“What is this accord you’ve come to with him?” A slight flush touched the maid’s cheeks. “If it’s alright for me to be asking.”
Amelia’s smile returned. “I will be helping the Duke of Ashbourne to make a better impression upon society.”
Abby frowned. “What do you mean?”
“To help thetonto think better of him rather than continue to believe that he is ‘beastly’,” Amelia explained. “We had our first attempt at this yesterday evening at the ball and it went very well. What had been a staid and difficult conversation with Lady Katherine turned into a very enjoyable conversation for us all, I think. Lady Katherine left our company with a smile rather than the worry I saw in her eyes when I first joined them.”
“That is very good of you, Lady Amelia.” Abby finished brushing Amelia’s hair and then set the brush down. “Why did you offer such a kindness?”
Amelia opened her mouth to respond, only to frown. “I – I do not know. Perhaps it is because of what I witnessed the night I was present in his manor house, or because of what he said to me when he apologised for ignoring me during our dance. Either way, I have decided that I will do my best to be of aid to him.”
“Even though you are meant to be enjoying your own Season?” The maid’s eyes twinkled. “What if the Duke of Ashbourne becomes more of a consideration for you than your own standing within society?”
“He will not.” Seeing the spark in her maid’s eyes, Amelia understood what her maid was asking and quickly flung it aside. Yes, she would admit that there was an interest in the Duke of Ashbourne but she had already realized just how different they were in terms of character. While she was glad and contented to be of aid to him, she could not let her feelings grow to anything significant. The last thing she required would be to have the Duke of Ashbourne settling in her heart, for while his dark demeanor was lifting just a little at present, there could surely be no contentment between a gentleman with such a heavy weight upon him and herself. He did not strike her as the sort of gentleman who would enjoy walking through the rose gardens or enjoying an evening stroll! No, he was a gentleman who sought out his own company, preferred solitude to company and would lose himself in books rather than in beautiful gardens. As she prepared herself for bed, Amelia continued to reflect on the differences between them and became slowly more and more convinced that the Duke of Ashbourne could never be anything more to her than he was at present.
***
“Good afternoon, Lady Charlotte. Lady Amelia.”
Amelia smiled and inclined her head. “Good afternoon, Lady Blithe. Good afternoon to you also, Lady Violet.”
Lady Violet was known to them both from previous encounters and she smiled warmly, though Charlotte was the one who drew closer and began to speak more at length with her. They were closer in age and subsequently, a little closer in acquaintance. Lady Blithe began to speak to Amelia’s own mother and Amelia herself was left standing between two lots of chattering ladies and had nothing else to do but remain silent.
A glance over her shoulder and she spied a bookshop. Though it was somewhere which often caught her interest, on this occasion, she found herself quite eager to go inside. It would give her mother and sister ample opportunity to converse with their friends while she perused some books for something more to read.
“Charlotte,” she murmured, catching her sister’s arm for a moment. “Tell Mama that I am gone to the bookshop, should she require me. I will only be a few minutes.”
“Oh, we will join you!” Lady Violet exclaimed as Charlotte nodded. “Let me just tell my mother where we are to go.”
After a moment, Charlotte, Lady Violet and Amelia turned to walk the few steps into the bookshop. The day was very fine indeed and most of theton, Amelia considered, would be either in Hyde Park or St James’ Park so they might see or be seen by many a society member. Not many would be in a bookshop! Pushing the door open, she stepped inside and smiled at the man at the counter, who gave them all a nod but said nothing more. There was a silence here in this shop, a quietness which made Amelia’s spirits lift as she made her way around the shelves of books, taking in each and every one. Even the chatter between Lady Violet and Charlotte softened and Amelia turned around to glance at them, smiling gently at how they had bothstopped to look at one particular book together. Turning back around, Amelia continued to wander to the very end of the bookshop, the books now becoming a little dusty as though the bookshop owner had decided that no-one would want to look at these particular books and thus, had neglected them a little. For whatever reason, these books intrigued her, wondering what it was about them that made them so neglected. Running her fingers along the top of one, she clicked her tongue lightly at the amount of dust which now clung to her finger.
“Lady Amelia.”
A low, dark voice made her jump, her skin prickling as a figure stepped out from the gloom. Not quite recognizing him straight away, she stared back at the figure, only for his voice to reach her again.
“I did not know you read.”
“Your Grace,” Amelia stammered, her heart pounding furiously. “Good afternoon. I – I am here with my sister and Lady Violet. I – ”
“I should not have startled you, forgive me.” The Duke inclined his head and then smiled briefly, though his eyes remained a little shadowed. “I did not think that you were someone who enjoyed a great deal of reading.”
Amelia lifted an eyebrow, irritation pushing away her surprise. “Your Grace, you do not know me at all. How could you say such a thing as that?”
The Duke opened his mouth to respond and then closed it again, though a slight flicker entered his eyes. “Yes, you are quite right.” He ducked his head. “I ought not to have said such a thing. Tell me, Lady Amelia, do you like to read? It is something that you enjoy?”
“I do, as it happens. Though I do not often read,” she admitted. “I embroider during the day for it is something that Ican do as well as converse, for there is always someone to talk to!”
The Duke smiled at this. “That is understandable.” Clearing his throat, he looked past her to the door. “I should take my leave. I – ”
“Are you not going to permit me time to speak with you?” Amelia took a small sidestep, coming to stand directly in front of him. “After all, it would be a little rude for a gentleman to ask theladysome questions, only to then step away when his questions are at an end, without giving her any opportunity whatsoever to ask him questions of her own!”
The Duke of Ashbourne paused, then looked back at her. “I suppose I could be persuaded to linger in conversation for a little longer.” The edges of his lips lifted. “Is there something you would like to ask?”
“Yes.” A few questions came to her mind – questions about what he had been dreaming about the night she had discovered him in the hallway, questions about why his dark moods continued to linger so, but Amelia chose to push all of them to one side. Instead, she asked only a simple question, aware that they did not know each other particularly well as yet. “Might I inquire as to whether you like to read, Your Grace?”
His smile did not return. “Yes.” There was a heaviness to that word, a weight which seemed to sink him down and bring their conversation low. “I have often enjoyed reading. Though it is a singularly solitary activity, is it not?”
“Which you often indulge in.”
