Chapter 11 #2
“Good,” he replied, but it only left her vexed. “Then we are in agreement.”
What?
Her heart felt as if it might break.
“Tell me…” All of a sudden, she could no longer hold her feelings. She felt like she would burst at any moment.
How could he ignore what happened? What am I supposed to do?
Since they had kissed, Lavinia had not been able to function well. She could not understand how the Duke could go on his way and not worry about a single thing. For heaven’s sake, she wanted to know if he was suffering too.
She watched him stare at Madeline and Charles, who were still throwing rocks at the water. It only made her heart hurt even more.
“Could you at least look at me?” she almost yelled at him, her voice loud enough to make Madeline and Charles turn their heads to her. But when she just smiled at them, they resumed their little game.
The Duke turned his head slowly and stared at her nonchalantly.
“I apologize, Your Grace,” she said quickly.
“Just say what you want to say, Lavinia.” He almost whispered her name, and her heart raced.
Up until this point, he had only used her Christian name when they’d been alone and engaged in activities that were… well, the sort that certain members of the ton would frown upon.
Her eyes landed on his lips, and suddenly, she felt the familiar rush in her chest. Her stomach fluttered. She missed the way his lips felt on hers.
She wanted to kiss him at that very moment, but she knew she could never allow herself to do that. She swallowed past the lump in her throat before she could speak again.
“Are we actually going to ignore this?” she said softly.
She looked into his eyes. His unbothered demeanor did not change. He just looked at her, plain and unmoving.
Lavinia wanted to shout at him, to tell him that this week had been a trial for her. She wanted to blame him. However, she knew that it was her fault that she allowed the kisses to happen.
She wanted to taste his lips. She desired him even now, so she could not blame him for her feelings.
“What are you saying, Lavinia?” The Duke tilted his head to the side and observed her keenly.
Lavinia could feel herself melting just from his stare, and she knew if he retracted what he’d just said and asked her to kiss him right then and there, she’d do it.
“I… I…” She picked at a tuft of grass.
She did not know what to say. Her mind told her that she ought to stop talking altogether and save the bit of dignity she still had left, but her heart told her to keep going. She should say what she was thinking.
Before she could formulate a response, Charles and Madeline laughed gleefully. She glanced up to see the pair skipping away from the water’s edge and approaching them.
“Your Grace, Lavinia,” Charles said as he dropped down between them, creating room where there really was none.
“What is it, Brother?” Lavinia asked, slightly annoyed but also grateful to her brother for his intervention.
“Mother and Father have little planned tomorrow, so I figured it would be the perfect time to stroll around Arlington. I know a little place where we could visit,” Charles suggested.
But Lavinia had been his sister long enough to know that going with him would not be a great idea.
“I don’t think Mother would appreciate the idea of us skipping out on whatever it is she has planned,” she cautioned. “She has been planning this house party for months.”
“Oh, come on, Sister,” Charles huffed. “You love going to the village, and I know that you and Lady Madeline can never resist a visit to the milliner’s shop,” he said playfully.
Lavinia smiled. Her brother was right. She did love a good bonnet.
“That is a wonderful idea, Mr. Fitzroy.” Suddenly, a bright yet aggravating voice broke the intimacy of their little group.
“Lord Windham,” Lavinia uttered in surprise.
All four heads turned toward the newcomer.
Lord Windham smiled so brightly that Lavinia wondered how much of his pleasure at inviting himself to their escapade was real and how much was for show.
“Miss Fitzroy, it’s so lovely to see you here,” he said, acting as though he had found the group by chance when, in reality, Lavinia suspected that this was no coincidence at all.
He could have been looking for her and Lady Madeline all afternoon and just happened upon them at this moment.
“Are you hoping to see the sunset as well?” he asked with great enthusiasm.
Lavinia shifted uncomfortably. The wooden slats of the dock felt grating underneath her. She tried to look at the Duke and silently beg him to interject, but he was looking away. It seemed that he did not care about what was happening.
But why would he care in the first place? Lord Windham had done nothing wrong. He had merely invited himself to join them on an excursion, then stuck around to strike up a conversation.
Lavinia’s eyes flicked to Charles. He was staring at her, obviously waiting for her to answer the question.
She looked at the sky, and she realized the sun was too high. It would be long before the sun dipped below the horizon. It was obvious then that Lord Windham was only trying to start a conversation with her.
“But is not too early for a sunset, My Lord,” she said, her voice slightly shaking from discomfort.
“Lavinia’s right, Emanuel,” Charles interjected. He laughed lightly. “We didn’t come down to the dock to watch the sun.” He patted his breeches, which were much drier than they had been earlier. “We were doing a bit of swimming at first, but now we’ve decided to lounge.”
“Uh…” Suddenly, Lord Windham was stumbling over his speech in that shy way of his again. “I say… would you mind if I…”
“It’s fine by me if you join our little group. You are welcome anytime,” Charles offered genially.
Lavinia was disappointed that her brother had failed to read her distress.
Again, she turned to look at the Duke. She wanted him to save her from this awkwardness. He had stepped in before, when they were on friendly terms and at least speaking to each other. But now, he sat still as a stone.
She sighed and accepted that there would be no escape from Lord Windham. The Duke was determined to ignore her, while this gentleman was ready and eager to show her some attention.
Lavinia knew that she ought to be pleased to have any gentleman look at her with the hopeful, cheery eyes Lord Windham trained upon her.
Unfortunately, she was not satisfied with Lord Windham’s attention.
She wanted the Duke to smile at her, but he did not show the least inclination to grant her wishes.