Page 41 of A Duke's Bargain


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“Come meet everyone,” Dorothy urged, determined to change the topic.

They drew Allan into the drawing room, where Lord and Lady Webster sat with Lord and Lady Sandmarsh.

“Lord Padleigh. You are here at last!” Lady Webster swooped down upon him.

Once more, Dorothy was reminded of that sparrowhawk. Lady Webster gripped Allan’s hand so tightly that Dorothy caught sight of a twitch in his cheek, betraying the wince he was attempting to hide.

“I am so glad you could join us.”

“As am I.” When he retrieved his hand, he shook it out at his side.

“Come, meet everyone.” Lady Webster pulled on his arm, drawing him away.

Dorothy inadvertently found Stephen standing beside her. Neither of them said anything, and both stood like wooden posts, staring ahead. When tea was brought into the room, Dorothy took a step forward, determined to help pour the tea.

“You and I have not finished with our conversation, Dorothy,” Stephen whispered, bringing her to a halt.

She glanced back at him and shook her head. “I told you once that are you not always right. This is one of those times. You made yourself quite plain, and we do not need to return to that discussion again.”

With a sense of finality, she walked away, struggling to keep her chin level as she moved to the tea tray.

* * *

Stephen sat alone in the garden room, his hands steepled together as he looked out over the garden. He had spotted Dorothy walking with Lady Charlotte and Lady Frederica a few minutes ago. Relieved to see she was not walking with Lord Chilmond again, he stayed seated.

A door opened and closed, and he turned around, seeing Allan walk into the room.

Allan sighed dramatically, leaning against the closed door. “Don’t tell Dorothy this, for she will take too much pleasure in being right, but she is onto something about gatherings such as this. They are hard to take.” He feigned a shudder as he stepped away from the door and moved toward Stephen. “Did Lady Webster grab you in much the same way?”

“That she did. Wait until you’re on the end of one of her impenetrable withering looks.” Stephen shook his head. “She has a power all of her own. I wonder if we all just came because we were too afraid to say no to her.”

Allan chuckled and sat down in the wicker chair beside Stephen. “Is there a reason you’re watching the ladies walk in the garden?” He nodded his head toward the garden, where only Dorothy was really visible. Lady Charlotte and Lady Frederica were half cast in shadow by the fading light of the day.

“There is something you need to know, something I wanted to warn you about.” Stephen sighed.

For all that he felt he had let Allan down by nearly kissing Dorothy, he had a duty to carry out now. He had to warn Allan about Lord Chilmond.

“Dorothy has a gentleman interested in her.”

“And? Is this bad news?” Allan pointed at his face. “You are saying it as if you have just eaten a sour lemon, indeed.”

“I fear he does not actually care for Dorothy.” Stephen held himself still, his eyes the only thing that moved as he traced Dorothy’s movements in the garden. She had bent down to a daffodil flower, running her fingers across the yellow petals. “He sometimes smiles stiffly in her presence, as if it is a performance. You should have seen his expression when she came hunting with us. To my mind… he looked horrified.”

Allan said nothing but sighed heavily. “You and I both know that, sadly, whoever she ends up with might not be as tolerant of her rebellious ways.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do not misunderstand me in what I am about to say, Stephen, for as you know, I loved my parents very much. The way they raised us, I will be forever grateful for. There was such freedom and happiness in it.”

He tipped his head onto the back of the chair, looking at the ceiling as if he were trying to look at the heavens, where his parents might be now.

“I know.”

Stephen felt the familiar curdling in his gut. He and Allan both knew that, deep down, Stephen was jealous of that upbringing, though they didn’t need to put it into words. It was why Stephen had enjoyed so many years of escaping to Allan’s house from his own, to be with a warm and happy family, as opposed to his father’s confusing cold, distant nature.

“Yet, there are problems with the way they raised us.” Allan shifted and gestured toward his sister through the window. “Not everyone will accept Dorothy, and I am not so much of a fool as to think she will get proposals from every quarter.”

“Allan, forgive me, but are you blind?” Stephen’s question made Allan jerk around in his seat, an amused smile on his face.

“What is it I am missing?”

“Your sister has a charm all of her own. Her confidence and ease draw people in. Look at her now.” Stephen gestured to where Lady Charlotte and Lady Frederica were laughing at something Dorothy had said. “She is liked from all quarters. People are drawn to her character. And men watch her. She is beautiful.”