Claire laughed and shook her head. “How could he have known I would not stomp on his heart? I was so ridiculously in love with the Marquess that it fairly bordered on scandalous!”
The two ladies shared a smile before they burst into laughter as the carriage winded down the road towards the park where Claire was to meet with the Marquess.
As an added measure, Oliver had added another footman to accompany them, instead of just the one, at the suggestion of Smithson, one of his most trusted servants.
They talked of more mundane things, the latest gossip that made its rounds in the ballrooms of Polite Society, as the horses trotted to the park. Even with both of them refraining from attending social gatherings after the demise of the Viscount, Lady Suzanna was remarkably updated on the latest details.
I suppose it must come with being the lady of the household,Claire mused.After all, one would not want to make an unfortunate faux pas in entertaining guests. If I am to marry His Grace, I will need to learn well from Lady Suzanna.
Soon enough, the carriage slowed to a stop and a footman knocked on the door of the carriage and discreetly announced that they had reached their destination. Claire peeked out of the carriage and saw a phaeton she recognized as belonging to the Marquess parked not too far from where they were.
“He is here,” she whispered.
Lady Suzanna reached out and squeezed her hand in comfort. “Would you rather I accompanied you in meeting him?”
She shook her head. “I do not think that would be wise. Besides, I suppose Hanson can stay close by, should I need any assistance.”
I certainly pray I would not, she added silently.
“I shall be close by, milady,” the footman, Hanson, promised.
Claire nodded subtly to Lady Suzanna as she alighted from the carriage and walked down the path to the place she and the Marquess had earlier agreed upon. Her knees were shaking so badly they were knocking into each other as she walked.
She had no idea how she made it but she eventually reached the Marquess.
When he saw her, his handsome face broke out into a smile that only made Claire all the more nervous. He looked so dashing, so confident, that what she was doing suddenly felt so wrong.
If only I had not encouraged she attentions,she thought miserably,then we would not be in this quandary. But it is too late for all of that now and this is only the right thing to do, to finally sort everything out.
“Good afternoon, Lady Claire,” he greeted her, his voice smooth as velvet. “You look absolutely lovelier today than you did yesterday.”
She laughed nervously. “I am wearing the same black as yesterday, My Lord. I cannot possibly look much different today than I did yesterday.”
He shook his head. “There is a certain glow in you. You are radiant.”
Claire ducked her head to avoid his probing glance. Her heart was beating like a frantic bird within in her chest.
She had never before in her entire existence had to let a man down, and certainly, not one whose attentions she had encouraged the past few weeks.
If he reacted badly, she was partly to blame for leading him on, was she not?
“Lord Draydon,” she began shakily. “There is something I must tell you.”
He tilted his head to the side and regarded her oddly, his dark eyes piercing through her nervousness. A subtle frown marred his smooth brow.
Claire knew that there was no going back from this one. It was now and never.
She needed to be brave.
“The truth is,” she said, licking her suddenly dry lips. “The truth is that I cannot marry you.”
“Why ever not?” his voice was low, soft, dangerous. “Did His Grace not give his permission?”
“Yes. No. Not really,” she answered hastily. She looked up at him. “I cannot marry you because I have already given my heart to another. To marry you would only make the both of us miserable as the years passed and I do not want that for the both of us. You deserve so much more.”
He looked at her for a few tense minutes before he spoke quietly, “Do you really believe that, Lady Claire? Or is that what His Grace told you to say?”
“He did not tell me to say anything at all!” she retorted, ready to come to Oliver’s defense. “This was entirely my decision to make.”
