Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Yvette hesitated in the doorway and wondered if it had been such a smart idea to visit the Duke as she was doing. Now that she stood before him, and now that she saw who he was with, she decided that it had not been.
“Come in, come in.” The lord who approached her was ruggedly handsome in a classic sense; his hair was wild, his jawline was defined, and his smile was all white teeth.
The type who knew how good-looking he was, just as he knew how to exploit it.
“We won’t bite.” He looked at a young woman who stood by the desk. “At least I won’t.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” The young lady in the room was not someone Yvette recognized, but that did not mean she did not know her.
Lady Emily Pearce was a stunningly beautiful woman. With her golden curls and her big green eyes and her cherub face, she was both inviting and intimidating at the same time. The fact that she wore a scowl as she spoke certainly did not help the matter.
“I, ah… I did not mean to interrupt,” Yvette said from the doorway.
“Interrupt! Nonsense.” The handsome lord reached her, slipped a hand around her waist, and led her inside. “Nothing could be further from the truth. Isn’t that right, Alistair?”
The Duke looked like he had seen a ghost. His face was pale, his mouth hung open, and there was fear behind his eyes that Yvette could not fathom the reason for… that was, until she saw him glance quickly at Lady Emily as if embarrassed.
Ah… that is the reason.
It was silly, but Yvette was struck by a sudden surge of jealousy.
She knew that Lady Emily and the Duke were courting, just as she knew that the Duke did not consider it to be serious – he had told her as much!
But that she was here, and that she was so beautiful and darn perfect, made that truth nearly impossible to reckon with.
How can I possibly compete with that? For all my fancies and silly imaginings, I am little more than a pig in a dress compared to someone so beautiful and refined as she is.
“You’ll have to forgive my friend.” Alistair cleared his throat and forced composure. “Miss Norleigh, might I introduce you to –"
“His Grace, Duke of Carrowell,” Carrowell cut in as he led Yvette into the room. Once she was at its center, he removed his hand from her back, but he stayed by her side. “And Miss Norleigh, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I have heard so much.”
“Oh…” She swallowed nervously.
“Good things only, I promise you,” Carrowell chortled.
“And this is Lady Emily Pearce,” the Duke added. “Lady Emily, this is my son’s governess.”
“Ah, yes.” Lady Emily tore her scowl from Carrowell and offered Yvette a polite smile.
“It is pleasure to meet you.” Her smile was awkward, and her posture suddenly became withdrawn.
And that wasn’t to mention the way she looked between the Duke and Yvette as if she could sense that something was not quite right between them.
“As it is you,” Yvette said nervously.
A silence fell in the room, and it was a most awkward thing.
Carrowell looked between her and the Duke with a wry smile that was knowing.
Lady Emily frowned as she studied Yvette closely.
The Duke acted composed but whenever he looked at Yvette for too long he seemed to realize what he was doing and looked away.
And Yvette… well, she did everything that she could to appear invisible. As if such a thing was possible.
“You wanted something?” the Duke asked finally.
“Oh, yes.” Yvette breathed a sigh of relief. “Hugh wished for me to ask if you might be joining us for supper this evening. I…” Her cheeks flushed pink and she looked away. “I told him such questions could wait, but he was rather adamant.”
“I think he likes you,” Carrowell chortled.
“Tell him that I would love to join you both.” The Duke looked rather pleased with the question.
“I will.” Yvette smiled once, put her head down, and turned to leave.
“Oh, you’re not going, are you?” Carrowell moved to intercept her. “I was hoping we might have a chance to chat.”
“Carrowell…” the Duke growled.
“What?” Carrowell cried. “Since Miss Norleigh started working for you, I have heard nothing but positive things about her. The way you carry on…” He beamed, and it grew somehow brighter when he saw how awkward hers and the Duke’s reaction was. “I would like to know their accuracy. Is that a crime?”
“She clearly does not wish to speak with you,” Lady Emily said sharply.
“Doubtful,” Carrowell mused. “Unlike you, Lady Emily, most women wish to speak with me. I can be rather charming, when the mood strikes.” He winked at Yvette, and she caught the Duke glaring at his friend.
“Wh – what would you like to know?” Yvette asked.
“A many number of things,” Carrowell said. “Let us start with the most obvious. What led her to becoming a governess? And for someone as surly and off-putting as Alistair. I can only assume that there were no roles available in the local prison.”
“I…” Her cheeks started to warm. “My father suggested it, and I thought it a good idea. I wanted to… to help with Hugh.”
“You must love children?” he mused and rubbed his chin. “To put up with this one…” A flick of the head toward the Duke.
Yvette’s stared at the floor as she spoke. “I do.”
“Tell me, how is it working for Alistair?” He laughed. “The man can be a dreary sort, can’t he? I hope you’ve managed to inject some life into him.”
“Your Grace, you are clearly making the poor girl uncomfortable,” Lady Emily snapped. “Forgive him, Miss Norleigh. The man is a boar, and his actions right now have nothing to do with you.”
“That is quite fine…” Again, she spoke to the ground.
“I do wonder…” Lady Emily tilted her head as she studied Yvette. Then she glanced at the Duke, who looked even more uncomfortable than Yvette was. “Your Grace, would you object to me inviting Miss Norleigh to the ball as well?”
“What?” The Duke sat up.
