Chapter 9
Sapphire Necklace
Prim knew that at some point she would have to go downstairs for breakfast and stop sitting at her vanity, touching her lips.
But she found it completely excusable to need a moment to recalibrate her whole existence, to make sense of something that had nothing logical and still held power over her. The kiss.
Her body still hummed with awareness, where he touched, awakened.
Her mind told her that it was a complication, a dangerous game to her reputation and her sanity, and it was simply bad.
But there was another part of hers that whispered something different.
Prim decided that it was prudent to ignore that voice and finally go down to eat.
“It is if you are not even trying!” Her mother’s cold voice reached her as she made her way to the drawing room.
“Mother,” Camilla said as firmly as she could, “We danced and talked. It is not as if we can perform miracles. If, perhaps, you-”
“Insolence!” Her father accused.
Prim had heard enough. She entered the room with hasty steps. Instinctively, she moved to stand between her parents and her sisters, always the sentinel to the girls’ happiness.
“What is the meaning of this?” Prim demanded.
“This is your parents talking to your sisters, and we would appreciate it if you didn’t interfere,” her father demanded.
“I am not going to sit by idly while you accuse my sisters of god knows what,” Prim felt her spine straighten.
“And I would appreciate it if both of you acted with a little compassion and care.”
“But we do!” Her mother protested. “We want to ensure your sisters’ future.”
“Something that won’t, of course, come to fruition if Camilla and Myrtle,” her father pointed at them, “keep clinging to each other and not some gentleman.”
“Perhaps you should provide us with some sort of chain,” Camilla said, radiating rage, “so we can properly snare a suitable gentleman.”
Her father looked at the middle daughter in warning.
The tension was high. Prim too was wound up for a fight.
Their parents went too far this time. Considering the situation, her sisters did a great job.
She wouldn’t allow the only people who were supposed to be helping the twins navigate their debut, insult them.
“You are blaming them,” Prim intervened, “for something that was not their fault.”
“You mean to tell me that they are not to blame after being invited to the prestigious Blackwell Ball and escorted by the Duchess herself and still have nothing to show for?”
“The problem is exactly that,” Prim said in a low voice that dripped with anger. “Camilla and Myrtle were accompanied by the Duchess and not her own parents.”
“Are you trying to place the blame on us?” Her mother said, hand on her chest.
“I am saying we should all assign our portion of the responsibility to the right place.”
“Listen, here, you disrespectful-” her father started.
At that exact moment, the butler entered with a silver tray with a card. A caller. To whom Prim owed gratitude since his appearance possibly defused an explosive situation in the Jenkins family.
“The Duke of Greyhaven!” Her father triumphed.
All previous disdain evaporated. Her mother fussed over the twins, their clothes, pinched their cheeks to make them look rosier, and told them to sit on the side where the light complimented their complexion.
“We were in haste to chastise you,” their father said with glee. “A Duke. And Greyhaven nonetheless.”
Prim had a gnawing suspicion that the girls didn’t even interact with the Duke. And that suspicion became a reality when the Duke of Greyhaven entered the little drawing room.
The room instantly shifted by his sheer presence. He did absolutely nothing. Not a long pause, not a theatrical perusal of the room. He simply was, and the room adjusted just to accommodate him.
“Lord Jenkins,” the Duke bowed. “My lady.”
Prim’s father was elated to be treated as an equal by a Duke of his caliber, and her mother gave the man the deepest curtsy.
“Welcome, Your Grace,” her mother said. “I will make sure fresh tea is sent up.”
“No need,” the Duke said, and his voice filled the room. “I am calling upon Miss Primrose. I would like to speak with her.”
The air in the room changed. No one moved or talked. Prim looked at the Duke and she found him looking at her with his usual impassive look. Not emotionless exactly. He looked like a man with a plan, and he was just going through the steps.
“May I, Miss Primrose?”
An absurd thought came into her head. Just a misplaced, irrelevant thought. Leo. Just that. She frowned at the insanity of her wandering mind, shook her head and focused on the situation at hand.
“Of course, Your Grace,” she said and prompted him to sit at the small table by the window, her usual spot.
