With nothing to say to that, she stuffed the small book in her dress pocket and led them out of the house.
This man was vexing indeed. Soon it would be time to dig.
While it was one thing to be alone together in the privacy of her own home, it was another beast entirely to attempt that in public. It was a beast she declined to fight. A quick call to her lady’s maid presented the perfect chaperone, and they were off, seated in the carriage and heading toward Rotten Row. With the knowledge that her questioning him would put a damper on the day, Boudicca allowed herself to enjoy the wind and the sun in companionable silence.
“I can see that smile. You should have let me take you on a carriage ride on my first visit.”
“That is a thought. However, I would be out flowers, chocolates, and a nice little book.”
He chuckled. A nice deep rumble from his chest. It was a contagious laugh that rendered her lips weak. A tepid smile ensued.
“Yes, well, we can’t have that.”
“I half expected us to be in a high-flying phaeton. You’re a duke after all.”
“Not my style. I prefer this stable and well balanced curricle.”
Interesting. That choice rather matched the man she was coming to know. Whether she wanted to know him or not.
Boudicca scanned the park. Despite knowing they were here to be seen, she equally wanted to observe everything around her. Some women were walking casually with friends and family, while others were dressed in deceivingly expensive gowns in hopes of discreetly garnering attention from someone of the male variety. The same way a woman’s clothing reflected her values and personality, a man’s choice of transportation conveyed his true self.
As they continued to make their way through the park, Boudicca snuck a peek at the duke from the corner of her eyes. His build was long and full. Broad shoulders, no padding in his jackets. And he had a classic look, with dark blues and creams. No one could claim an ounce of ostentatiousness about him. If he wasn’t as haughty as he was, she might admit that a natural attraction could develop. Then again, his stone cold mien was a bit off-putting.
At that moment, she noticed a flicker in the stone. As if it could grow any tighter…yet it did. Something minute, perhaps another person wouldn’t have recognized it in him. It was a strange feeling indeed to take note of it herself. How she could read him to any degree was befuddling.
All the same, it was there. A colder coldness. When Boudicca followed his gaze, she saw the source of his reaction.
A gorgeous, slim, brunette—Lady Simone, if Boudicca recalled—was in an open carriage heading toward them. They were about to cross paths. It was a curious point that the duke would be steeling himself for such an encounter. True, she was a beautiful—
“—talker.”
Boudicca blinked her eyes, startled that he had been speaking to her and she hadn’t noticed.
“Talker?”
He flicked his eyes toward the dowager. “She’s the kind that likes to talk.”
Affronted for the female gender, Boudicca raised her brows. “And the affinity for conversation is something to disdain?”
“Only when it’s an affinity for spreading falsehoods,” he shot back.
She should have been paying more attention to his words than his body. What kind of woman was she becoming? Onlyaround him, mind, but really, it was rather a nuisance to be so distracted.
“Well, yes. Of course, one should limit the gossip one partakes in.”
“So I guess the word will be out this afternoon.”
“The word?” She was feeling a bit simple, but it was better to ask and know than remain silent and pretend to know.
“The word that I’m courting you.”
She sputtered, “You’re courting me?”
“I’m sure I’ve done my part in making that obvious.” He cast a glance at her over his shoulder. “The visits. Plural. The flowers. Plural. The chocolate and the gift. You must recognize the signs.”
“I suppose the signs are there. But signs can have multiple interpretations.” At times. She was pretty sure of the signs he was sending her, but it had been a while since she had been the recipient of such signs, and really, what was he all about? Her family was known for being eccentric. No one had courted her in ages. Why him? A handsome and powerful duke. And why now?
“Come now, you can’t say you didn’t know my intentions.”
