Page 10 of The Duke and the Spinster

Isabelle made a small stifled snort at his answer, but said nothing. Eugenia appeared satisfied.

“You will, of course, introduce me to them, won’t you? I met so few of the guests at last night’s Ball. It was most disappointing.”

“Yes, I will introduce you.”

She nodded, and they settled into silence, as the carriage bumped along the road towards Hallingbrook Grange. Upon arrival they joined the throng of people who moved from room to room, some already settled at the card tables, others simply wandering, conversing, or watching the card players. Garrett’s first response was a wish to turn and leave, but he made himself stay. He could ignore the usual predatory young women and their conniving mothers, if he could only make the opportunity for some relatively private conversation with Lady Juliana. If he left, that would be impossible.

As if to test his resolve, almost the first people that they met were Lady Prudence and her mother.

“Your Grace! So delightful to see you again tonight. I do believe that you must have finally begun to enjoy social occasions. I am told that there will not be any dancing this evening – so disappointing, don’t you agree?”

Lady Prudence fluttered her eyelids at him, attempting to look flirtatious, and her strident voice grated on his nerves. Only his upbringing as a gentleman allowed him to be polite. Especially when his own mother smiled encouragingly at the annoying woman!

“Indeed, Lady Prudence, although I am sure that we will all manage to enjoy ourselves regardless. Good conversation is always worthwhile.”

He attempted to slip past her, but she clung to his side, moving with them into the room. His sisters regarded her with carefully guileless eyes, but Garrett knew that they were amused at his expense.

His mother looked approving – he would have to try, again, to convince her that he would not consider Lady Prudence, ever. He suspected that would be an unpleasant conversation, for Lady Prudence had made a point of ingratiating herself with his mother. He sighed, nodding and, completely ignoring the woman’s words, scanned the crowded rooms for the one person he did want to see.

Then he saw it – a flash of golden hair, in the furthest corner of the room, amongst a cluster of potted palms. She was here! He released the breath he had not realised he’d been half holding, and immediately wondered how on earth he would get rid of Lady Prudence, so that he could manoeuvre a conversation with Lady Juliana.

Finally, an idea struck him.

“Mother, why don’t you tell Lady Prudence of your dramatic success with this gown, and your other new purchases. As she is such a connoisseur of fashion, I am sure that she will want to know all about it.”

Lady Prudence spun towards the Dowager Duchess, her expression avid.

“Oh, yes, please do tell me!”

Lady Prudence had the most terrible fashion sense of anyone he had ever met – but firmly believed herself to have the height of taste. His sisters eyed him as if he had gone mad, stifling giggles, but then realised what he had done, as he slipped away from the women. Soon after, both Isabelle and Eugenia also slipped off into the crowd, seeking friends to converse with.

He eased his way through the crowded room, greeting people as he passed them, catching snippets of conversation here and there, but always moving, until he had crossed the room, and slipped past the row of palms into the shadowed corner. She looked up, nervous, and then visibly relaxed.

“Your Grace. You startled me. I had thought myself well-hidden here.”

“Ah. But I have excellent eyes. And… your hair gave you away – it caught the light and glinted, even through this small forest that Mooresfield has provided.”

“Then I will have to obtain one of those rather odd-looking turban style hats that are so fashionable. That would hide my lamentably garish yellow hair.”

She had shocked him again – ‘lamentably garish yellow hair’? Her hair was beautiful, a rich burnished gold – how could she so describe it?

“Lady Juliana, I do not know where you came by that description of your hair, but it is far from the reality that I see. What I see before me is a silken pile of strands of finest burnished gold.”

Her eyes widened, and she studied his face for some time.

“You mean it, don’t you? That’s actually how you see it?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t understand how you manage to see me so differently from the way that others have been seeing me for years.”

He shrugged, unable to explain it. He saw what he saw.

“Does it matter how? Or is it more important that I do see you as I do? Perhaps others are blinded by their past memories of you, when you were young and perhaps a little awkward, as we all were at some point in our life. But you are not awkward now. You are beautiful, elegant, and graceful.”

She turned away with a little laugh, almost bitter, and spoke softly without looking at him.

“I cannot believe you, although you have no reason to gull me. I have spent too many years being mocked and disregarded for my failings to easily accept that they have magically disappeared upon my arrival in Upper Nettlefold.”