Chapter 7
Time was moving far too slowly. Catriona closed her book with an exasperated huff, annoyed that she had been sitting in the same position for the past hour, and she’d barely gotten past two pages.
Every few seconds, she would glance at the door, half wondering if Francis would come strolling in to inform her that Joseph had come to call on her.
She even caught herself looking out the window imagining that he had snuck around to the side of the house when no one was looking just to see her.
Goodness, she’d been reading too many of Maisie’s romance novels.
What am I getting myself into? He clearly has expectations of me that I am uncertain I will be able to meet. Would it make sense for me to involve myself with him now?
Catriona tossed the book to the side, glaring at the clock as if that would cause the minute hand to tick faster.
It was only midday. She’d been up since shortly after dawn which meant she’d had nearly six hours to torture herself with thoughts of Joseph.
She simply couldn’t understand it. He was no different than the first time she’d seen him.
If anything, he was worse! After seeing how stern he was with his daughter, her opinion of him had certainly plummeted.
So why couldn’t she get his smile out of her head?
“You’ve gone mad, Cat,” she murmured to herself, closing her eyes.
As soon as she did, the events of last night came rushing back from the recesses of her memory she’d tried to bury it in.
At first, it had been a funny moment, but every time she recalled it, it came with the shadow of doubt and uncertainty.
Especially after her argument with Joseph.
It had been brief, so quick that she might have convinced herself that she’d imagined it if it hadn’t been for how devastating the effect had been.
While Ava had been playing the pianoforte, Maisie had murmured that Ava tended to handle the instrument with all the grace of a wet cat which made Ava let out a loud, offended gasp. And Joseph smiled.
It was quick, a slight lift of his lips before straightening them out a second later.
She doubted anyone had noticed—especially since Ava and Maisie started bickering right after—but Catriona certainly did.
And now, she could not get it out of her head.
That smile, the way his eyes lightened and that heavy cloak of tension constantly draped across his shoulders lifted, made her wonder what it would be like to see him smile fully. To laugh. Was he even capable of it?
“You may have truly gone mad indeed.”
Catriona gasped, eyes flying open to see her uncle standing over her. He raised a brow in question before reaching over to pick up the book she’d tossed on the nearby end table.
“The Fabled Love?” he read aloud. “Surely this is not what has gotten you so lost in thought that you didn’t even hear my entrance?”
Catriona straightened. Frederic being here was a good thing. Distraction could help keep her mind off Joseph.
“Is that what it’s called?” she answered. “I saw it sitting here and just picked it up because I needed something to pass the time.”
“Then one of my books on philosophy should be just the thing. Let me find one for you. I have a number of them lying about, I believe.”
Catriona watched as he ambled over to the closest bookshelf to begin his perusal. For good measure, she raised her voice as she spoke again. “I’m surprised you did not already have your nose buried in one today.”
“My current interest is in botany. Did you know that the leaves and stems of a tomato plant are poisonous?”
“I hadn’t imagined,” Catriona murmured.
“Yes, quite interesting information indeed. You’d be surprised how much general knowledge one could learn simply from reading.” He reached for a book and then chuckled as he shook his head and put it back where he found it. “Or perhaps you wouldn’t be surprised. That is how most learn after all.”
Catriona watched as he drifted over to another bookshelf and reached halfway for a book before withdrawing his hand. He was rambling. And if he was rambling then that meant… “Is there something you would like to speak to me about?”
“Me? What for? Why do you ask? Why would I need to?”
“Because you seem to be saying the first thing that comes to your head without thought. Which means your anxious about something. And I can only imagine that, if you’re anxious around me, there must be something you wish to say but do not know how to.”
Frederic’s eyes shifted to her. Catriona waited, knowing that he would break soon enough.
It took only a few seconds before he sighed and then made his way back over to her, sinking into the couch she was sitting on.
“I wanted to speak about the Duke,” he stated.
Catriona’s heartbeat quickened. She prayed he couldn’t tell something was off. “What about the Duke?”
“I…” Frederic shifted uncomfortably. “I realized that I did not take the time to speak with you about this sudden development. One moment, you are attending your first ball, and the next, you’re betrothed to a duke. It all happened so quickly.”
“It did,” she agreed.
