Chapter 5

Dominic couldn't remember the last time a lady had provoked him to such an extent that he could barely think straight. Her retorts were praise-worthy, and the mere fact that she refused to agree with him for no reason other than to appease him titillated him beyond description. That was why he knew that he could not allow her to leave without informing her that he had plans to court her.

He, of course, expected her to agree. After all, he was an eligible bachelor, and she was a lady who needed to get married. Things were really simple. He didn't understand why some people had to make it so complicated. Also, their little banter during dinner was just that, a game that proved to him that she was different from all the other ladies of the ton, and as such, he wanted her and no one else.

Two other guests of his had also readied to go, so a small group stayed behind, while the rest of them, led by the duke, headed out into the courtyard. Dominic walked by Reginald's side, who stood between him and Catherine. It was impossible for Dominic to tell her anything at that point. Also, he was not particularly keen on her brother overhearing it. At least, not yet.

Dominic's plan was simple. Announce to Lady Catherine that he found her most charming and beautiful, and as a result, he had decided to court her. She would, of course, swoon over his offer, and everything would go according to that simple plan. Dominic grinned at the thought.

He was smiling even more when he realized that Reginald had approached the two other guests, finding unexpected, common ground, which gave Dominic exactly the window of opportunity he had been searching for. He looked at her, resisting the urge to gently caress her cheek. That would be too obvious.

"You are utterly ravishing Lady Catherine," he said in a way he didn't expect himself to sound. He cleared his throat a little, then he continued more confidently. "I don't think I have ever seen a more beautiful lady."

"Oh… thank you, Your Grace," she responded, slightly confused by this sudden and unexpected compliment, especially after the banter they had shared.

"I would consider nothing a greater honor than to court you," he informed her with carefully chosen words. He doubted that there was a single scenario in which a lady would refuse his offer of courtship, but still, he knew that the right words were crucial.

She locked gazes with him, almost startled. Her eyes fluttered at him, but she refused to look away first, even for a single moment. She endured his gaze, then graced him with a response that felt like someone had planted him a facer right out of the blue.

"I am very flattered, Your Grace," she spoke slowly, calmly, almost as if she had practiced for this exact scenario and she also knew when it would happen, so she seemed to have the whole situation under her control. "But I do not believe we are a good match.

That is why I believe you would be better off turning your attentions elsewhere, to a woman who would simply be nodding to everything you say, as that is truly what you are looking for."

Dominic had never been more embarrassed or infuriated in his life. No one had ever dared to speak to him in such a manner, with such defiance, let alone a woman who had just been told that she managed to capture his attention. Any other woman would be ecstatic to be told such things, but obviously not Lady Catherine Stanhope. Before he could say anything to that, Reginald joined them.

"Alright then," he said, blissfully unaware of the tense situation he had just interfered with. "Are you ready to go, Cate?" he asked, glancing at him, then at his sister.

"Yes," Catherine nodded, stepping closer to him, as if to show Dominic which side she was standing on, and that was opposite him. The conversation he had just started was over before it even began properly. "His Grace was just bidding me good night, after I told him what a lovely time we had during his dinner party."

"A lovely time indeed," Reginald nodded respectfully. "We thank you most graciously for your hospitality, Your Grace."

"It was my pleasure," Dominic said through clenched teeth, as he bowed before Lady Catherine. His mind burned with the imprint of embarrassment, but he knew that he had to bide his time and wait for the right moment again to speak to her, to show her that she was mistaken.

But... why? A simple question blossomed inside of him. Why was he so eager to have her, when he could have any other lady of the ton? And that was the question which, at the same time, provided the answer as well. He could have any other lady, which made them far less interesting than Lady Catherine, who for some reason, stubbornly refused his advances. He needed to show her that she was wrong and that he was right. Yes, that would set everything straight.

"Good night, Your Grace," Catherine's words brought him back to the present moment just as she was climbing into her carriage and out of sight.

Reginald repeated her words, then he also disappeared behind closed doors. Dominic watched the carriage take them away, then he realized that he had other guests to both send away as well as tend to. His role of the gracious host had not finished for the evening. But he also knew that he would not give up on Lady Catherine that easily.

***

As the carriage rolled through the quiet streets on their way home, Catherine couldn't get the duke's words out of her mind. Her thoughtful expression must have been an indication to her brother that something was amiss, as always.

"Cate, is everything all right?" she heard him ask. "Something seems to be on your mind."

Catherine responded with a wry smile, fully aware that she could never hide anything from him. He knew her too well. "Is it that obvious?"

