Taming the Wild Duke

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

H e had remembered his hat today. And he had ridden Marlin, keeping to a staid pace all the way to the Vonn estate. Simon wasn’t even sure why he was so determined to put his best foot forward. Whatever Lilian had decided…she had presumably already decided it. Showing up with his hair neatly combed wasn’t likely to sway her one way or the other.

He felt as if he had swallowed a cannon ball, and it was just sitting in his stomach, rolling slightly from side to side as he rang the bell and stepped back waiting. I almost wish Munro could be here with me, he found himself thinking. Not that he wanted to be humiliated in front of his friend, but the moral support would have been nice.

It seemed a long time before the door was finally opened by the Lord Vonn’s butler—or was it the coachman? The shaggy-haired man nodded as Simon lifted his hat.

“I’m here to call on Lady Lilian,” he said.

“Yes, she’s expecting you,” the butler said, and Simon felt the ball roll once more. He chided himself for his nerves as he followed the man across the modest front entry and down the hall to the sitting room.

Why do I care so much whether or not she accepts me? he found himself asking internally. If she doesn’t, I’ll just ask someone else. Priscilla Talbot for example. From the way the young woman had been hinting during their dance together, he couldn’t help but guess that she would be far from reluctant to consider a proposal. But when he pictured the two of them trying to figure out a marriage…

He shuddered involuntarily. The idea of marriage separated from the idea of Lilian Weston was plainly terrifying. But somehow, he could see himself and Lilian in such a partnership. Lilian carried a calm kind of maturity about her that inclined him to trust her. And the fact that she wanted to be tied down to a man even less than he felt inclined to fall in love with a woman was like a safety net. They could live side by side and do their best to keep out of one another’s way. Nothing more would be required of either.

Of course, she might sometimes give him the disapproving look she had given him that day at Aaron’s…and he might sometimes react badly. But they would figure things out eventually.

He was yanked from his consideration of this first imaginary fight by the recollection that he might have arrived today only for Lilian to say she would not marry him. He was getting ahead of himself.

What would he feel, he wondered, if she did decline? Relief or disappointment?

He and the butler arrived at the door of the same room in which Simon had proposed to her exactly one week before. Today, Lilian was not seated at her harp. She was standing, her slender form silhouetted against the long windows. Her face was indecipherable as she turned toward him. The long, blue-green gown she wore swished softly against the carpet.

“Your Grace,” she said, dropping a slight curtsey. He returned a shallow bow, trying to keep his uncertainty from showing on his face. “It is fortunate that it wasn’t raining for your journey over today,” she said.

Small talk? Simon wasn’t sure he could maintain his impassable expression if this went on for too long. “It was fortunate,” he forced out.

“Won’t you have a seat?” Lilian offered. “I’ve rung for tea.”

Simon nearly bit his tongue to keep himself from declining the armchair she motioned to and instead insisting that she simply tell him right out what her answer was: yes or no. Then, he would know how to behave. Perhaps he would even know how he felt. Right now, it was all an intensely uncomfortable puzzle. Pulling on his last reserves of polite civility, he sat down in the chair. Lilian perched on the sofa across from him.

She looked across at him, their eyes meeting directly for the first time since he had entered. A maid entered with tea, setting the tray on a marble-topped table to Lilian’s right. Then she went and sat discreetly in a chair by the curtained windows. It was the same girl who had been there when he’d proposed, Simon realized. Annie, wasn’t it?

“I appreciate your patience,” Lilian said, and Simon’s eyes snapped back to her. She was pouring two cups of tea, her hands steady on the delicate china. “This has certainly been an interesting week for me.”

“For me as well,” Simon said stiffly. He accepted the cup she offered him, their fingers brushing lightly.

“I finished Byron,” Lilian said lightly.

Simon blinked. “And what did you think of him?”

“You might change your mind about wanting to marry me,” she said. Her tone was still light, and her face was carefully controlled, almost as if she was teasing him. Simon frowned.

“I haven’t changed my mind,” he said gruffly. Not that he hadn’t had moments of regret, but in that moment, all he wanted was her answer, straight out. “Have you made up yours?”

“Yes,” Lilian said. “It might not be what you want to hear, but I’m afraid I must be very firm on my answer.”

Simon’s heart dipped. She was going to say no. And he was disappointed. He lowered his cup of tea before it could reach his lips.

“I cannot agree to marry a man I barely know,” Lilian was saying. “But I can arrange to get to know him.”

“I beg your pardon?” Simon’s frown stayed firmly in place. What had started out sounding like a resounding “no” now had him confused.

