The daughters themselves—the more forward ones, at least—had batted their eyelashes and fluttered their fans whenever he glanced in their direction.
And the older women, those with inattentive or deceased husbands, had made all manner of thinly veiled suggestions, including one offer to ridehimat the park at his earliest convenience.
He’d politely declined.
The men had been little better. Those wanting to ingratiate themselves had offered him a season box at the opera, theater tickets, and a seat in the Royal tent at the races.
Beside him, Edward caught his eye.
Justin scowled. “What?”
“You know, for someone who just walked into a dukedom, you could look a little happier, you lucky bastard.”
“Lucky bastard,Your Grace,” Justin corrected dryly. “And on the contrary, the only good thing about this whole situation is that dukes can do as they please. Scowling is my ducal prerogative.”
Edward chuckled. “There’s nothinggraceful about you. I remember that time at school when you smashed me in the mouth with a cricket ball.”
“You never could catch.” Justin allowed himself a brief smile. “I told Careby it was a mistake to put you at mid-off.”
“Well, it’s still good to have you back. London hasn’t been the same without you.”
“It looks remarkably similar to when I left: overcrowded rooms, deafening chatter, mind-numbingly dull gossip.”
“Well, true. But we’ve had the odd scandal to liven things up.”
“Not interested,” Justin said.
“Not even if it concerns you?”
“Especiallynot if it concerns me. Tell me about the duchess instead. I’m going to have to call on her. I saw the old duke at White’s a few times, but I never met his wife.”
“That’s because they married just after you set off for the frozen wastes of Canada.” Edward’s brows rose toward his hairline. “Wait. Do you mean you don’tknow?”
“Know what?”
“About the duchess? She’s the most eligible woman in theton.”
Justin’s lip curled. “I suppose there’s always some young fool willing to be a rich old woman’s plaything.”
Edward shook his head, a devilish smile in his eyes. “It’s not her money they’re after. They’d want her if she were a penniless dairymaid.”
“Whatareyou talking about?”
Edward scanned the room, clearly looking for someone, and his face broke into a smile of anticipation as he apparently located them. “Prepare to lose your wits and your breath.”
“You always were one for hyperbole,” Justin scoffed.
Edward motioned toward the far side of the room. “She’s over there. In red. On the right.”
Justin turned. “No woman has ever had the power to—”
For the first time in his adult life his breath cut short.
“Bloody Hell,” he wheezed faintly.
Edward gave a low chuckle. “Told you.”
Justin frowned as recognition hit him like a punch to the chest. “Wait a moment. Isn’t that Tess Townsend?”
