A Brazen Lady And The Shunned Duke (Faces of Love Series #3) (4 page)

* * *

I
made
my way back over to Ettie, making sure to avoid my brother and his wife. I could see them from across the room, looking very cross.

“What happened to you?” Ettie asked as she sipped a glass of punch.

“Ugh, are you surprised I came back at all? After that dance with Lord Milford, I am lucky to be alive.”

She giggled. “He is horrible to dance with, isn’t he?”

“Yes, and between his yammering, he went on and on about our familial connections to each other. I think my dear brother had already given him the idea that something might come of our meeting.”

“That sound terrible. What if he starts calling on you now that you have been introduced?”

“Don’t even speak of such things. He might hear you and think it a good idea,” I joked.

“Well what happened after that? I saw you go to your brother and then you just disappeared. Did someone else ask you to dance?”

“No. I kind of smart mouthed the duke and duchess.” She gasped at my confession. “I went outside to get some air.”

I gave her a sideways glance, trying to decide if I should tell her the rest. I decided to go for it. “I did happen to meet someone out there.”

“You did?”

“Yes, a very handsome gentleman came out to talk to me for a short while. I am a little surprised to say he took my breath away.”

“Well who was he?”

“Oh,” I realized. “I never got his name.

She turned me to face the crowd. “Well, I am not leaving this ball tonight until you point him out to me. I am sure I know just about everyone here. We will have this mystery man discovered by night’s end.”

We walked from room to room, scanning its contents. We giggled like little schoolgirls all the while. Being with Ettie was turning out to be vastly entertaining.

Finally I spotted the back of those bright auburn curls. I knew it was him by the length of his shoulders and his ability to tower over his peers. I instantly felt my insides knot at the sight of him. I realized that what we had shared on the patio was so intimate I wasn’t sure I wanted to put a name to the face. Before I could change my mind, however, Ettie recognized that I had found what I was seeking.

“You have spotted him, I know it,” she said, standing on her tiptoes and looking around the room. “Tell me which one. I do say there are several very good choices in this room.”

“It was a silly game, come on, let’s go,” I said, trying to usher her out of the room.

“Oh, you are not getting off that easily. If you don’t tell me, I will parade you around and introduce you to everyone I know in here until you speak up.”

“Oh fine,” I said with a huff. “It was the gentleman with the auburn hair,” I nudged in his direction.

She looked at him, shocked, then back at me. She asked me with her eyes if I was sure and I nodded yes. Perhaps she thought I had set my sights too high.

She grabbed my arm and brazenly walked right up to the man. He was in mid conversation with another gentleman and was startled to see us. He first looked at Ettie and then his eyes widened at me.

“Brother, I want you to meet a very dear friend of mine, Miss Scarlett. Scarlett, this is my brother Edward, the Duke of Kent.”

Both of us stared at each other in shock. I couldn’t believe the odds that the man I had talked to earlier was Ettie’s brother.

“Edward, do say something. You look terrible standing there with your mouth open,” Ettie said with a nudge at him.

He seemed to regain his composure and bowed politely to me.

“It is very nice to make your acquaintance, your grace,” I said as I curtsied in response.

“Oh, but you two have already met each other, right?” Ettie asked, a smile plastered on her freckled face. I swear this girl was more brazen than I was.

“That is correct,” the duke said, not removing his eyes from mine. “I wonder,” he said, looking toward his sister, “if I could tear Miss Scarlett away from you for a set. Lord Byron here would be more than happy to keep you company until we return,” he waved to his male companion.

Even if he was an impoverished duke, as my sister-in-law had said, he was still a duke. No one could refuse him such a request. Lord Byron nodded in agreement. The Duke of Kent stretched his arm out for me to take.

I hesitated a moment before placing my hand in the crook of his arm. He looked down at me again, smiling that dazzling white smile as he covered my hand with his and guided me back toward the dance floor.

* * *

I
don’t know
how it happened, but I spent the remainder of the night dancing with Kent. We just continued from one set to another, without either of us questioning it. Many of the dances were close enough for us to speak, but even when we were unable to speak words while dancing, I still felt a connection to him.

