Page 56 of How Not to Marry a Duke

“Come to think of it, I did meet Lord Bowen at White’s once. He didn’t make a good impression; he is empty-headed and lacks so much as two brain cells.”

“Then what will you do about it, Your Grace?”

He knew she was manipulating him. None of it mattered when Adeline laughed at something Lord Bowen said. He should be the one to make her laugh. “Pardon me, my lady.”

Warwick was aware of the stares and whispers behind fluttering fans as he moved through the crowd. He was aware and he didn’t care. He avoided these events, even those hosted by his friends, Lord and Lady Drake. But he’d made a promise.

His gaze focused on the woman seated on the blanket ten feet away. Sunlight glinted off her glorious mass of dark hair. The smooth curve of her cheek was turned toward another, and she gifted Lord Bowen with a smile that should have been meant for him.

He halted at the edge of their blanket. Two heads turned up to look at him. Adeline’s blue eyes were clear; Lord Bowen’s, questioning.

“Hello, Bowen. I had an agreement to meet with the lady. If you do not mind?” He stared at Lord Bowen, a man five or so years younger than himself. It wasn’t respect for Warwick’s age that made the viscount blanch. Bowen must have read the menacing intent in Warwick’s gaze.

Lord Bowen stood and bowed. “If you will please pardon me, Lady Adeline. I must say hello to a cousin.”

Adeline rose. “Of course.”

Warwick watched with satisfaction as the viscount scurried way.

Her lips thinned with displeasure. “That was terribly rude.”

“Was it? I didn’t realize.”

The spark of anger in Adeline’s eyes brought out the chips of black around the blue irises. “I don’t believe you. Regardless of your chosen social isolation you were raised as heir to a dukedom. Proper manners would have been part of your tutelage.”

“I don’t care about my tutelage. You forget our agreement.”

“Our agreement! How dare you!” At her raised voice, several people looked their way. As if she realized the attention they were drawing, she lowered her voice and grit her teeth. “It is you who is forgetful.”

“Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere. The gardens are vast.” He offered his arm.

She stared at it for several moments before placing her fingers on his forearm. He escorted her away from the gawking men and women and toward the maze. Once they were isolated by shrubbery and out of earshot, she spun on him.

“As I said, our understanding will not work if you do not participate.”

“I was not the one sitting beside another lord, flirting with him.”

“Oh!” She stomped her foot. “You are too arrogant, for sure. You forget your end of the agreement.”

“Which is?”

“To attend events together, to make tongues wag. To convince your godmother and my half brother that we are madly in love.”

“And how am I to do that when you spend time with another lord?”

“You make an appearance. That’s how.”

“I’m standing here, am I not?”

“If you haven’t noticed, Your Grace, some of the guests have already departed. I’ve been here for three hours.”

Had he lost track of that much time? It was a problem he’d had since he was a child. “I had something of importance to attend to.”

“More important than me?”

His heart pounded in his chest as he met her clear gaze. No, not now, he wanted to say. He’d never been good with words. How could he explain?

“The pistons of the high-pressure steam engine didn’t overheat.” His discovery didn’t seem as important now.