“I’m willing to enter into a courtship,” Lilian said quietly, firmly. “Whether or not marriage follows will depend on a few things.”

“Wait, you’re saying yes?” Simon asked. Lilian tilted her head. The sun was shining brightly through the window behind her, and it glinted on the rich, brown waves of her hair.

“In a manner of speaking,” she said carefully. “I’m saying yes to courtship. Nothing more at this point.”

The cannon ball had magically disappeared from his stomach. He felt the frown follow. A fizzle of excitement stirred in his chest, and he had to fight to keep himself from grinning triumphantly. She had said yes! In a manner of speaking.

“I’m—very pleased,” he managed to say.

“You agree to a courtship then?” Lilian asked, her delicate brows arching. “With no guarantee of marriage?”

“I agree,” Simon said swiftly. Perhaps too swiftly. “It’s a wise course of action. Perhaps what I should have suggested in the first place.”

A ghost of a smile touched Lilian’s lips, and he found he could no longer keep his own grin completely smothered. “The marriage proposal was a bit abrupt,” she commented. “But you seem like someone who likes to get to the heart of a matter as quickly as possible.”

“You noticed me chaffing at the small talk,” Simon commented, and she nodded. The smile steadied, growing a bit more genuine.

“I do the same,” she admitted. “Although I would actually like to discuss Byron with you at some point.”

“Why not now?” Simon was suddenly filled with boundless energy. His nerves had disappeared, leaving a gushing river of hope and excitement in their wake. He was about to enter a courtship with a woman who interested him, a woman who could mend his reputation and squash any rumors that still circulated. His quest had been successful—at least to the first stage. “We could go for a stroll,” he suggested. Then, as Lilian’s eyes widened with surprise, he nodded to the girl in the corner. “Annie can come as our chaperone.”

Just as she had when he had addressed her on his first visit, Annie abruptly popped to her feet and dropped a bashful curtsey.

“Oh, well. All right.” Lilian blinked, and for the first time, Simon noticed her eyelashes. They were dark, even darker than her hair, and long. They swept gracefully down and up, not like the fluttering of coquettes he had dealt with in the past. Then, her clear hazel eyes were once more meeting his without impediment.

“Annie needn’t come, though,” Lilian said. She seemed to gain confidence as she spoke. “Lord Munro should be here in a few moments for Jane. They were going to drive down to the park and walk there. We can…” She hesitated, a becoming blush touching her cheeks. “We can all go together.”

“Very well. Perfect,” Simon agreed. “I’ll ride Marlin down along after you.”

“Is Marlin the stallion you were speaking about to Father at Lord Munro’s tea?”

He was startled and pleased that she had paid attention. “No, that’s Belshazzar,” he said. “Big black beast of a horse. Marlin’s much tamer.”

“Belshazzar,” she said, the word rolling off her tongue. “I like it. You’ll have to tell me more about him.”

While they walked. While they courted. Simon pictured walking with Lilian on his arm, escorting her to dinners, riding with her in a carriage. Talking as much as they pleased about whatever they pleased, just as they had back at Munro’s. He had not expected the prospect to fill him with such joy, but it did. Setting aside his untouched teacup, he stood up. He needed to get out of here before he embarrassed himself.

“I’ll go see to my horse, then,” he said. Lilian rose as well. She looked startled by his abrupt departure, but she nodded.

Simon strode out of the room. He nodded to the butler-coachman as he opened the door for him. Standing on the porch, he settled his hat back on his head, feeling inches taller than he had felt when he stood there only a few minutes before. Aaron’s coach was rolling to a stop at the foot of the stairs. Simon had a feeling his friend would have only to take one look at his face to know what Lilian’s answer had been.

Lilian had never felt quite as she felt on the carriage ride to the park. She sat across from Jane and Lord Munro, but she hardly heard a word they said. She did, however, notice Jane’s meaningful looks in her direction. Jane was so excited, bless her heart.

I’m excited too, Lilian admitted to herself. There was a flutter in her stomach that could only be excitement. But why? Part of her excitement had to do with no longer being the third to a couple. Rather, she would be part of a couple herself as they took their promenade. However, she could not ignore the fact that another part of her excitement had to do with the Duke of Thorne himself. He was unpredictable, surprising her at every turn, and it fascinated her in a way she never would have expected.

If the rumors are true, I had better be careful, she thought, or I’ll end up just like all the other women he’s charmed and abandoned. Immediately, she dismissed the thought as foolishness. She was in no danger of losing her heart to this man. And he had made no pretense of trying to win it from her. He had simply offered a business arrangement, and she had agreed to consider it. And so far, it suited them both.