I told him how I had come to meet Lady Henrietta and my connection to both Julia and her older sister, the Duchess of Gaffton. I had learned that Henrietta’s family and the Gafftons had close ties to each other.

“I know of your brother also, the Duke of Bellingham, that is. I don’t know that I have ever officially been introduced to him.”

“You probably know him better than I,” I replied. You see, when my mother married and had me, he was already fifteen years old. I remember him living with us only a little bit. He left when I was just four to manage his own affairs.”

“Well, I can’t imagine it would have been easy for him to take on such a large burden at such a young age,” Kent replied.

“I am sure you are right,” I agreed. “I guess it’s just been harder with him. With Henry, we get along so easily. I spent so much time with him in my youth that I am comfortable around him. He knows who I am, and he loves me despite it.”

“I can’t image that you are such a terrible lady that he has to love you despite anything,” Kent replied.

“Not terrible. I believe the term most often used by my mother is hoyden.”

“You, a regular hoyden?” he jested.

“Apparently. I like to speak my mind and don't back down easily. I guess that is what makes a hoyden.”

“You certainly are speaking your mind now.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, suddenly self-conscious. “I know I talk a large amount and…”

“Nonsense. It’s refreshing. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to be accosted constantly by ladies who readily agree with everything and have an opinion on nothing.”

“Constantly, huh?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Finally, the music stopped for the last time. I looked around as if I was waking up from a dream. It had felt like one long dance and not a series of several that had expanded a whole night.

“I’m sorry if I kept you from others,” he said finally. “I didn’t mean to. I guess I just got lost in the moment.”

“It’s alright. I did too,” I said frankly.

I looked around the room and saw my brother eyeing me. I didn’t know how long he had been watching me. The duchess was at his side. No doubt she had already told him of my association with Henrietta after her specific instructions not to do such. Now here I was consorting with the one man she’d told me to avoid.

When our eyes met, he made his way toward me. I also noticed several other eyes glancing in mine and Kent’s direction with whispers behind gloved hands. I suppose us dancing almost the entirety of the night had created a spectacle of ourselves.

In a flash my brother was at my side, insisting that it was time for us to leave. I nodded toward him and looked back at Kent. I wanted to ask whether I would see him again, but knew that would be too forward, even for someone like me.

“Miss Scarlett,” he said before the Duke of Bellingham had a chance to whisk me away. “I was wondering if I might call on you?”

I must have smiled from ear to ear. I could see him physically relax at my reaction, like he was worried of my answer.

“My sister already has several appointments with the duchess. I don’t know if it would be wise to call on her, since she will be rarely at home,” he said before I could answer.

He began to turn me away from Kent and toward the exit. I turned back for just a second though. “I would like it very much if you would call on me,” I finally said.

* * *

M
y brother was
true to his word and for the next few days, he and the duchess endeavored to keep me busy. If the Duke of Kent called on me in my absence, I am sure I would never know. I had felt a deep attraction to him that night, but I told myself that maybe this distance was for the best.

After all, I didn’t know him that well after just one night. It might be better to sever ties before I knew him better, since clearly my brother was against us having any form of relationship.

I wondered why that was, since it had to be more than just his financial status. There had to be something personal between the two of them to warrant such dislike.

I pondered over this as I sat with the duchess at a garden party. Each of us was supposed to be painting a small table. The Lord Newcastle, whose wife was hosting, was to be the judge of the best and a prize would be given.

It all seemed very tedious and boring to me. I’d never had a hand for drawing or painting in the past, though I could do it well enough, but to waste an entire day on such ridiculousness made me want to scream.

Growing up, I was never subjected to such useless tasks. Of course, I was trained by the finest governess and had the proper upbringing seen appropriate by my mother. I had learned to draw, embroider, paint, play the piano and other tasks, just as these ladies around me had done. It was always viewed as a means of enjoyment growing up, not solely to pass the time because you had nothing else to do.

