“If I may, Miss Ram.” He paused as another couple passed them. “I should like to drive out with you in the park if you are amenable.”
The thoughts of Avery and the duke and back alley boxing matches slammed to a halt. Oh, crap.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Lowell, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh.” His face fell as they came together again for the last pass of the dance. “My apologies for being so forward.”
“Oh, no.” She stumbled a little through the step.
He steadied her. “It’s nothing like that, it’s just…” She trailed off as the music ended. “I wish I knew what to say.”
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He shook his head ruefully. “I understand, Miss Ram.
I do wish you every happiness.”
He left her on the edge of the dance floor. She stared after him with complete befuddlement.
When she was single, men never looked at her twice.
Why was it that once she’d found the man she wanted, they seemed to be lining up in droves?
Sometimes the fates had a really twisted sense of humor.
“Chased the young pup off, I see,” the duke laughed as he approached her. His silvery waistcoat matched his hair tonight.
“It wasn’t like that. He had, erm, another person to dance with.”
The duke nodded knowingly. “It is quite close in this room. Would you care to walk onto the balcony with me? There is something I would ask.”
“If you’d like, Your Grace,” Leah said, though her eyes searched for any distraction she could plausibly use.
They passed through the crowd, which parted to let them through like Moses and the freaking Red Sea.
Leah shook her head inwardly at the deference everyone showed to Granville. She’d been no better than these people only a few weeks ago. She’d only seen the title and hadn’t looked past it to see the man himself.
Not that Granville was bad. Quite the opposite. He was a sweet old man. But he was perfect for Lady Chesterfield, not her. Her heart was too full of someone else.
The night air was fresh with a hint of chill. Leah drew in a deep breath gratefully. It had really been stuffy in there, too many people and too many layers of undergar-ments. She’d never take her regular old cotton bra and panties for granted again.
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“Miss Ram,” the duke said, placing a hand on her arm
and turning her to face him, “I had hoped to speak with you about a matter of some delicacy.”
A little knot caught in Leah’s throat. “Of course,” she said. Uh-oh. Had she been reading his signals wrong?
She hadn’t thought he was really into her, but he seemed to be nervous. If he proposed to her right now, she’d fall over in shock.
The duke took a deep breath. “Your aunt, Lady Chesterfield.” He stopped, looking out over the darkened lawn. Leah followed his gaze. He wasn’t really looking at anything.
“My aunt?” she prodded.
“Yes. Of course. Your aunt.” He looked down at her, smiling in a nervous but fatherly way. “Has she made mention of me?”
So that’s the way he’s rolling. Relief nearly made Leah sag. “She talks about you all the time.”
His eyes lit up. “She does?”
Leah nodded. “I think she really likes you.”
“I see.”
They fell silent. Leah worried the inside of her cheek, wondering what she should do to help this along.
“You know, Your Grace,” she said, looking down at the toes of her slippers, “I think she’s really interested in you. Why don’t you ask her to the park? Or the theatre?”
He clasped his hands together behind his back. “The dowager duchess is not in favor of my marrying again.”
“Oh. Oh. I see.” The memory of his mother made Leah shudder. The poor man. “But you don’t need her permission, right?”
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mother can make things, well, difficult, to say the least.
Since her dowry repaired the family fortunes, I find myself somewhat dependent upon her good nature.”
Leah nodded knowingly. “Well, you could always— ”
A shot rang out. The lamppost beside them shattered, raining glass onto the ground beside them.
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Twenty-Four Avery ran after the Chesterfield carriage.
Thankfully, with the glut of conveyances leaving at the same time, Leah and her chaperone were forced to move slowly along the lane toward the home on Hanover Square.
He kept his breath even as he followed at a distance.