She resolved to put aside any thoughts of the ton’s rumors and focus instead on what Susan had advised her to do. She would get to know the Duke from the Duke himself. She would be careful, but there was also no reason she couldn’t enjoy herself at the same time.

The carriage rocked to a stop, and Lord Munro’s coachman opened the door. The Lord leaped lightly to the ground and held up a hand to help Jane dismount, beaming at her affectionately. Then, the two of them stepped aside, and the Duke of Thorne loomed in the doorway. He was no longer smiling, as he had been right after she had told him her decision, but somehow, Lilian could still see his pleasure. His green eyes were warm and inviting, and the lines around his mouth were soft. He held his head high as he offered her a gloved hand.

Lilian’s heart picked up its pace as she placed her own gloved hand in his and stepped down from the carriage. And that’s when she was able to put a name to the third emotion swirling within her: pride. She was proud to be seen on a promenade as part of a couple—particularly coupled with such a tall, handsome man of title. And she was a bit abashed to realize it.

You have some classist roots to be weeded out yet, she scolded herself internally. Externally, she maintained a pleasant expression herself as she rested her hand lightly on the Duke’s arm. They fell into step several yards back from Jane and Lord Munro. Jane glanced back over her shoulder once more to give Lilian an encouraging smile. Then, she turned her full attention to her betrothed.

It was a lovely day. Lilian tilted her head back, letting the sun brush her cheeks under her bonnet, and took a deep breath of the sweet, autumn air. Despite the anticipation that still hummed in her bones, she felt herself relaxing. It was an unexpected combination.

“So, Byron,” the Duke said. A light laugh bubbled up in Lilian’s throat. She wasn’t even sure why she laughed. She felt weightless, happy.

“He’s so very young,” she said.

Now it was the Duke’s turn to chuckle.

“Is that all you have to say about him?”

“Well, yes. Criticism seems too harsh and praise too premature for such an undeveloped talent.”

“You’re being kind,” the Duke guessed.

“But not overly so,” Lilian conceded. “Will I be interested to read the verse he writes some ten years from now? Yes. Do I think it was wise of him to publish such early scribbles? No.”

“You would not have done the same?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Your point is taken,” the Duke said. “Perhaps I related more to his ‘scribblings’ as you call them because it reminds me of the thoughts and feelings I had as a young man myself.”

Lilian glanced up at him, feeling mischievous. “Were you so often in love?”

“Oh, every other week at least,” the Duke said. The innocent honesty of the admission caught Lilian by surprise. She laughed.

“And did you write poetry about it?”

The Duke shook his head. “That is a question I will never answer,” he said stoutly.

“Not even if it is asked by your wife someday?” Really, Lilian couldn’t say where her boldness came from. Perhaps it was just that she’d caught a glimpse of the exuberant boy the Duke claimed to have once been. She couldn’t seem to shake the memory of the way he had lit up at her announcement that she was willing to be courted by him. It had softened her toward him. If he genuinely had been a rake, she could hardly blame the girls who had fallen for him. He hid a surprising, genuine charm beneath his occasional grouchiness.

The Duke turned his head slightly, looking down at her with a smile. “My someday wife may ask it if she wishes,” he said. “I highly doubt, however, that my answer will change.”

As their gazes met, Lilian felt a familiar jolt. For a moment, she found it impossible to look away. There was something mesmerizing about the way he looked at her. A depth to his green eyes that kept her searching them long after it would have been polite to glance elsewhere.

Slowly, the Duke’s smile faded. It was replaced by a look so much deeper and more intense that Lilian found she could scarcely breathe within its draw. Her pulse quickened as she gazed up at him, and heat rose from her chest into her neck and cheeks. He bent his head, bringing their faces closer as his eyes flickered from her eyes to her lips.

With a sharp inhale, Lilian finally yanked her gaze away. She looked forward, blinking as she tried to regain her equilibrium. What had just happened? It had felt nothing like the trappings of a business arrangement.

Beside her, she heard the Duke draw in a breath as well. Had he felt it too? Or was he just that good at flirting?

Is that what we’re doing? Lilian asked herself. Flirting? She supposed it came as a natural part of courtship, but…she hadn’t been prepared for how it would make her feel. She felt alive. And nervous. And suddenly more conscious than ever before of the Duke’s broad shoulders and measured tread at her side.

“Your Grace! Good day!”

At the shrill hail, Lilian lifted her gaze from where it had dropped to the path and saw a cluster of young women hurrying toward them. They brushed past Lord Munro and Jane with barely a glance, beelining for her and the Duke. It took a moment for Lilian to realize who it was: Priscilla Talbot and her two younger sisters, Elaine and Gillian. All three were dressed in ruffled pastels. In their fluttering excitement, they looked like flower petals being blown across the grass.