I had always been busy with meaningful work at home. My favorite pastime was sitting in the kitchen with the cook. She would teach me the art of baking while I watched and petted the tabby cat that made its home next to the warm hearth.

Mother and I always spent our days helping the sick and needy families in our town. If I was playing the piano, it was for the entertainment of someone in need, or drawing a picture for a sick child.

Other days, I would go to the docks with my father to learn from him. He oversaw a vast wine business most often imported from Italy. I practiced my Italian and French among the sailors.

There, at home, it felt like all my knowledge and upbringing was being put to good use. Here, it seemed the only use for one’s abilities was to impress other ladies and waste away the day. It all seemed irritatingly frivolous to me.

“Scarlett, you don’t seem to be paying much attention to your work,” the duchess said from the other side of our small table.

I looked at her side. She had nearly finished the intricate row of roses along the gold edging. I was still on my second rose.

“Perhaps she has her mind on something, or someone else,” Lady Newcastle chimed in coquettishly.

She was sitting next to us, creating her piece with Lady Hawthorne. They were both relatively younger ladies, probably about the duchess’ age and with no children to distract them yet. I had a feeling that this whole group of women was the personal entourage of her grace.

“I don’t know what you mean,” the duchess snapped indignantly.

“Oh yes you do. We all saw it the other night. Miss Scarlett couldn’t be pulled away from the Duke of Kent even if she’d wanted to,” Lady Hawthorne added.

She was a sweet lady. Probably the only one out of Her Grace’s company that I could say I actually liked. She was tall and thin, with golden ringlets always forming around her face. She was always so bright and cheery. It brought a small ray of light to an otherwise dreary afternoon with these women.

“Just be careful, my dear, with that one,” Lady Newcastle added.

“What do you mean?” I asked, intrigued.

“Well, he has quite a reputation,” she continued.

“I had heard that he was low on funds,” I replied.

“Yes, that could possibly be why he singled you out,” she continued.

My feathers ruffled inwardly. I didn’t like that these ladies knew my financial business or that she would suggest that was all I was worth in the eyes of a gentleman.

“That is not what I am referring to, though.”

“What then?” I asked.

The duchess huffed. “Just know there is a reason I asked you to stay away from him. It is for your own good.” I hated when she talked down to me like I was some kind of small child.

“She should be told, Juliana,” Lady Newcastle said. It was the first time I’d heard the Duchess’ given name spoken.

She rolled her eyes and gave in with a sigh. Lady Newcastle clapped her hands in excitement. She did love to be the one to whisper the latest gossip.

“Well,” she started. “Kent was originally promised to a certain lady. They had been engaged for some time, almost longer than was fashionably proper. Then out of nowhere, he just abandoned her. There are even rumors that she was with child. She was put away, though discreetly, and hasn’t been seen in public afterward. Since then, he has built quite the reputation of a ladies’ man.”

“He certainly has the looks and charm for it,” Lady Hawthorne said with a giggle.

“Despite the fact that it is well known that his father was a poor overseer of their estate, he has refused to marry.”

“So his father was the one to leave him destitute?” I asked.

I felt comfort for some reason in knowing that he hadn’t been the irresponsible party.

“Yes. I know the old Duke of Kent died when Kent was very young. He was under the care of his uncle until he came of age.”

I felt sad for Kent. Growing up with no father in his life, his uncle must certainly have been a good substitution. I thought of my own father. No one could replace him.

“Don’t you find it odd,” the duchess chimed in, “that even in his state he has chosen to live like a cad instead of marrying?”

“It doesn’t sound like he is a cad at all from what you say. Even from the short time I have spent with him. Perhaps he is waiting for the right person.”

They all had a good laugh over this. I looked between their faces, shocked.

“In society,” Duchess said, again like she was talking to a little girl, “looking after your family and title should supersede any silly romantic desires. He is just as irresponsible as his father, choosing to waste his fortune and his sister’s chances at a good match. He is not a viable option for you.”

She added this with finality and the conversation was over.