“Oh, good idea!” Carrowell cheered.
“It is no big thing,” Lady Emily said. As she spoke, she smiled coyly, her eyes flicking between Yvette and the Duke in a way that suggested she could read what was on their minds.
“In fact, I think that her presence can only be a positive. A chance for her to see the ton as they are, so that she might better teach your son how to behave and hold himself. Yes?”
“That is not… I am sure that Miss Norleigh has better things to do…”
“Nonsense!” Carrowell stepped in beside Yvette and again placed his hand on her back.
When he did, Yvette noticed the Duke’s eyes darken to see his friend touching her that way.
“In fact, seeing as I am not much wanted there either, what say that I take Miss Norleigh as my guest?” He flashed a smile at the room.
“How does that sound, Miss Norleigh? A chance for you and me to better know one another also.”
“That is… too kind,” she said awkwardly.
Yvette was no fool, and she got the distinct impression that she was being made fun of. If not that, she was certainly being used somehow.
She wanted to turn and leave the room as quickly as she could, but she did not want it to appear as if she was running. She also did not want to look rude or unappreciative of the offer. So, she stayed put, her hands folded before her, and did her best to look unassuming and humble.
However, she braved a glance up, searching for the Duke, who appeared just as confused and unsure of what to do as she was. She found his eyes, pleading silently with him, praying that he would see how awkward this was for her and then dismiss her before anything else was said.
Surely, he does not want me there…
The Duke suddenly firmed up as he came to a decision. And she saw in him the look of a man who was through playing games.
“That won’t be necessary,” he said. “If anyone should escort Miss Norleigh to the ball, it should be me.”
Yvette’s eyes widened in surprise, and her stomach flipped.
“Oh, come now!” Carrowell complained. “I am perfectly capable of –”
“Ruining everything you touch,” the Duke cut over him with a snarl. “Miss Norleigh is my responsibility, and I will be the one to escort her.” He raised a warning eyebrow at his friend, who backed down without argument.
However, Yvette noted a coy smile on Carrowell’s lips… as if this was his plan the whole time.
“That settles it then.” Stranger still, Lady Emily appeared rather pleased by this outcome.
Again, there was a sense that everyone except for Yvette was in on some kind of joke.
“Your Grace, I look forward to seeing you there. And you, Miss Norleigh.” Her smile was surprisingly warm.
“Hopefully, it will give us a chance to better know one another.”
“Yes…” Yvette forced herself not to look down as the whole room watched her. “That sounds… lovely.”
Was the situation slightly different, Yvette might have found a reason to smile. After all, being invited to a ball would ordinarily be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And that she was to be going with the Duke… again, she should have been thrilled by the notion.
But the invitation came at a cost. She had found herself in the middle of something, and she did not like feeling so helpless and exposed.
“I should go.” Lady Emily Pearce was the first to leave, which she did quickly, after once again confirming that the Duke would be attending the ball with Yvette… and after once again scowling with antipathy at Carrowell.
“As should I…” Carrowell was the next to leave, and he wore a knowing smile the whole time, one that made his eyes glimmer with humor. “Miss Norleigh, I apologize that it cannot be me who takes you. I do hope that Alistair shows you a good time. If he is capable of such a thing.”
Finally, she and the Duke were alone. And as was to be expected, it was terribly awkward. A throwback to how things were between them when she first started working for him.
“I am so sorry,” the Duke hurried once the door closed behind them. “Carrowell is… peculiar at the best of times. And Lady Emily, she means well, but I did not expect –”
“If you wish for me not to attend, I understand,” Yvette cut him off. “I know that you were surprised by the invitation and you were just being polite.”
“Do you not wish to go?”
“I –” Her mouth hung open, not sure what she meant to say. “I… I do not wish to impose.”
“You are certainly not imposing.”
“I will only get in the way.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.”
“You and Lady Emily…” Her pulse raced, and it felt as if butterflies had exploded in her stomach. “I know that you two are courting, and if you arrive with me, it might –”
“I told you already, Miss Norleigh, Lady Emily and I are just friends.” He smiled at the notion and, for the first time since Yvette walked into the room, he appeared relaxed. “And as she was the one to invite you, it would be rude to decline now that you have agreed.”
“So…” She licked her lips. “You wish for me to attend?”
“Do you wish to?”
She hesitated… she considered… she should have turned the offer down, if for no other reason than to dispel any false illusions that she had. But the Duke looked at her with soft eyes, a hopeful smile on his lips, and she knew right then, like she knew anything, that he wanted her to go.
Why he did, she did not consider. She did not want to jynx it. But that he wanted it was enough.
“I would like to very much.” Finally, Yvette allowed a smile, and it was a most wonderful thing.
“That settles it then. You are going. Scratch that, we are going.”
She laughed. “Is there anything I should know? Be prepared for?”
He laughed with her. “About a dozen things, but I find that these events are best learned through doing. We will attend together, we will have some drinks, a few laughs, maybe even a dance. And if all goes well, perhaps we will escape out the other side in one piece.”
It was said as a joke, and Yvette laughed as she knew she should.
Behind the words, buried deep within, was another meaning that both she and the Duke seemed to recognize as one. Going together as they were would undoubtedly invite rumor, it was sure to cause whispers, and it was very likely to set the ton on fire with gossip.
That was assuming, of course, that they gave the ton something to gossip about…