The Duke's Daughter (6 page)

She didn’t recall much of the rest of the evening. Lord Langham made a heartfelt speech in which he mentioned his late wife. Clarice cried, and when David touchingly kissed his wife’s forehead, Lucy felt an overwhelming rush of emotion.

Some toasts were made, welcoming Avery into the Langham family, and David gave a short speech thanking his father-in-law for being such a generous host.

It was only when she was tucked up warm in her bed at Strathmore House that Lucy recalled the brief words of appreciation that Avery made at the end of the evening’s formalities. His exact words escaped her memory, but it was the tension that she felt in him as he spoke that remained in her mind.

Humble words of gratitude were not the usual in her rarefied world. In Avery, she knew he truly meant it when he said he looked forward to being part of a family. That a man who had a roof over his head and people whom he could call friends was truly blessed.

She rolled over in her bed, surprised to find hot tears had sprung to her eyes. How lonely he must have been all those years. To know he had no one in England who awaited his return. No one who cared.

‘Well, you shall have friends, Mr Fox. Friends who do care for you, friends who . . . oh dear!’

She quickly sat up in bed, unable to stem the tears. With her hand clutched to her bosom she felt the loud thump of her heart pounding in her chest.

Her heart knew it was in deadly peril.

For now, she would do everything to make sure their relationship remained platonic. She would not make a fool of herself again. Wiping away the tears, she pondered the situation.

It was clear now that Avery did not intend to mourn his brother. As such Lord Langham would likely have him out in society within days. With his smart new clothes and well-kept appearance, he would make quite the impression at fashionable events.

Events at which other young unmarried misses, and their mothers, would also be in attendance. There were plenty of other young ladies still firmly on the shelf at this stage of the season. And plenty with the perceptiveness to see the newly elevated Mr Fox as manna from heaven. He wouldn’t stand a chance against them.

With her brother Alex, the future Duke of Strathmore, firmly off the market, the future Earl Langham was now the most eligible bachelor in London.

She threw back the bedclothes and leapt out of bed. She quickly moved across the floor to her writing desk, pulled out the chair, lit a candle, took a piece of paper and began to write. If she was going to help save Avery from the scheming, matchmaking mamas, she needed a plan.

Avery, as a former military man, would no doubt appreciate her tactics. He of all people would understand the need for a sound strategy.

When she was done with Mr Avery Fox, he would be the epitome of English gentlemen. He would know exactly which fork to use at dinner without a second thought. He would blend perfectly in with the crowd. He would be her crowning achievement. Only then would he be equipped to make the right choice as to whom he wished to marry.

‘Except for his accent. I shall not make him change it. It is perfect as it is,’ she vowed.

She hummed quietly as she wrote, oblivious to the chill of the room as the fire slowly died.

‘Now remember what I told you.’

Eve looked at Lucy and gave her a conspiratorial grin.

‘Yes. But don’t forget what you promised me. You will take your time. No foolish tricks to make him like you,’ Eve replied.

Lucy brushed a kiss on her cousin’s cheek.

‘Sweet cousin, as I have told you, I do not have Mr Fox in my sights for anything in the least romantic. He is simply a private project of mine to help ward off the boredom of the remaining weeks of the season. When I am done with him, I shall walk away and not look back.’

Lucy pointedly ignored Eve’s less than subtle snort.

She had shared just enough of her plans with Eve to get her agreement to visit Langham House this morning.

‘If that is the case, then why does it feel that our visit to Lord Langham’s home should be accompanied by hounds? You are hunting Avery Fox down in his new abode,’ Eve said.

‘Nonsense; we are simply visiting Clarice and enquiring as to her health,’ Lucy firmly replied.

Lucy had bet on the newer of her two sister-in-laws being home this morning and sent an earlier calling card. While Clarice had looked well enough at the dinner party two nights earlier, Lucy was prepared to take a chance on her not venturing from home in the early hours of the day.

‘I’m sorry I won’t be able to accompany you to the shops today, dear girls. You will have to excuse me, but I am still very much indisposed most mornings,’ Clarice said.

Seated with her hands held tightly together, the bags under her eyes and a green pallor revealed the depth of Clarice’s current struggle with morning sickness. She smiled at them both, but said nothing more. By society’s rules, neither of the two unwed misses should have any knowledge of such things.

Lucy privately begged to differ.

David and Alex, who were both out for a mid-morning ride in Hyde Park, would likely have conniptions if they discovered Lucy had spent a whole rainy afternoon thumbing through the pages of the
Kama Sutra
which India-born Millie had given her. The erotic pictures within the book left little to the imagination.

‘That’s perfectly all right; Eve and I just wanted to come and see you. I especially wanted to thank you for the lovely dinner we had the other night.’

A tray of sweet buns and a pot of tea were served by a footman. Clarice didn’t bother with any of the food.

The three ladies sat back in their chairs and were soon deep in conversation about the family’s seat in Scotland.

‘You will love Strathmore Castle; my father says it’s the best castle in all of Great Britain,’ Eve said. Lucy nodded in agreement.

