Chapter 10

Ten

“ Y ou seem to be looking around for someone,” Minerva said, surveying Cherie over her glass of lemonade. “Or is it just my imagination?”

“What?” Cherie was flustered, not least because of the crush of people in the ballroom, which was making the sweltering evening even more unbearable.

“You look anxious,” Minerva repeated. “Like you’re looking for someone you’re worried you won’t find. Is it your nerves? Have you not been sleeping because of the storms?”

The summer rainstorm that had scared Cherie several days previously had held sway over London all week, making it hot and muggy, and there had been thunder and lightning storms every night since then. Although for the first time in Cherie’s life, they hadn’t bothered her. With the earplugs made of wax, she couldn’t even hear the thunder.

“No, no, I’m all right,” Cherie said, forcing herself to concentrate on her friend.

Minerva, of course, wasn’t convinced. “You’re looking for the duke, aren’t you?”

“No, no, of course not!”

“Hmm.”

“So how are things progressing with Chastity and Lord Dawson?” Cherie asked, eager to change the subject.

“I think they are going well,” Minerva said, although her brow furrowed. “Chastity enjoyed their promenade the other day, and the next day he called at the house. But I must admit, there is something odd about the viscount. People say he is reserved, but I’m not sure that’s it. He gives his opinion readily enough; he merely doesn’t talk often. But I get the impression he is watching everything, and it sometimes gives me the shivers.”

“Really?” Cherie was surprised by this and intrigued. “In fairness, I didn’t get to know the gentleman well, but I trust your instincts.”

“I don’t know.” Minerva shook her head. “Maybe I’m just being the over-protective older sister. Perhaps the man is perfectly fine. Chastity seems to like him, anyway, and it is flattering for her that he called upon her so soon after the promenade.”

“Yes, that is a good sign…” Cherie looked around. “Where is Chastity now?”

“She’s dancing with Lord Dawson there,” Minerva said, nodding towards them. And indeed, Cherie could see the young couple on the dance floor. Chastity was smiling and laughing with delight, and Lord Dawson also seemed to be enjoying himself. Although Cherie had to agree that there was something odd about the way he was smiling at Chastity. His grin was almost… wolfish. Hungry.

She shuddered and turned away.

“Chastity is lucky to have you as a sister,” she said, placing a reassuring hand on Minerva’s arm. “You would not let her marry a man who wasn’t worthy of her.”

Minerva nodded, then turned to Samantha, who was fanning herself vigorously and not paying attention to their conversation. The two of them began to talk of their most recent board game competition, which had ended in a shocking win by Minerva. Cherie looked around for Thomas again, but before she could see him, Cassandra appeared by her side.

“Your husband is staring at you,” Cassandra whispered, as she sidled up to Cherie.

“What?” This time, Cherie nearly dropped her glass of lemonade. “Where?”

“Over by the pillars.” They both glanced in that direction. The duke was standing there, but he was engaged in conversation with the Duke of Vaston and didn’t seem to be paying any attention to Cherie at all.

“You’re mistaken,” she said, a little bitterly.

“He was! Just a moment ago!” Cassandra protested.

“Are you in league with Minerva to try and get me to find happiness in my marriage?” Cherie asked crossly.

“I wouldn’t say we’re in league,” Cassandra said, laughing slightly. “It’s more that we hope you can find happiness in the situation you’ve found yourself in since there isn’t exactly a way out of it.”

“Yes, well, you’ll be happy to know then that my animosity towards the duke has somewhat lessened in the last week.”

“Really?” Cassandra looked intrigued—and delighted—by this news. “Did anything in particular happen?”

“We spent more time together,” Cherie said diplomatically. What she wanted to say was: I understand now why he became so cruel after he inherited the dukedom. He is a man haunted by his past.

But she wasn’t about to betray his secret to anyone else, so she merely smiled. “Getting to know him better has helped me to understand him and to respect his point of view.”

“Well, I’m very glad to hear that,” Cassandra said, but she didn’t press the subject anymore, which Cherie appreciated. They turned to join their friends’ conversation, and Cherie tried hard to focus on what they were saying. But it was difficult when every other minute she was turning her head, looking for…

“Looking for me?” A low voice said behind her. She turned at once to see her husband smiling down at her. “Or do you merely have a pain in your neck?”

Cherie’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, and she laughed. Behind her, she heard her friends’ conversation grow quiet, and she knew they were all watching her and the duke.

“Of course not,” she said, a small, coy smile snaking across her lips. “I was merely trying to cool myself by finding any breeze I could.”

“It is rather hot,” the duke conceded. “Are you too hot to exert yourself even more?”

“Wh-what do you mean?” she stuttered, flushing.

Her husband raised an eyebrow. “I meant a dance.”

“Oh, of course! I mean…” she was becoming tongue-tied around this man, which was absolutely ridiculous. “I would be honored, Your Grace,” she said, curtsying. Behind her, she thought she heard Samantha giggle. It only made her flush more.

The duke offered her his arm, and he led her away from her friends and towards the dance floor. Once the music had started, and they began to dance, he gave her an amused grin.

“You know, you don’t have to stand on ceremony with me,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “You can just say, Yes, Thomas, I’d be delighted .”

“A duchess should never call her husband by his given name while in company!” Cherie said, pretending to be scandalized.

“But when we are alone…?”

“Do you really want to negotiate that right now? We might draw a crowd if we start arguing, and we’re already being scandalous enough.” She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Strictly speaking, husbands and wives are not supposed to dance with one another. It is considered gauche .”

The duke scoffed. “Those rules were made by fussy ladies who hated their husbands and wanted to keep everyone else’s for themselves on the dancefloor. If I want to dance with my wife, then I should be allowed to do so! I’m a duke, after all. There should be some benefits, at least, to having inherited the duchy.”

Cherie laughed. “You’ve spent too long away from London, Your Grace. It has made you far too cutting towards the members of the ton and their fussy rules.”

“Not at all! I adore the members of the ton . This—” he gestured at the dance floor “—is why I was so eager to return to England.”

Cherie raised an eyebrow. “To come to balls and dance with ladies? I thought that gentlemen resented having to take ladies to the floor and be pursued by marriage-minded mamas.”

“Perhaps with some ladies,” he said thoughtfully. His face suddenly grew very serious. “But yes, Cherie, this is exactly the reason I returned to England, to attend balls and dance with ladies. Or really, one lady in particular.”

His eyes were fastened on hers, and Cherie felt the breath leave her chest. Was it possible…?

But no, she would have known if he had carried a torch for her all these years. He was just flattering her. Teasing her.

She opened her mouth to make some sort of teasing remark back, but just then, they were interrupted.

“Cherie! Your Grace!” Minerva burst onto the dance floor and grabbed both their arms, pulling them away from the other couples. People around them threw them scandalized looks, and several muttered angrily as Minerva dragged them away from the dancing, a terrified look on her face.

“Minerva! What is it?” Cherie asked, fear seizing her. She had never seen her usually impeccable friend look so frazzled before. “Tell us!”

“It’s Chastity,” Minerva whispered, her face very pale. “She has disappeared—with Lord Dawson!”