Lilian felt the Duke’s arm stiffen beneath her hand, but as she reflexively moved to release it, he reached up with his other hand, holding her fingers gently in place.

“Good day, Your Grace,” Priscilla called again. Lord Munro and Jane had halted and turned to watch. The three swooped closer, and Priscilla’s eyes finally left the Duke’s face long enough to land on Lilian. She ground to a halt, her eyes widening and then narrowing as her lips fell with displeasure.

“Oh. Good day, Lilian,” she said. “I didn’t see you there.”

“Good day, Priscilla,” Lilian replied. Only then, did the Duke also speak.

“Good day, Miss Talbot,” he said smoothly. “Miss Gillian, Miss Elaine.” As he dipped his head and the three dropped hesitant curtsies, his hand tightened over Lilian’s. It occurred to her that he had been purposefully waiting to respond until she had been acknowledged. Once again, she felt her heart softening toward him.

Priscilla finally seemed to be putting the pieces together as well. Lilian watched as her eyes darted from her to the Duke and back again several times.

“I didn’t realize that you…that is…” Priscilla’s lips tightened as she seemed to stumble for something to say. She glanced behind her at Lord Munro and Jane, who had approached. “Are you all out for a promenade together then?” she asked.

“It’s a lovely afternoon for one, don’t you agree?” Jane offered. Lilian felt a spark of amusement as her sister stepped around to stand beside her and the Duke, pulling Lord Munro with her.

“Yes, of course!” Priscilla’s face brightened. “Lilian, you are so kind to accompany your sister and her betrothed as a chaperone. In fact, I was just telling Gillie that you are a paragon of what all spinsters should be.”

Lilian laughed, even as she realized that Priscilla’s jibe would have hurt only a day or two before. As much as she knew she would be content as a spinster, she knew some factions of the ton would consider her to be unwanted and would judge her for it. It was hard not to feel some satisfaction at the opportunity to prove their assumptions oh so wrong.

“Why, thank you, Priscilla,” she said sweetly. “If I were a spinster, I would take that as a great compliment. However, seeing as how I am only twenty-five years old and recently entered into a courtship, I’m not sure I can accept your praise.”

Beside her, she heard the Duke let out a quiet huff of breath, as if he was trying not to laugh. Then, it felt as if he stepped a tiny bit closer. His shoulder brushed hers.

Priscilla’s eyes widened, her face falling slack. “Oh—I was not aware you were courting! Lilian, why didn’t you tell me?” She tried to make her voice sound warm and confiding at that last part, as if she and Lilian were truly close friends, but Lilian didn’t miss the tension in her tone.

“I’m telling you now,” she said gently.

“And who is the lucky man?” Priscilla’s eyes once more oscillated between Lilian and the Duke before dropping to his hand, which still rested on top of Lilian’s. She was being purposefully dumb, Lilian knew, but before she could speak up and call her out, the Duke spoke. His tone was smooth, cool, and polite.

“I should think that was rather obvious, Miss Talbot. I really must thank you for the advice you gave me at the ball the other night. It has changed the trajectory of my life.”

“What? You…?” Priscilla was still sputtering, her face pale as she gasped for words. It would have been humorous if Lilian hadn’t started to feel rather offended at the idea that the Duke choosing to court her should come as such a shock.

“Yes, I asked Lady Lilian to do me the honor of allowing me to call on her the very next morning.” The Duke’s tone warmed as he mentioned her name. It somewhat softened Lilian’s ire, even though she realized he was doing it entirely for Priscilla’s benefit.

It was wise, she supposed, to allow the ton to believe that their attraction to one another was genuine rather than purely an arrangement of convenience. Otherwise, it may not be taken seriously. The Duke’s reputation would be far from mended, and she would be seen as simply another foolish woman taken in by empty promises.

Lifting her chin, she caught the Duke’s eye and smiled. His eyes crinkled, and his lips crooked upward in response. She refused to let herself be derailed by how genuine and pleasant the expression seemed. Instead, she turned her attention back to Priscilla, who continued to gape at them. Behind their older sister, Gillian and Elaine were tittering and whispering to one another excitedly. Lilian had no doubt that the news of their courtship would be all through the ton by day’s end. The thought filled her with a sort of nervous expectancy.

“It was so good to see you, Priscilla,” she said warmly. Then, rather cattily, she had to admit, she invited, “Would you like to join us on our promenade?”

Jane elbowed her in the side, but Lilian wasn’t worried. Priscilla’s mouth had finally snapped shut, and she was starting to glance around, realizing that her mortification might have been witnessed by any number of her social equals.

