loud enough for Mei to hear. It was very reminiscent of how the Duke of Bolton had snuck up on her this morning.

How were these damned dukes so quiet and stealthy? They were wearing boots for goodness’ sake! Rose turned and glared at Montagu, who grinned back at her in a decidedly rakish manner.

Oh…

Oh my.

“Lady Darcy, would you like to come with Juliette and me to the folly?” The offer was clearly made out of obligation, and no one missed the fact that he had called Juliette by her given name rather than adding the honorific.

“That is so kind of you to ask, but I am also eager to see the fountain. I am sure the Duke of Montagu will oblige. Your Grace?” Lady Darcy turned her smile onto Montagu, who straightened up and away from Rose.

“Of course, my lady,” he said, his demeanor shifting. The charm was still there, but it was somehow different when he looked at Lady Darcy, even though Mei could not put her finger on why.

She eyed Rose, who had lifted her chin in the air and was studying the bush to their left with an undeserved intensity as the Duke of Montagu moved forward to offer Lady Darcy his arm. Something was bubbling between Montagu and Rose, as surely as there was something between Lord Hayworth and Lady Juliette.

And between the Duke of Bolton and me?

Of course not. Do not be ridiculous.

Rose might be a natural-born daughter rather than a legitimate one, but she was acknowledged and had been raised with her cousins. She had the noble blood running through her veins. It would be a shocking choice for a duke to marry her, but… perhaps that was not Montagu’s intention. In which case, Mei felt he would be disappointed. Like herself, she could not see Rose agreeing to the position of mistress. Both of them were fortunate—neither was in a place where such a choice might be tempting, much less necessary.

As Lord Hayworth and Lady Juliette made their way down the path leading to the folly, Lady Darcy set about charming the Duke of Montagu. Which was also interesting to watch, if not nearly as interesting as Rose’s sudden change in demeanor. Mei wondered if Lady Darcy was happy to have either duke’s attention, but when they rejoined the rest of the party at the fountain, it became clear that Lady Darcy was more intent on the Duke of Bolton.

Personally, Mei could not blame her. He had a much less rakish reputation than the Duke of Montagu, and she could not see Lady Darcy enjoying a husband who did regular rounds of bored widows, ladybirds, and opera singers.

“Lady MarcyAnne,” Lady Darcy said as they caught up to the group, catching her rival’s attention. “The Duke of Montagu and I were just discussing the gorgeous color on these roses. You have quite a bit of experience with creating new colors, do you not?”

Lady MarcyAnne brightened as Lady Darcy was correct. Mei knew that Lady MarcyAnne was a dedicated gardener with an especial love for roses and creating new hybrids. She had not realized that Lady Darcy knew.

But not only did the lady know, she wielded that knowledge like a weapon, expertly slicing Lady MarcyAnne away from the more desirable duke and shifting her attention to the duke Lady Darcy was less personally interested in.

“I am certain Lady MarcyAnne knows the answer to your question,” Lady Darcy said brightly, shifting away so the Duke of Montagu could repeat his query to Lady MarcyAnne. Neatly, she supplanted herself, then moved to join the Duke of Bolton on the side Lady MarcyAnne had just abandoned. He appeared rather bemused at the maneuver but smiled at Lady Darcy as he offered his arm. Mei tried to tell herself that the tingles that moved over her skin were tingles of triumph at seeing her first pick for her client acquit herself so well.

“I did not know you were interested in roses,” Lady MarcyAnne said to the Duke of Montagu, clearly delighted at a chance to talk about something she loved.

“Ah, well.” He coughed, obviously caught off guard but caught in the role of being a proper gentleman. “It is a rather recent interest, to be honest.”

Was it Mei’s imagination, or had his gaze flickered to Rose herself, just for a moment?

“Come on,” Rose whispered, tugging Mei’s arm and drawing her attention away from the Duke of Montagu and back to the duke who was her client. “They’re moving again, and the less time spent with Montagu, the better.”

Putting her chin in the air, Rose started walking after the others, leaving the Duke of Montagu to Lady MarcyAnne’s enthusiastic lecture on rose breeding. Mei allowed herself to be dragged away, both bemused and intrigued by whatever was going on—or not going on—between Rose and Montagu. Despite her interest, her duty was to the Duke of Bolton.

Even though part of her dreaded watching Lady Darcy work her magic now that she had Bolton’s arm.

Walking behind the trio, it was clear that Lady Darcy had taken control of the situation. The Duke of Bolton’s head was turned toward her, and while Lady Darcy was not being rude to Miss Fenley and excluding her, she instead easily held both of their attention. Whatever story she was telling must be particularly engaging because both of them were enraptured, and they both laughed at the end.

Which was good, Mei told herself. Even if for some reason it felt very bad right now.

When the Duke of Bolton glanced over his shoulder and their gazes caught, Mei forced herself to smile and nod at him. Everything was going exactly as it should, after all.

Even if her heart did not agree.

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