Chapter 2 #2
The duke’s gaze flicked to the two of them, lingering on Ella for a moment before returning to Jaclyn.
“It is indeed. I have always found the grounds around Easton Abbey lovely. I haven’t visited Havenwood much, but I am sure they are comparable.
I trust that Jaclyn is not leading you astray.
..” He paused, his tone shifting slightly.
“She often finds herself in places she doesn’t belong. ”
Jaclyn glared at him. How dare he… “We were just about to head back. You need not worry about us.”
“Well then,” the duke said, taking the reins of his horse. “As long as you are here,” he began, “I was wondering if you were aware that Lady Easton’s brother is to visit. You might be acquainted with him.”
Why would he believe that? She did not know Charlotte’s brother. “I believe you are mistaken, Your Grace. I’ve never been introduced to him.”
He smiled. “Perhaps I am mistaken, but I do not believe so. He is friends with Lord Oakley, I believe.” He tilted his head to the side. “He was there that day. You understand.”
Jaclyn feared she did understand, and she did not like where this was going.
“Charlotte rarely mentioned her brother.” She frowned.
“She always called him by his given name—Warren, I believe.” Why had she never asked Charlotte more about her brother?
This seemed rather important all of a sudden and she hated being unprepared.
“Ah,” the duke said. “Then you do not know his title. He’s the Marquess of Finley.”
Jaclyn inhaled sharply. She did know that name, and he was correct of course.
He was her brother’s closest friend. Of course, Barrett would have had him by his side at the duel.
But she had not known that Charlotte was Finley’s sister.
Strange how that never had come up in all their time together, but then again, they had both agreed never to talk about their scandalous past, and Charlotte rarely talked about her family.
Her father was a duke, and she supposed she should have known more about him and his title, but Jaclyn had never cared for learning names and titles.
Jaclyn had been at Havenwood several months before Charlotte had been sent there and she had found peace at the academy.
A peace she had not wanted disturbed by reminders of the scandal that had been the reason for her exile.
It made sense that they would not have made the connection, and she may not have now if not for the duke.
“I see,” she said, then frowned. “And he is coming for a visit?”
With Amberwood at Easton Abbey, that duel was likely to be brought up and Charlotte would discover her secret.
She would have to visit her friend, and soon.
Hopefully before her brother showed up… There was much she had not told her friend, and she had well, lied, about where her scandal had happened.
She had led both Charlotte and Georgina to believe the instance had happened at Hyde Park, and it hadn’t.
It was to protect her secret that she had misled them.
Nothing she had said that day had been the complete truth…
Though not all of it had been a lie. Jaclyn just had not wanted to speak about her scandal and had thrown words together that led to her untruths.
She should just have remained silent about it all.
Now she would have to unravel those lies and tell Charlotte everything. Especially if her brother was to visit.
Kingston studied Jaclyn as they spoke. She seemed genuinely surprised about Lord Finley’s identity.
She honestly had not known he was her friend Charlotte’s older brother.
As Lord Oakley was Jaclyn’s brother, and Lord Finley was Oakley’s closest friend, Amberwood found that news interesting.
Perhaps she was not as close to her brother as he previously assumed.
He nodded. “Lord Easton informed me last evening that he was to visit,” he told Jaclyn.
She nibbled on her bottom lip. He should not find that enticing but he could not tear his gaze away from her.
Her strawberry blonde hair was coming unraveled from the intricate plait on her head, and those light-green eyes of hers were mesmerizing.
He wanted to erase his attraction to her from existence, but he knew that was impossible.
She was far too beautiful for him not to notice. “Do you know when he is to arrive?”
Lady Ella fidgeted next to Jaclyn. She was a beauty too with her pale blonde hair and golden eyes.
Many of the ladies at Havenwood were. He started to wonder about that.
What had he heard rumored about the school?
It was where the ladies deemed unmarriageable were sent?
As far as he could tell they should have no difficulty making a match.
Every single student he had met had beauty to spare…
What made them unmarriageable? Were the gentlemen of the ton blind?