He settled on the soft chair across from her. He made sure that he was in an orderly fashion and patiently waited till Prim poured him a tea that he didn’t touch. Prim guessed that drinking tea was not part of the plan.
“Miss Primrose,” his voice was even, “you know the reason I am back in London.”
“You are in search of a wife and a mother to your daughter.”
“You remember. That saves me some time.”
Prim remembered Leo’s critique of her flirting. She smiled faintly. It seemed that no other trick than honesty and efficiency would melt the Duke's heart. All else would be just noise. A flash of the feel of Leo’s fingers cradling her face came over her. She drank her tea to dispel the image.
“I believe this could be compatible,” the Duke said straightforwardly.
“Compatible?” Prim repeated.
Of all the words she thought would be used in a marriage proposal, this was not even in the discussion. Prim realized it should have been. All this talk about love and passion was good, but at the end of the day, perhaps all that remained in compatibility.
“I believe you are sensible enough to see what I am offering, Miss Primrose.”
“You have been nothing but clear, Your Grace. It is quite refreshing.”
The Duke nodded, encouraged.
“I observed you. I find that you fit the criteria of what I am looking for.”
Prim studied him. Abigail was not wrong. This man is incapable of emotions, but he is candid and honest. It was unnerving to see him so devoid of feelings, but his sincerity should be appreciated.
Would he build a garden for you?
No. Leo was right. He wouldn’t build her a garden. He wouldn’t surprise her because that had so many unknown variables. He wouldn’t talk to her about his troubles or listen to hers because talking is inefficient. And he wouldn’t kiss senselessly because it was a waste of energy.
“Your observation was enough for such a big step?” Prim honestly asked.
“Yes. You displayed memorable loyalty to your sisters, you navigated the society with efficiency despite the hindrance of the scandal, and you showed an admirable lack of hysterics.”
Prim’s cup hit the saucer. She couldn’t help it. A small, dry laugh escaped her. All the gentlemen of the ton tried witty acrobatics to be amusing. They should have tried brutal honesty.
“High praise, Your Grace.”
“I would like you to consider becoming my wife.”
Prim had to admit it. She, like every other lady growing up, dreamed of the marriage proposal. If that was the only purpose that was allowed to her by society, she sure would contemplate it. On all the scenarios she had conjured through the years, this one was impossible to conceive.
She didn’t respond. She knew the Duke expected to do as he asked. To consider. A hasty answer would be disapproved.
“I believe it is customary,” the Duke continued, “for a suitor to offer gifts.”
Prim frowned. Even as he uttered those words, she knew that this was not a big gesture, merely an item on the “Find A Wife” list that he needed to cross. He reached into his jacket and procured a blue velvet box.
She dared a glance over the Duke’s shoulder. Her parents were there at the settee right across from her, the twins with backs to her. And both her mother and father wore a sour expression on their faces. Prim knew why, but didn’t get the chance to think more about it.
“This is my gift to you,” the Duke opened the box.
There it lay a priceless necklace. In the center was a big sapphire stone, azure and clear, a piece of the frozen sky. It was surrounded by precious diamonds that accentuated the clarity of the piece. Six delicate strands of pearls secured the necklace around the neck. It was a rare piece.
“This is…” Prim didn’t know what to make of such a valuable jewel. “Sufficient for the purpose. Perhaps a little too much.”
He nodded at the answer without insult. The jewel was not chosen for sentiment.
He wasn’t thinking of her when he did. Perhaps he had bought it already to give to the most promising candidate.
This was not a gift for her personally, it was a taste of what being the Duchess of Greyhaven would entail.
“It is yours,” the Duke placed the box in her care.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
Behind him, her parents were stewing in their juices. The Duke didn’t even glance at the twins, and now he was proposing to Prim with a coveted piece of jewelry. Her mother was looking at her as if she had stolen the necklace from her sisters’ necks. Her father’s look accused her of being spoiled.
They had hoped that one of the twins would marry the Duke of Greyhaven, they believed in that brief moment of delusion when he arrived that they had secured a proposal for the twins, only for Prim to ruin everything.
“I will not take up any more of your time, Miss Primrose,” the Duke got up.
