Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
“ Y our sister told me something very interesting yesterday.”
Emma had expected something to be said in her absence during the picnic, but nothing like what Sarah had said to the Duke of Lupton. What surprised her more, however, was how she had come to learn of it.
They had been sitting at breakfast, and though she had not forgiven the Duke, he seemed to crave that forgiveness. Therefore, he was acting as though nothing had happened at all. I shall never understand men.
“She is a very interesting lady,” Emma nodded, ignoring him otherwise.
“Indeed, but I never would have expected her to be so brazen.”
She looked at him sharply. Had he taken liberties with Sarah in the same way he had with her and Gretchen? She knew her expression was accusatory, and she hoped that it would lead to him confessing what happened without her saying a word.
“I cannot believe how poorly you think of me,” he sighed. “We had a pleasant conversation during a game of Pall Mall, nothing more. She simply wanted me to know that you are a good lady, and that I am to be good to you in return.”
“Why did she tell you that?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, Miss Kendall. I shall assume that you did not put her up to it in a bid for my attention?”
“Given that your attention is the last thing I could possibly want, you may indeed assume that.”
“Ah, quite a shame. I would love for some proof that you are not as frightening as you wish to be.”
“I am only frightening to those that ought to be afraid. I am only good, in spite of what my sister says, to those warranting my goodness. You may choose which one you are deserving of.”
“Your goodness, I believe.”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes before leaving the dining hall. They were all to visit the nearby village that day, and she wanted to prepare herself, as well as make any changes to Sarah that they deemed necessary. She had a maid, but their father had chosen the least costly one he could find and so she was not the most adept in her role.
However, she also had a very important matter to discuss with Sarah and needed the time to do that. Her younger sister was caught very much off guard when she cornered her.
“Why on Earth would you say that to the Duke?” Emma asked, exasperated.
“I do not know what you are referring to. I do not speak to any dukes.”
“Do not play coy with me. He has already told me at breakfast what you did. What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that, if he is so determined to look your way constantly, then he should at least have honorable intentions. Do not act as though you have not noticed. Half of the party has!”
“What do you mean?” Emma asked, suddenly quite concerned.
“There have been whispers, Sister. Nothing of any untoward behavior, simply that the Duke of Lupton has been seen watching a spinster. They find it preposterous, but then you have always been well liked so it is not too terrible.”
“But it is. I cannot be seen with a man such as him. It will ruin your match!”
“I do not think this match of mine can be ruined. I do not mean to get ahead of myself, but we really are quite taken with one another. You shall be rid of me soon enough, I believe.”
“Rid of you? Why would you say it in such a manner?”
“It is what Father says. It is what he has always said, you know that.”
“Yes, but I am not Father, am I? I shall miss you terribly when you are gone.”
“When you are lying by the sea, Aunt Megan’s servants bringing you sandwiches? I do doubt that.”
It was a nice thought, being treated in such a manner, but it wasn’t going to be the case. For one, their Aunt Megan did not spend all of her time by the sea, and not only that but she did not have a large staff. There were certainly no spare servants to hand-deliver food to her, at least.
“I would miss you even if I lived in a palace,” she promised, fixing a stray curl that had fallen.
Inexplicably, she was believing that she would actually come to miss the Duke as well. She reacted strangely to him, in a way that nobody had ever made her before, and she did not like it at all. It did not make any sense that a man that vexed her so could have such a profound effect on her, when she had passed so many years unruffled by the most ardent of suitors.
They were soon ready to leave, and as they joined the others in the grand hall she chastised herself for noticing the Duke of Lupton before anyone else. He was smiling brightly, socializing with anyone and everyone. He seemed to genuinely enjoy it, and Emma wondered if that was all she had been, all that Gretchen had been. Meaningless conversation, a way to be known by others. It calmed her a little, to know that she was not as important to him as she thought, but she would have been lying if she said that a small amount of hurt did not come with that, too.
They boarded their carriage, Sarah joining Emma and her friends. They liked Sarah well enough, though Cecilia thought she was a little too timid. Then again, she thought that of anyone that was not as outspoken as Emma was, and not many ladies could reach such a feat.
“So, have the two of you met any prospective suitors thus far?” Emma asked Beatrice and Dorothy before the talk could turn to herself.
Both ladies shook their heads, much to her dismay.
“I have been spending far too much time in the gardens for that,” Dorothy explained. “We’ve played a game since our youth, Beatrice and me. She points out plants and I name them. I hadn’t expected her to find this many new challenges for me.”
“I will say,” Beatrice nodded, “that it is far more entertaining here than it is in other places we have played it. The Duke of Pridefield has many exotic plants.”
“He also has many interesting gentlemen,” Emma coaxed. “Ones that you might find pleasant to talk to.”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that,” Dorothy giggled. “I do not know how to, and should I do it incorrectly and make a fool of myself then the party shall be ruined for me. Perhaps I might say a few words to a few gentlemen an hour or so before we leave? That way I shall only ruin the hour.”
“You are being ridiculous,” Cecilia huffed. “You speak perfectly well, I can hear you just fine. You are simply making excuses because you are afraid.”
“Yes! That is precisely what I am doing. Very astute, Cecilia.”
“Well, such behavior will not lead to a good match. It will lead to your father, exasperated, choosing a man for you. You do not want that, do you?”
“What I want is to study botany, but we cannot all do as we please. In all honesty, my father finding a husband for me would be welcomed. That way, I would not have to do it myself.”
“And marry a man old enough to be your grandfather?” Beatrice asked, horrified. “You run that risk, you know. I would much rather be a spinster. The two of you have it right.”