“If Easton told me,” he began, “I do not recall.”
Her fingers idly brushed the loose strands of her hair that had come undone from her plait.
Kingston noted the movement with a renewed focus, his gaze unintentionally following the soft curl of her strawberry blonde locks.
She was utterly unaware of how much she affected him.
Or perhaps she did know and simply enjoyed it, he thought bitterly.
Still, he could not look away. He had a deep attraction to her, one that never truly went away, no matter how much he fought it.
That attraction had led him to coming to her aid at Vauxhall and that duel.
Jaclyn finally turned to him, her green eyes narrowing slightly as though she were contemplating his words. “You sure you do not recall?” she asked. She narrowed her gaze on him. “Or are you just failing to remember because you do not wish to impart that information?”
Kingston couldn’t help but notice the shift in her demeanor.
He glanced at her again, taking in her pale skin and the delicate curve of her lips, wondering how it was that this woman, this girl who he found to be so vexing, could now stir something in him that he’d rather leave dormant.
He did not want her. He wanted to forget everything about her.
“You do not trust me?” He lifted a brow.
“No,” he replied truthfully, shaking his head.
“I do not recall the specifics. He merely mentioned it in passing.” That was not entirely the truth, but he would not disclose everything to Jaclyn. He did not owe that to her.
Jaclyn’s eyes flickered with something akin to disappointment, but it was gone in an instant, masked by her usual indifference.
She turned her gaze back toward the water, watching the ripples as they caught the fading light of the sun.
Lady Ella, who had been standing off to the side, looked between them, an almost worried expression on her face.
Kingston barely spared the other lady a glance.
He only remained aware of her because he had to be careful of the words he spoke to Jaclyn.
He did not wish to say anything that might come back to haunt him one day.
He was not acquainted with Lady Ella Winslow.
The stillness of the moment was thick, uncomfortable.
He did wonder why Jaclyn was concerned about Lord Finley’s visit. Was there something between them?
“Is something wrong between you and Charlotte?” Kingston asked, his voice betraying his curiosity. “I had assumed you were still in regular correspondence.”
Jaclyn’s gaze hardened at the question, and she stiffened. “I suppose we’ve both been preoccupied. I have school…” she replied curtly. “And she’s newly married after all. I have wanted to give her space to acclimate to her new station.”
Kingston felt a prick of guilt. He had stepped too far into territory that was none of his business, but the words had slipped out before he could stop them.
He offered no apology, though, for he was curious about what was truly going on beneath the surface.
What was it about her that made him wonder things he shouldn’t?
He should end this conversation and return to Easton Abbey.
Before he could say more, she spoke again, her voice softer than before. “I did not know Lord Finley was coming,” she repeated, her gaze still averted, her mind clearly somewhere else. “I suppose I should pay a call on Charlotte soon.”
“Yes,” Kingston said, his voice a little softer now. “It would be the polite thing to do.”
Jaclyn’s eyes flicked back to him, a slight smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. “Do you always give unsolicited advice, Your Grace?”
Kingston chuckled softly, a rare moment of genuine amusement slipping through. “Only when it’s warranted.”
“Well, I would have to disagree,” she said stiffly. “Because it is most definitely not warranted here.” She glared at him. “If you will excuse us,” she said with a lift of her chin. “I think it is time Ella and I returned to Havenwood. Good day, Your Grace.”
And with that she looped her arm through Lady Ella’s and led her away from the pond.
He shook his head in wonder. That had been an interesting conversation.
Though he had gotten something out of it.
She found out what she had and had not known, and goaded her into paying a call on Charlotte.
When she did, he would ensure they had a conversation in private.
He had a few things to say to her that he wanted no one to overhear.
Hopefully, after that conversation he would know his next steps.
It was perhaps not a wise thing to do, but he was still bitter about that blasted duel.
He understood it was not all her fault; however, he could not stop blaming her for her part in it.
What he really wanted was to make her brother pay for ever demanding satisfaction to begin with.
Especially as he had no real reason to challenge him.
If he had not been so bloody impulsive and listened, it never would have happened.