Prim was taken aback by his abrupt manner, but then softly smiled. He had come with a purpose, a list, a request, and an item. He had stated with intentions clearly and presented his gift, so there was no need for more dallying. He was bowing when the butler entered.
“The Duke of Mildenhall calling upon Miss Primrose.”
Her heart, which was running perfectly smoothly even when the Duke proposed to her, now jumped against her ribcage, threatening to burst out. Leo was here. Now.
When Leo entered the room, the room shattered. She shattered, and half of her flew back to that terrace last night. Absolutely not, she demanded of her mind.
He looked devastating this morning in his black suit, perfectly draped across his sturdy body, walking with a confident prowl and that side smile of his. Then he saw the Duke of Greyhaven standing by her chair.
“Greyhaven,” Leo’s tone was drawled.
“Mildenhall.”
“I wouldn’t expect to find you here this morning,” Leo said too smoothly.
“On the contrary. You should have been the first person to expect me here. You introduced Miss Primrose to me.”
Prim’s eyes snapped to Leo’s. Her prediction was correct. A flash of irritation passed over Leo’s face. She had seen the same look on her little cousin every time they visited. The 4-year-old girl hated even the idea of sharing her dolls.
“I always knew you were a man of action, but I didn’t realize the efficiency,” Leo mocked.
“It is not a trait everyone possesses,” the Duke rebutted.
“Certainly not,” Leo smiled. “Some of us prefer to take our time.”
Prim looked between the two men. The Duke was cool and aloof. If he was annoyed that there was another suitor in her drawing room, he didn’t show it. On the other side, Leo was all smiles and relaxed demeanor as if the other man in the room was insignificant now that he was there.
And Primrose just felt like lying down for a moment because all this was a bit too much.
She wanted to openly roll her eyes at Leo to remind him that the Duke’s “efficiency” was the goal.
If she could, she would grab Leo by the lapels and shake him to remind him of the plan.
The plan was secure a stable, honorable proposal from a decent man to finally end the scandal and secure her sisters’ futures.
Leo acting out of sheer petulance or whatever this was, deviated from the strategy.
“Miss Primrose,” the Duke bowed again. “Thank you for your time.”
Prim unfroze and curtsied. The Duke paid respects to her family, nodded at Leo, and left the room. The moment the Duke left, the room tilted on its axis again, so much so that Prim was surprised that the cutlery stayed in place.
Once more, Prim focused on her parents, and she was shocked to see the look on their faces.
It was a tight, sour displeasure, their expressions pinched as if smelling something foul.
It was the same look one would give to someone stealing something rightfully theirs.
Prim, in their eyes, was hoarding Dukes.
“Miss Primrose,” Leo demanded her attention.
He sat on the seat the Duke had just vacated and filled it. Leo was as tall as the Duke, but his presence was immense. While the Duke sat efficiently, Leo sat to seduce. In her drawing room, her family present.
“Isn’t it Miss Jenkins to you?” Prim teased.
“If Greyhaven is allowed certain liberties, I might as well,” Leo smiled a dangerous smile.
She glared at him. Her look was openly irritated. He had the nerve to speak of liberties?
“Well, if you must,” Prim hissed. “Tea?”
Prim was shaking with anger. Or some sentiment close to that, she couldn’t be sure.
The Duke merely called her name, and Prim was sure he did because there were two other Miss Jenkinses present, and it was an inefficient way of communication. He didn’t lure her into a terrace, corner her against the handrail, and kiss her into oblivion.
The moment the memory of that kiss seized her, Prim felt heat rising up her chest, to her cheeks, and the kettle in her hands shook. Leo smiled that infuriating smile of his and sprang up from his seat.
“The weather is splendid,” Leo said and gave her his arm. “How about a promenade? Is Kensington Park to your liking?”
Prim thought it was indeed an excellent idea. She would get away from her parents’ scorching look and have the liberty to give Leo a piece of her mind. And still be public enough to nudge her against murdering Leo. She scowled at him, then smiled and took his arm.
“A splendid idea,” she mocked.
As he led her to his carriage, she had the notion that one of them, or perhaps both, would regret this simple promenade.