He smiled tenderly, leaning over to her and taking her hand in his own. "You forget that I know you better than anyone else."

"Well…" she inhaled deeply in an effort to choose the right words. She would have shared this with Reginald, just like she shared everything else in her life, but she thought she would be granted a few hours of solitary contemplation and divulge what transpired during their breakfast the following day.

Then again, it was not like her mind would be changed overnight. She firmly believed that she had told the duke exactly what she needed to tell him, to bring him down to earth a bit. She smiled at the thought.

"Yes?" Reginald seemed eager, and Catherine was obviously taking her time to respond.

"The duke made quite an offer this evening," she revealed. Reginald seemed even more intrigued, but he didn't ask anything. All he did was lean in slightly as Catherine continued to recount the events of the evening, namely the duke's proposition of courtship. The details unfolded like the chapters of a mystery novel, and Reginald was captivated by the discovery.

"My word!" he exclaimed amusedly. "I told you that you have captured his interest at the ball, and you didn't believe me."

"I must say I didn't," she admitted. "That was actually the last thing I thought he would ever ask me."

Reginald chuckled. "What an enigmatic man."

She frowned. "Annoying would be a more appropriate word."

This made them both chuckle at the same time.

"And what are your sentiments regarding the duke's proposal, Cate?" Reginald inquired, still amused by her comment.

Her expression took a more serious note as she responded candidly. "I admit, the duke does have his allure, but I have no intention of entering into a union with someone so conceited and full of himself. There is more to a marriage than grandeur and social standing."

Reginald nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging his sister's wise words. "Well said, Cate. A union should be built on more than mere appearances. It seems you've seen through the veneer and recognized the substance beneath."

"I do not claim to know the man," she clarified, as her gaze fixed for a fleeting moment on the passing scenery out of the carriage window. "But the little I have come to know of him, I do not like, and that is more than enough to make up my mind."

"Have you told him that in those exact words?" Reginald wondered, ever the politician.

"No," she shook her head. Then she frowned. "Well… I could have put it more nicely, I admit."

He tilted his head a little, as if to take a closer look at her. "What did you tell him?"

She shrugged. "That I believe he would be better off turning his attentions elsewhere, to a woman who would simply be nodding to everything he said, as that is truly what he is looking for."

Reginald eyed her in utter shock for a moment or two, then he burst out into a boisterous chuckle that ran throughout the carriage.

"So that is why he looked as if he had seen a river flow uphill," he managed to muster through another bout of laughter. When it finally subsided, he continued more calmly, although that smile still lingered on his lips, a testament to his pride at his sister's resilience.

"I know that being on good terms with him could help your political career, Reggie," she suddenly remembered.

Her brother waved his hand dismissively. "I do not plan on grounding my career on connections and favors. I want to roll up my sleeves and actually make a change for the better, led by integrity and authenticity to my own self and those I plan on serving. I do not need to know anyone for that. I will be able to do it on my own if need be."

She smiled, pride beaming from her eyes. "That makes me so happy to hear, Reggie. Because if I am to marry, I want to marry for love, not for status, connections or anything of that sort, and I am so grateful that you are not the sort of brother who would sacrifice his sister's happiness for his own advancement."

"Never, Cate," he assured her tenderly. "I love you more than anything, and your happiness matters more than my own."

The rest of their journey home was spent planning out the following days, and Reginald remembered their plan to go to the theatre.

"I think I shall skip this one," Catherine felt a sudden change of heart, although she was usually happy to go.

"Why?" he wondered, slightly worried.

She shrugged. "I don't know. With the ball a few days ago, and this dinner party, I feel socially exhausted, and just want to spend an evening with a book by the fire."

"That sounds like a good idea," Reginald nodded.

She smiled. "But I know you wouldn't miss that show for the world. Don't worry, I will be fine in my own home."

"Are you sure?" he wondered. "I could stay, I'm sure that—"

"No, no, you go on and enjoy the show," she replied tenderly.

They arrived home soon after, and that night, as Catherine got ready to go to bed, she realized that, although she had already given him her response, the duke's proposal echoed through her thoughts like a lingering melody she could not get rid of.

Both flattered and outraged by his behavior, she felt as if she was somehow under his spell. However, that didn't make him any less annoying. In fact, she believed that the duke's only concern was himself and getting everything he wanted exactly when he wanted it.

"Well, you won't get me," she smirked in the darkness, unable to keep this comment to herself.

She closed her eyes, still with that satisfied smirk on her face, drifting off into slumber.