Chapter Eleven #2
His Grace, or rather Tobias, turned to help her into the carriage.
Something strange was happening in her midriff; a strange fluttering feeling swirled about her stomach.
It was hard to believe the sensation could be in response to this stern-faced man, but there was no other explanation.
He was not giving any indication that her presence similarly affected him.
He held out a gloved hand for her to take.
For a moment, she could only stare at it.
They had touched before, of course. Her fingers had brushed his arm before he had plunged into the Serpentine, and they had danced a waltz, and yet somehow this felt momentous, as if reaching out to take his hand would change something fundamental between them.
She shook her head; she was being a ninny.
The duke was only offering to help her onto the carriage, just like he would do with any lady he took out for a ride.
She’d been out of sorts since she’d woken up this morning, and all these weird physical reactions had to be a result of that.
‘No?’ Tobias said softly, a faint smile teasing his lips.
‘I do apologise,’ she said, heat creeping up her neck.
‘I was woolgathering.’ She reached out and took his proffered hand, curling her fingers around his.
A shock ran through her at the contact, but she ignored it.
She was not a debutante, nor a woman in want of a new husband or a widow in want of a dalliance with a handsome man.
She was a woman who had been under extreme emotional pressure over the last few days and who needed to relax and enjoy herself.
Despite her little talk to herself, Grace was very aware of the duke’s presence as he placed himself on the bench next to her.
Although it was muted by the coat he was wearing, she could still smell the scent he wore, an intoxicating mix of bergamot and something rich she could not identify.
If they had been better acquainted, she might have been able to ask him, but then again, probably not.
Settling back into the seat, she allowed herself to enjoy the rush of wind against her cheeks as the horses began to pull the carriage along.
Next to her, the duke was silent. As they turned out of the road she lived on, she thought he might say something, but he did not.
By the time they had reached Hyde Park, Grace was none the wiser as to why the duke had asked her to come for a ride.
As they entered the green space, where other riders were moving slowly along the paths, Grace studied his profile.
Like his brothers, he had dark hair which was almost completely black.
Sebastian’s had often been wild. He’d always run his hands through it as each new idea occurred to him and he’d often forgotten to hide it under a hat because he was too busy with whatever project was on his mind.
Although she could see little of it right now, she had no doubt Tobias’ was as perfect as ever.
It was as if not even a strand would dare to defy him by falling out of place.
Having witnessed people almost dive out of his way as he left a room, without him having to utter a word to get them to move, she could well imagine his hair cowering from one glare out of those commanding eyes.
All the brothers had similar features, but one could easily tell the difference.
They were all strikingly handsome with their wide shoulders and tapered waists, but it was Tobias who demanded attention by his presence alone.
While that might be in part because he was a duke, it wasn’t the sole reason.
There was something about his person that drew one’s awareness.
If he were present, even if he made no noise, one knew he was there.
Given that he rarely spoke, it was quite the achievement.
If she didn’t know better, Grace would have believed that he didn’t want to deign to talk to people he believed to be his inferior.
But the more time she spent with him, the more she didn’t think that was the case.
At the ball, the other evening, before she had taken offence at his matchmaking statement, she had been forming a theory.
In light of what he had said to her and her own revelations the following day, she had not given it any further thought, but now that they were riding along in silence, it came back to her.
Tobias did not like speaking when certain people were around.
Or rather, it was as if something somehow stopped him from doing so.
Growing up, Clare had stuttered now and then.
It had not been a problem for Grace, she had been content to wait until her darling sister had formed the words, but it had driven their parents to the edge of distraction.
While it had never gone away, her sister spoke far more easily when her parents were not around than when they were, and though the duke appeared to speak with no problem, Grace couldn’t help but wonder if something similar was going on here.
She glanced to the tiger at the back of the carriage, before turning back to Tobias. If her theory was right, she could put it to the test right now.
‘Your Grace,’ she murmured. He turned to her, one eloquent eyebrow raised. ‘Tobias,’ she corrected herself, ignoring the heat that swept over her at this new intimacy. ‘I wonder if we may walk for a bit instead. Would that be acceptable to you?’
He held her gaze for a long moment, then nodded. ‘As you wish.’
Before long, he was pulling the greys to a stop and helping her to climb down from the carriage.
His tiger took control of the horses, while Tobias and Grace walked along a footpath, alone, which was exactly what she had been hoping for.
Now she just had to get the conversation going.
She racked her brain for a suitable topic, but when none came to mind she chose an improper one.
‘Why were you in the water when we first met? It does not look overly hygienic,’ she said, gesturing towards the swans paddling in the Serpentine’s depths.
‘That is a good question,’ he said. ‘I have wondered at my behaviour a thousand times since. I am grateful it was you who found me and not one of the gossips. I would never have heard the end of it.’
‘Ah, so you are embarrassed about it. That is good to know.’
A small smile played around his mouth. ‘Are you intending to blackmail me, Grace?’
She shivered, goosebumps racing across her skin.
It had to be because of the slight breeze.
It could not be because of the sound of her name on his lips.
She was not a green girl whose head could be turned by a handsome man and if she kept telling herself that, she might begin to believe it.
‘It is always a possibility,’ she said, pretending to mull it over.
‘I have become quite partial to your cook’s fruit cake. ’
‘Is that all it will take to buy your secrecy?’
‘One cake a week will silence me on the matter forever.’
This time his smile was visible. ‘I suppose I can manage that. My cook already makes several a week for Kate, who adores it above all other food. An extra one should not be too much of an inconvenience.’
‘Excellent. I am glad we could come to a peaceable agreement on the subject. Although, I notice you have avoided answering my question, which has only served to pique my interest. Pray tell me, what persuaded you to enter the water?’
‘Ah.’ He scratched his chin and gazed out over the Serpentine. A swan appeared to take a vehement dislike to another, flapping its wide wings threateningly. ‘Does it not look inviting to you?’
The sun chose that moment to come out from behind the clouds and the water sparkled.
The two swans glided effortlessly away from one another, their argument forgotten.
‘It is the waterfowl that puts me off,’ she said after a moment’s reflection.
‘They are rather big birds. I am almost certain that, in a fight between them and me, I would lose.’ She appraised his wide shoulders.
‘I suppose you believe that the animals would not dare to attack you because of your dukeliness. They are no doubt as overawed by your status as are the members of the Ton.’
Tobias nodded solemnly. ‘You are correct, as always. I am certain they would not attempt such a blatant digression against a peer of the realm. The Society matrons would be appalled by such behaviour and they would never be able to show their beaks in London again.’
‘I agree wholeheartedly. I can only think of what the likes of Mrs Meadway would say of their behaviour should they be so uncouth.’ Glancing up at him, she saw that his dark eyes were gleaming, taking her made-up word in reference to his title in the way she had intended; it persuaded her to continue in the same vein.
‘It must be quite something to be so fierce that even swans would not dare defy you.’
‘It is,’ he agreed gravely.
For a beat, she held herself still, unsure whether he was jesting or whether he truly had that high an opinion of himself.
The corner of his lip lifted slightly and she burst out laughing.
He rewarded her with a full smile and her heart tripped beneath her breastbone.
He was breathtakingly handsome when he was happy.
It was a wonder all the women of London were not falling at his feet in a way that had nothing to do with his title and everything to do with him.
As he looked down at her his smile slowly faded. ‘I asked you on this outing,’ he said, more solemnly this time, ‘because I wanted to see how you fared after yesterday. You were very distressed and you left before I had time to check on you.’