Clarice waved away the sweet bun Lucy offered her.

‘Thank you, no. I’m struggling to keep anything down this morning. And speaking of Scotland, David and I have been discussing the journey north for the past few days. I’m sorry, but it is likely we won’t be coming up until Christmas. David needs to spend time at our estate in Bedfordshire, and I’m certainly not well enough to travel that sort of distance.’

If Christmas it was, so be it. As long as they were all together as a family.

‘Hogmanay will be wonderful, Clarice; no one does it as well as we do. All the members of the Radley family venture up from London. And everyone from the village comes. The party lasts well into the next day. We even have fireworks which light up the side of the mountain,’ Lucy said.

Clarice rose gingerly from her chair.

‘Excuse me, will you, my dear friends?’ she whispered and quickly left the room.

‘Is she all right?’ Eve asked after Clarice had left the sitting room.

‘Yes; Mama says the first few months are the worst,’ Lucy replied. She put down her cup of tea and surveyed the room.

I wonder if he is at home this morning.

She felt the sharp sting of guilt. How could she be thinking of Avery Fox when poor Clarice was so terribly indisposed?

I am a horrible person.

Eve reached over and tapped Lucy on the arm.

‘I doubt there is anything you or I could do for poor Clarice, so why don’t we see if your Mr Fox is at home?’

Lucy huffed. ‘He’s not my Mr Fox! Besides, I don’t think we should; it wouldn’t be polite. What happens if we meet Lord Langham? What do we say if he finds us prying about his house?’

The idea was both delightful and wicked in its prospect. Compelled by the opportunity which had suddenly presented itself, Eve rose quickly from the couch and headed out into the hallway. Lucy followed closely behind.

Stealing along the hallway, stopping every so often to examine one of the many paintings which decorated the walls, they soon came upon an open door. Poking her head inside, Eve squealed with delight.

‘Oooh, the house library!’ Eve cried and raced into the room. She immediately headed for the nearest bookcase and began examining the books on the shelves. If there was one person who loved books more than Lucy, it was her cousin.

Lucy followed more sedately behind.

‘Remember, always gently and with respect,’ Lucy said, quoting their paternal grandmother.

Eve laughed and brandished a book in the air.

‘Yes, Grandmother,’ she laughed.

‘Wise words of caution,’ a male voice replied.

Lucy turned and her breath caught.

Seated – well, to be more accurate, lazily strewn across a long leather couch – was the subject of their search: Mr Avery Fox.

Lucy took in his glorious body in an instant, exercising her increasingly well-honed appreciation of the male form.

Dark hair, a long ponytail tied at the nape. Though it was tied neatly, it was loose enough to show a hint of disregard. A dark grey jacket worn over a pure white linen shirt. No cravat. At the top of his shirt she saw the merest hint of chest hair. Long legs clad in black trousers, which clung tightly to his thighs. Polished boots completed the look.

Unable to tear her gaze away, Lucy stood mesmerised. She had seen a hundred, nay a thousand men wearing such attire, but never before had she reacted in such a way. A hot spike of desire coursed through her body. She shivered with its thrill.

Oh gosh.

‘Mr Fox. Good morning to you. Forgive me, I did not see you,’ she said, catching herself. A hot blush burned on her cheeks.

She blinked as he unfurled his long muscular legs and rose from the couch, dipping into an easy bow.

‘You have to forgive me, Lady Lucy, I am prone at times to forget my manners. Too many years living a soldier’s life, I’m afraid,’ he said.

‘Please sit, Mr Fox; we are the ones who have interrupted your peaceful morning,’ Lucy replied. She looked at the book he still held in his right hand. Then, seeing the glove on his left, she quickly averted her gaze.

‘I’d have thought you might be a touch too old for
Gulliver’s Travels
,’ she said, casting about for something to say.

In the corner of the room, Eve snorted. Avery’s hand dropped instantly, leaving the book to hang loosely by his side. Lucy regretted her words.

Stupid, stupid girl
.

He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I suppose I am, but I have never got around to reading it until now, so I thought I should. The bookseller recommended it most highly. It is rather good,’ he replied.

‘I read it when I was ten,’ Eve added. Lucy wished at that moment her cousin would disappear into thin air. Instead she made her way over to where Lucy and Avery stood and grandly offered Avery her hand.

‘Since my dear cousin won’t introduce us, I’m Evelyn Saunders,’ she said.

As Avery took her hand and bowed, Lucy felt an overwhelming desire to pinch Eve.

‘Mr Fox; I have heard so much about you,’ Eve teased. Lucy ground her teeth in frustration.

Avery made a step toward the door and Lucy let out an involuntary gasp. He was leaving. ‘Oh, please don’t go on account of us. We are just waiting for Clarice to come back downstairs. And
Gulliver’s Travels
is one of my favourite books,’ she stammered.

Eve looked from Lucy to Avery and clicked her tongue. She withdrew her hand.

‘I shall go and see how Clarice is faring; I can see three is a crowd.’