“Beatrice, I swear that you will find a match too,” Cecilia sighed. “I am as bad an influence as they say, aren’t I Emma?”
“We both are, it would seem. Where did we both go so wrong?”
The pair continued with their dramatics until they arrived at the village, at which point the five of them laughed and stepped out into the sunlight. It was a warm day, perfect for wandering. Emma hoped to explore the village, then find somewhere to purchase baked goods for Beatrice and a nice flower shop for Dorothy, ending at the library for Cecilia. She had not told the group of her plans, but she was excited for them nevertheless. It had been a tumultuous time, and she wanted nothing more than to spend time with her friends and her sister, not needing anything more than their own company.
She did not know why she expected it to actually happen.
They were but twenty paces away from the carriages when Emma heard a sixth pair of feet join them, heavier and more purposeful. She knew who it was before she had even turned around. To nobody’s surprise, the Duke of Lupton was now standing with them.
“What is it, Your Grace?” she asked in a colder tone than was considered proper.
“I was wondering if I could join you?”
“Do you not have other friends to walk with?”
“Ah, so you admit it! We are friends. Wonderful, I shall accompany you in that case.”
Emma knew she was glaring, but she did not attempt to stop. She was furious with him for intruding upon her time with her friends, but worse she was anxious that her friends would grow tired of his intrusions. However, her friends were immediately taken with him, even Cecilia. Emma wondered just what it was about him that everyone else noticed but she couldn’t understand.
“It is nice to be afforded such gallant protection,” Sarah laughed as they walked the bustling streets. “Although, should it have been needed, Cecilia would have more than sufficed.”
“I shall consider this a day’s rest,” Cecilia chuckled in return. “Thank you, Your Grace, for affording it to me.”
The Duke nodded. “You may all truly enjoy yourselves today. You shall have nothing to fear in my presence.”
What was worst of all was that, in spite of herself, Emma did feel protected around him. He was a large man, one that could easily take on a more threatening stance if he thought it necessary. He felt like their protector, and she hated that she liked that about him. She wished that he was all-bad, so that she at least had reason enough to hate him, but he was just good enough that she felt guilty for doing so.
“You are quiet today, Miss Kendall,” he said after a while. “Have you recovered from your ailment?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Sarah nudged her sharply in the side. “He is being nice,” she hissed. “Can you not do the same?”
“Gentlemen are always nice, until they are not,” Emma whispered back.
They came to a stop outside of a shop, and Dorothy looked excitedly in the windows. The display was all in pink, girlish accessories everywhere one looked.
“I do need ribbons,” she said in thought.
“Then we shall go inside,” Cecilia nodded, and the two of them entered at once, Beatrice and Sarah following behind.
Emma went to follow them, too, but she was aware that the Duke was standing behind her and it would have been unfair to leave him outside waiting for them. She turned back quickly.
“You may leave us, if you wish,” she suggested. “Such feminine activities are not for you, one would think.”
“You seem sad, Miss Kendall.”
Granted, she was. She had planned the day meticulously, and she had hoped to be of use to the group for a change. Sarah no longer needed her, having seemingly found her match of her own accord, and with how easily they had chosen a shop to enter and Emma having no say in it at all, she felt unimportant to them, too. She had hardly seen them during the party, and it was as though nothing had changed for them in her absence.
The duke did not need to know about any of that, though.
“I am anything but upset. I am finding the village very enjoyable, actually. I want the same for you, which is why it may be best that you go and find something you enjoy, rather than following ladies doing what ladies enjoy. This sort of thing is not particularly suited to you, is it?”
He chuckled, looking down at her with his perfect green eyes.
“If anyone knows about female beauty, Miss Kendall, it is me. Come along.”
Emma scoffed at him, and he turned back to her.
“What is it?”
“Well, you may claim to know what beauty is, but you do not know the first thing about what actually goes into it.”
“No, I mean what is your own trouble?”
She froze, her mouth agape.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You act as though I have given you the plague. What have I done that has caused you so much offence?”
“What haven’t you done?” she snapped. “You know perfectly well what you did, and twice at that. You cannot honestly pretend that I did not see you with Miss Winston, alone. Your behavior proves to me that you are a rake and nothing more, and I cannot– I will not pretend that it did not happen simply because you are kind to me and you like socializing.”
“Very well, we shall acknowledge that it happened. Moving forward, what will it take for you to forgive me?”
“I shall never.”
“That isn’t true. Anything can be forgiven, I believe, if the apology matches the crime.”
His jovial tone had disappeared, replaced by something far more serious. He was more handsome, Emma decided, when he was not putting on an act.
“Say, for example,” he continued, “I never speak to Miss Winston again, and I leave her alone entirely, would that satisfy you?”
“Is that to say that you have already gotten what you wanted from her?”
“No, I– Miss Kendall, I am trying to prove that I am not the man that you think I am. What would it take to do that?”
“Why does it matter to you? You shall only know me for the duration of this party, and then we shall go our separate ways and you will never see me again. Why do you care whether or not I forgive you, or like you?”
He was quiet for a moment. Emma wondered what he would say in response, and the longer he said nothing the more she wanted to know. However, he simply laughed and at once his seriousness was gone again.
“That is an excellent question,” he nodded, remnants of laughter on his lips. “I shall bid you goodbye. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
He left before she could say another word.
She watched him leave, wondering who the real Duke was, and whether the one she saw was the false Duke, or the true.
She did not know, and against all odds she did not like that she didn’t.