“But I did not ask how you feel about it. About him. I know you well enough to know that you would not do anything without reason. And I also know that you are not one to make a decision you did not think about completely. But still, as your uncle and guardian, I feel it is my duty to ensure that you are happy with that decision.”
Happy…
She didn’t know if she was happy. She didn’t even know if she was content with it. All she knew was that there was an obvious advantage to becoming the Duke’s wife for her and her sisters, and that had always been at the forefront of her mind.
She hadn’t considered whether she would be happy or not.
Frederic must have sensed her inner conflict because he asked, “Do you see yourself being happy with the Duke?”
“I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “I wish to believe that I will be content at the very least. He has stated that there will be no love between us which I am fine with as long as he upholds his promise to respect me and assist my sisters in finding proper matches.”
Frederic furrowed his brow. “And you do not care to be in love?”
“Did you?” Catriona countered with a raised brow.
“I was far too focused on my studies to care about the starting a family. Now that I am old, I cannot help but regret how I neglected that part of my life. I don’t want you to make the same mistake.”
“I won’t. I’m getting married, aren’t I? That is already more than I had ever expected for myself.”
Apparently, that wasn’t the response Frederic was hoping for because he thinned his lips. Catriona wasn’t used to him being this serious. But before he could say anything else, Francis entered bearing a box wrapped with a large ribbon with a letter on top.
Catriona’s heart thudded painfully in her chest as Francis made his way over to her and said, “This arrived for you, Miss Wallace. It is from the Duke of Irvin.”
“The Duke?” Frederic echoed. He shifted closer, peering at the box curiously. “What is it?”
Catriona didn’t answer him. She was too busy trying to quell her nerves, praying that the butterflies creating havoc in her stomach would relax long enough for her to see what had been sent.
It was one thing to imagine him coming to see her, but it was another thing entirely to actually receive something from him.
There was no obligation after all. They weren’t a love match.
He could decide not to see or speak to her until the wedding date, though they were yet to set a date, and it would be perfectly acceptable.
She was grateful for her steady hands as she undid the ribbon and opened the box. Laying within was the most beautiful sea-green dress of lace and muslin, one that outdid every dress currently in her armoire.
“Quite an interesting gift from someone who says he does not care for love,” Frederic observed over her shoulder.
She ignored him. She reached for the letter instead.
Dear Catriona,
I have been invited to attend Lady Saxbury’s ball. This is the perfect opportunity for us to attend together. This dress will look lovely on you.
Yours, Joseph.
“To the point,” Frederic commented. Catriona didn’t flinch at his suddenly close proximity, not at all surprised to see that he had been reading over her shoulder. “I think it would look lovely on you as well.”
She ignored him. Instead, she looked up at Francis, who waited patiently nearby. “Is the person who delivered this still here?”
“Yes, Your Grace. His footman was asked to wait for your response.”
How presumptuous of him to assume she would issue an immediate response. Catriona nodded sharply and stood, making her way to the desk on the other side of the library.
Unsurprisingly, Frederic and Francis followed.
“What are you going to say?” her nosy uncle asked.
She still didn’t pay him any mind. Not when he made it clear he intended to watch her every move with no care in the world. So, she simply reached for a clean sheet of paper and the quill pen, and she penned her response.
Your Grace,
Your gesture is kind but unnecessary as I have many dresses that I may attend the ball in, so I do not need yet another. Besides, this is far too fancy a dress for me.
Also, you have failed to indicate the date of this ball? Am I to be prepared every evening just in case?
Miss Catriona Wallace
“You cannot possibly send that!” Frederic grasped.
“Why not?” she challenged, blowing gently on the paper to urge the ink to dry faster.
“You will come across as cold and uncaring of his gift.”
“I did say that it was a kind gesture, did I not?” Satisfied that the ink would not smudge, she folded the letter and made her way back to the box, Frederic and Francis on her heels. She neatly put the box back together, even tying the bow, before handing the box and her letter to Francis.
“Please ask the footman to have this safely delivered to His Grace,” she told him.
Francis nodded curtly. “Yes, Miss.”
Frederic waited until the butler was gone to heave a great sigh. “You never fail to amaze me, Cat.”