She headed for the library door.

Lucy held her breath at Eve’s clumsy attempt to play matchmaker. She hoped Avery had missed the note of intent in her cousin’s words.

‘Thank you, dearest Eve; that would be lovely, we shall see you back here soon,’ Lucy replied. She prayed Eve would have the good sense to stay away. She needed time to casually discuss matters with Avery before making him an offer of assistance. If she appeared too eager, he might well be frightened off.

‘Fine then, off I go,’ Eve announced as she left the room.

A watchful look appeared on Avery’s face.

Curses. How do I get him to stay now?

‘So, how are you settling in at Langham House?’ Lucy asked.

He sighed. ‘It can be a little overwhelming at times, but Lord Langham and the rest of the household have made every endeavour to make me feel welcome. After the difficult circumstances surrounding my brother’s untimely death, it is more than one could expect of them.’

Lucy nodded. Thaxter Fox, hateful man, was the furthest thing from her mind. She motioned toward the couch. ‘Please; you don’t need to keep standing on my account.’

She hastened to sit down in a nearby chair. With luck Avery would resume his seat. If her luck then held, he wouldn’t realise that being left alone with her was a serious social indiscretion
.

Now all she needed was for Eve to play her part and keep Clarice busy.

Think, Lucy. Say something interesting and intelligent.

‘I hope you had a pleasant evening the other night. It must be nice having family around you once more.’

He frowned at her remark. On the long list of topics she could have chosen to discuss, she sensed family was close to the bottom.

‘Sorry,’ she said.

Avery resumed his seat opposite her. ‘No, it’s quite all right. And yes, it is nice to have family around me, even if we are rather distant relations. I take it from what your brother David has said you have quite a sizeable extended family.’

Lucy looked down at her hands. The fear she would say something out of order was palpable. Worry over what he thought of her had occupied her mind since the moment she returned home from the dinner party. She shouldn’t care what he thought of her, but she did.

‘Yes, apart from Eve, who is my aunt’s eldest daughter, and her siblings, there are quite a number of other first cousins within the Radley family. It makes for a loud and rambunctious Christmas at Strathmore Castle.’

Avery sat forward on the couch.

‘I must thank you for the dinner party, Lady Lucy. Your guidance was invaluable. Without your assistance I am certain I would have made a complete hash of things.’

Lucy smiled. His good opinion of her suddenly mattered intensely. Her hand drifted to the warm spot under her hairline at the top of her neck. She felt her mouth go dry, surprised at her own outward display of coyness.

Is this what it feels like? Is this how the spark of love begins? What happened to your wanting to be friends? Oh my heart, tread carefully.

Whatever this feeling was, she had to admit she liked it. The lure of discovering how deep into her skin it could seep beckoned. The first tentative step forward had been taken.

Avery cleared his throat.

‘Do you have a passion for reading, Lady Lucy?’

The way he made such a special effort to pronounce her name and title revealed the gulf which existed between them. She noted he clipped the accent off the end of his words in an effort to sound more like a gentleman. She hoped it was not just for her sake. If ever she was to gain his friendship, they had to move past such formalities.

‘Lucy. Please call me Lucy. All my friends and family do,’ she replied.

He looked away and she could have sworn she heard him whisper her name. Almost like a prayer. When he met her gaze again, she could see the vulnerable side of him was once more securely locked away.

‘Lucy. But only if you call me Avery when you consider it socially acceptable,’ he replied.

Lucy felt her mouth forming into a grin and had to muster all her resolve to force it back down to a small smile. She had to play this with a detached air. If she appeared too keen, she feared he would suspect she had some sort of secret agenda and retreat back into his shell.

‘Avery.’

He chuckled softly. ‘I forgot you and I were just beginning to discuss books the other night when we were called in to dinner. You must think me rather foolish for forgetting.’

As she watched him laugh, the soft lines in the corners of his eyes wrinkled. A second wave of heat coursed through her body, catching her breath. She shuddered.

‘I could never think you foolish, Avery,’ she murmured.

The moment had come for her to make a move. Any second now Eve was likely to return and the opportunity would be lost.

‘In fact, I was thinking only the other evening how astute you are. You saw how others behaved during the dinner and made every effort to copy them.’

She shifted forward in her seat; the time had come.

‘I realise we don’t know one another that well, but if you like I would be more than happy to offer my services in assisting you to learn more of the ways of society. With my dear sister Clarice indisposed, it makes sense that someone else from within the family steps forward and helps. What do you think, Avery?’

She allowed his name to slide slowly off her tongue, thrilled to be able to use it to his face. When he hesitated to respond she silently chided herself for being too forward.

‘That is a very generous offer, Lucy,’ he replied.

She forced herself to blink slowly, displaying a calm demeanour. He had to think this arrangement was a mere trifle to her, that it meant nothing. Meanwhile, her heart was thumping loudly in her chest. She was desperate for him to say yes.

‘I am not certain how I should reply. Is it socially acceptable?’

‘Of course. Then we have an accord. Excellent,’ she quickly replied.