“Well, it remains to be seen,” Lord Lockwood said. “But I can tell you that I’ve never seen him show such interest in another lady. Their courtship is off to a promising start, in my opinion.”
“She’s very interested in him, I don’t mind telling you,” Eugenia said.
“Yes,” Lord Lockwood agreed. “They seem to have forged a connection based on mutual admiration, rather than the social advantages a marriage would confer upon either of them. I know His Grace appreciates that.”
Eugenia knew, however, that Lord Lockwood’s perception of Esther wasn’t entirely accurate. Shedidcare for the Duke’s title.
Should I tell him?
She knew what her mother would say. This was a secret that should absolutely be told. If it would turn the Duke’s interest away from Esther, it was a good thing. And it might even encourage him to see Eugenia as someone helpful and worthy of attention.
But I don’t want to steal him away from Esther.
Instead, she said, “Don’t you think it’s just a little unrealistic for His Grace to expect that any lady would be completely disinterested in his title? After all, it’s a part of him. My cousin appreciates him for who he is, but it’s not as if she can simplyignorethe fact that she’s being courted by a Duke.”
“I suppose she can’t,” Lord Lockwood agreed. “And I agree that His Grace is rather unrealistic about this. After all, any lady he marries will become a Duchess. It would be irresponsible of her to simply not think about that before accepting a proposal.”
“Well, you may rest assured that Lady Esther will give it the consideration it is due,” Eugenia said. It was as close as she dared come to the truth—that her cousin wasn’t simply aware of the Duke’s title, but that it was the primary reason for her interest in him.
“Do you suppose they’ll marry?” Lord Lockwood asked. “I mean to say, if he asked her, do you think she would say yes?”
“No one can predict such things for certain,” Eugenia said. “But…yes, I do believe she would. I see how she admires him.”
“She isn’t usually like this?”
“Oh, no,” Eugenia said. “You see the way she leans in toward him? The way her head is bent toward his? It’s as if the two of them are sharing a secret that no one else is privy to.”
“It does look that way,” Lord Lockwood said, smiling.
“I’ve never seen Esther like this before,” Eugenia said. “Certainly not with a gentleman. Her manners are good, but she’s always been very independent, and any gentleman who wanted a moment of her time has had to work for it. But she seems to genuinely care for the Duke. I believe she is interested in what he has to say.”
“I get the same impression from him,” Lord Lockwood agreed. “He’s usually quite standoffish. Polite, but distant.”
“I do hear that about him,” Eugenia agreed.
“But with her, he seems…unguarded. Happy. It’s a relief to me to see my friend this way. I do hope their courtship works out, because I long to see him happy for the rest of his days. It would be terrible to see him return to his life of brooding and standing apart from the rest of society, now that I’ve seen how open and cheerful he can be.”
“You care very much for him,” Eugenia observed.
“Yes, I do,” Lord Lockwood said. “He’s my oldest friend. And given that he’s a Duke and I’m only a Baron, it would have been more than understandable if he had chosen to cease his association with me once we came of age. But he never did. He has never made me feel like I’m any less than him.”
“Well, why should he?” Eugenia asked. “You’re no less a person than he is. Just because you’re a Baron, you’re hardly unworthy of his friendship, are you?”
“That seems to be how he sees it,” Lord Lockwood said. He smiled. “I’m glad to know that you agree, My Lady. As the daughter of an Earl, I wondered if you would consider me beneath you.”
“Oh, no,” Eugenia said. “I’ve never been one to consider anyone else beneath me. What matters to me is kindness. And you’ve been very kind to me, Lord Lockwood—both at the Bolton Ball and now, today.”
“I really enjoyed dancing with you,” Lord Lockwood said. “I came to find you so that I could learn more about Lady Esther, of course. But I also enjoyed our dance for its own sake. I’m very glad I had the chance to take a turn with you.”
“As am I,” Eugenia said. “And I’m glad that His Grace’s courting my cousin provided an opportunity for the two of us to meet again.”
“Tell me, will you be attending the Kensington Ball?” Lord Lockwood asked.
“Of course.” Eugenia laughed ruefully. “My mother would die before seeing me stay home from a ball, especially while I’m still not betrothed. Her only care is that I find myself a suitable husband. If there was a ball every night—if there were two balls every night—she would have me attend.”
“That’s a lot of balls,” Lord Lockwood said with a laugh.
“Well, the more I attend, the better my chances are,” Eugenia said. “My mother lives in fear of my finishing this Season without finding a match.”