“Oh, no,” she said stiffly, “I wouldn’t dream of butting in.” She forced a smile, but as her eyes met Lilian’s, Lilian saw daggers there. “Besides,” Priscilla continued, “I must get home. I have a caller this afternoon whom I’m most eager to see.” She jutted her small chin into the air, obviously trying to save face. Lilian felt a stir of pity for her.

“Of course,” she said gently.

“I trust we will see you all soon?” Priscilla couldn’t seem to resist casting one more glance in the Duke of Thorne’s direction, making it clear he was the only one she really hoped to see soon.

He simply gave her another slight bow and said, “It does seem likely.”

“Father has been looking for someone to come out to play whist with him at the house,” Priscilla said. “His indigestion keeps him from attending the club these days, you see. Perhaps you would be so kind as to stop over sometime and indulge him?”

Just like that, Lilian’s pity for the other woman vanished. Priscilla was being purposefully rude. However, the Duke responded with the same politeness he had maintained throughout.

“Unfortunately, a talent for cards is not one of the few I possess,” he said. “I’m sure some other gentleman would show your father a better time.”

“ Do enjoy the rest of your walk,” Jane added.

This time, it was Lilian’s turn to elbow her sister. Still, she was relieved when Priscilla gave them all a vaguely sour smile and flounced away with her sisters. At the same time, the Duke removed his hand from on top of hers, and she let go of his arm, clasping her hands lightly in front of her.

“That was interesting,” Lord Munro commented, speaking for the first time since the Talbots had accosted them. Lilian was curiously conscious of the look he and the Duke exchanged above her head. She felt strangely distanced from the moment. Her thoughts were whirling, and her emotions were in more of an upheaval than she would have preferred.

“Ugh, the snideness.” Jane shuddered. She reached for Lilian’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “I don’t know how she manages to live with herself. And the way she was glaring at you, Lilian! As if you had taken something that belonged to her . Oh…” The import of what she was saying seemed to settle over Jane as she said it. Her fury faltered as she glanced from Lilian to the Duke, her eyes widening. “Oh, did you… You didn’t…”

“No, Lady Jane,” the Duke said, his voice firm. “I have never had relations of any kind with Miss Talbot. You may rest easy on that.”

“Oh, good. I’m sorry to assume. I just realized…well, people say… But of course, it’s all nonsense. Let’s keep walking, shall we.”

Lilian felt bad for her sister’s embarrassment as she spun around, pulling the slightly amused Lord Munro with her. He glanced over his shoulder, grinning at the Duke and mouthing, “Good luck.” Jane continued to pull him along at a furious pace until they had once again put a few paces between the two couples.

The Duke looked down at Lilian, his expression rueful. She wondered at the slight distance she felt between them. It was more than the physical space they both seem to have sought instinctively after the confrontation. It was a space filled with questions. With uncertainty.

“Priscilla did appear to think she had some claim on you,” Lilian commented, attempting to keep her voice light. “Do I need to fear being accosted by women with similar delusions regularly when we are out and about together?”

“No.” The Duke’s voice was grim. “Miss Talbot has made her interest clear,” he said rather stiffly, “but I have never given her any reason to believe that I return it. I…would like to apologize for a rather unpleasant beginning to our courtship,” he added after a moment.

“You have already stated your innocence in the matter,” Lilian reminded him. “You have no reason to apologize.”

“Nevertheless, I feel better doing so,” the Duke said. A bit of the good humor he’d been so full of before their encounter with Priscilla returned to his eyes as he gave Lilian a slight smile. After the slightest hesitation, she returned it.

Apparently, it was all the reassurance the Duke needed. Taking a deep breath, he reached for her hand and slid it back into the crook of his arm, turning them to continue along the path. The confident gesture sent a strange little thrill through Lilian’s body, and she did not resist. But deep down, she remained unsettled by the incident.

As they fell back into step, following Jane and Lord Munro, Lilian hoped she could believe the Duke’s promise that this would not be a regular occurrence. However, she had her doubts. She had, after all, agreed of her own free will to be courted by an established rake. Perhaps she should have seen this coming.

“Our next excursion will be better,” the Duke said beside her. “Are you fond of going to the plays or the opera?”

Lilian glanced up at him, surprised from her melancholy. “Yes. Well, I used to be, that is. We haven’t had much occasion to go in recent years. Father doesn’t like to be out so late.”

“He wouldn’t be opposed to your going out so late, though, would he?”

Lilian studied his earnest frown, feeling some of her worries slip away. “No, I don’t think he would,” she said. “I think that would be lovely.”