Catriona only smiled. Hopefully, Joseph thought so as well.
“This has arrived for you, Miss Wallace.”
The return of the box and another letter from Joseph came within half an hour. Catriona had to admire the speediness though she did lament the fact that the delivery was being made with both her sisters now present in the library.
Ava, who had been in the middle of playing with the dogs, scrambled over, just barely making it before Maisie, who had abandoned her embroidery. Thankfully, Frederic stayed where he was by the hearth, but Catriona knew she had his undivided attention.
“Is it from the Duke?” Maisie asked excitedly.
“Open it,” Ava urged, “open it quickly!”
Catriona sighed heavily as if she too wasn’t just as eager to see what he’d said in response. This time, she reached for the letter first.
Dear Catriona,
Please forgive the oversight. While the thought of you getting ready for a ball every evening is indeed amusing, I suppose it is far more proper of me to inform you that it will be in two days’ time.
I have returned the dress to you (as it is now yours) since I can only assume that you agree that it will look quite beautiful on you.
While I would love to see you wear it, I have also decided to open an account at an excellent modiste for you to go and pick something yourself.
Feel free to gift this beautiful dress to one of your sisters if you wish.
As the future Duchess of Irvin, nothing is too fancy for you.
Yours, Joseph
By the time she was finished reading, there was no fighting the smile that touched her lips. She couldn’t believe it. Was he… flirting with her? Certainly not. But he was teasing her, at the very least, which she could hardly believe. She’d never imagined a man like the Duke capable of such banter.
“Oh goodness!” Maisie’s squeal drew her attention away from the letter. She hadn’t realized that her sisters had gotten to the box before she could. Maisie was holding the dress up, eyes shining with wonder. “This is absolutely beautiful!”
“What did he say?” Ava asked, nudging Catriona impatiently. “You were holding the letter so close to you that I could hardly read anything.”
“That is because it is inappropriate to read other’s letters,” Catriona told her. “I can only imagine where you would have gotten such a bad habit from.”
Frederic, to his credit, pretended he didn’t hear. Or perhaps he truly didn’t. Either way, he’d returned his attention to his book.
“Yes, yes, it was rather rude, but you’re my sister, and I’m sure you won’t hold it against me. So? What did he say?”
“He said that he has opened an account at a modiste for me to pick a dress for myself. And that one of you may have that one.”
“Was it not meant for you?” Ava asked. “It would look lovely on you.”
Catriona shrugged. “I suppose you do not want it then.”
“I want it,” Maisie exclaimed.
“No, I was going to say that I wanted it,” Ava complained.
Maisie gave her a victorious grin. “Too late.”
Ava rolled her eyes but gave up on that fight, returning her attention to Catriona. “So when are we going to the modiste?”
Catriona thought about it for a second. “I suppose now is as good a time as any.”
“Now?” both sisters gasped in surprise.
“I thought you would not want to go at all,” Maisie said in her surprise.
“Or that you would tell His Grace that you did not care for his kind gesture.”
Frederic snorted loudly. Catriona ignored him and didn’t bother to tell her sisters that she’d already done that with the dress which was what earned her this visit to the modiste in the first place.
“He has also invited me to a ball,” she informed them. “Which is in two days’ time. So I suppose it makes sense for me to get a new dress fitted if I am to attend alongside him.”
“Oh, this is so exciting.” Maisie shot to her feet, putting the dress carefully back in the box before she picked it up. “Then we shouldn’t tarry. If we fetch our bonnets fast enough, I’m sure we can be on our way within ten minutes’ time.”
“Five if we race,” Ava challenged, getting to a stand.
Maisie waved her off. “I have no intention of racing you.”
“Very well. I shall race myself then.” And without waiting for a response, Ava was off. Maisie, despite having stated that she would do otherwise, hurried out behind her.
It took Catriona a moment to stand. She read the letter again. Then again. And every time she did, she couldn’t help but think that he was flirting with her.
This stone-faced duke with steely eyes might be flirting with her.
It was an insane thought, one she constantly tried to dismiss. One that came rushing back even as she too made her way to her chambers to fetch her bonnet.
And every time it did, she thought of that hint of a smile she’d seen last night and wondered if he might have been smiling while he’d written his letters.