Page 78 of Winning Her Duke

He turned for the door and only stopped when Hale called his name.

Hale came to stand before him shaking his head.

“I don’t understand why you don’t push for me to marry her. You know we are friends. I spend more time than is acceptable in her company, yet you’ve not even hinted at such a thing. Do you find me unworthy of her?”

Hale wished he hadn’t asked that last question for it was one he’d been asking himself and worried at the answer.

Waverly clasped Hale’s shoulder.

“I’ve enough on my plate trying to wrestle Gia into marriage. I’m afraid I’m not up for such a battle as to herd the both of you to the alter.”

“Lord Waverly, I have an idea.” In fact, as the seconds ticked by, Hale devised a plan that would please everyone. Well, almost everyone.

*

After spending most of the morning arguing with her father over her plans for the future, Gia was more than a little suspicious when her father stepped into the library where she was painting with a smile on his face.

He had been gone for some time and she’d hoped when he returned, he would drop this ridiculous plan to marry her off in some grand love match.

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she was ruined so he would give up, but she realized he would only set his sights on marrying her off even sooner.

The fact he was relaxed and smiling didn’t bode well for Gia’s freedom. Had he found someone to offer for her?

“Whatever has you looking so pleased?” she asked when he sat and steepled his hands in silence.

“I have sent Bess to pack a bag for you. Roxburghe will be coming for you at dawn tomorrow.”

She swallowed, but made sure to keep her face unreadable. Had Jeremy spoken to her father and agreed to marry her? Were they heading for Scotland to elope? Why was she not more terrified of such a possibility?

“Where will we be going?” she asked, seeming only slightly curious despite her frantic heartbeat.

“Elmhurst.”

Gia was certainly not expecting that.

“You’ve agreed to let me return home in the middle of the Season?”

“Yes.” He tapped his index fingers against his lip and eventually gave up on his silence. “For a week. Roxburghe has requested your help to train his horse for Epsom and I’ve agreed it makes more sense to do so in the country where it is less likely you’ll be seen.”

She tilted her head and pushed for more information. There was no way her father would agree to this unless there was a concession made to his advantage.

“Why have you agreed?” Gia tilted her head, hiding her eagerness to leave this instant for home.

“Roxburghe will be bringing a friend. An unattached, titled friend. The Earl of Melville.”

“I see.” Gia wasn’t sure she understood what Hale was doing, but she was certain he had no intentions of creating a match between Gia and his friend. Not when he’d just taken Gia to his bed the night before.

She had danced with Lord Melville and was certain he was even less interested in marriage than Jeremy.

“I think this could be the match for you, dear. Roxburghe says Melville shares an interest in horses and he’s not declared he’d never marry unlike a certain duke you’ve befriended. And, of course, there’s the matter of the betting books. If I can make a killing on both your marriage and Roxburghe’s horse taking Epsom, all the better for me. If it doesn’t work out with Melville, we’ll only lose a week and there’s still much of the Season left.”

“But Lady Tomison won’t be able to go with me. She is preparing to host her ball in two weeks’ time. I should stay to help.”

“I will stay with her, and Bess will go with you to the country to chaperone.”

“My, it seems you’ve thought of everything,” she said, knowing her father hadn’t come up with any of this. Though Hale probably made sure her father would think he had. “I guess I have no say in the matter? It is only a week, I’m certain Lord Melville will not be overcome in a week’s time and I’ll be back here soon enough.”

“I see no reason to rush home if everyone is enjoying the country. Perhaps two weeks would give you and Lord Melville more time to get to know one another.”