Chapter 12

Where they stood next to each other, Harriet kept stealing glances at Hugh. Her plan to scandalize and shock him with her brazen behavior had backfired spectacularly. If anything, the infuriating Scot seemed rather intrigued by her antics and his eyes sparked with a maddening mix of amusement and admiration every time she outed propriety.

One thing was certain: Hugh Wilkinson was unlike any of the men in the ton. He seemed to be utterly immune to the dictates of society. She was quite certain that she would not be able to unravel him.

As though he could read her mind, Hugh shot her a sideways glance, a smirk playing around his lips.

"Ye all right there, lass? Ye've gone awful quiet."

"Your accent," she said, grabbing the first thought that popped into her head. "Why does it become more and less pronounced at times?"

Hugh flashed her a rueful smile and sighed. "I grew up in Scotland as a wee lad - but then we moved here... Me faither never really fit in anywhere and I suppose a rebellious side of me clung to the manner of speaking to show the ton I won't conform to their ideas."

"I get that," Harriet said instantly. "I mean... I also feel like I don't want to conform to the ideas of the ton, and yet..."

He sighed. "And yet the ton has its influence on us, whether we want it to be or nae."

Their eyes met at that and blood rushed to her cheeks at the way he looked at her. "Well... I suppose I have to accept the utter failure of my grand plan."

Hugh"s brows hiked upwards, curiosity kindling in his gaze. "Oh? And what grand plan might that be?"

She hesitated, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "To scandalize you with my unladylike behavior," she admitted at last, feeling a touch foolish in the face of his knowing smirk. "I thought if I could prove myself too wild and uncouth for your tastes, you might... reconsider this whole arrangement."

To her surprise, Hugh threw back his head and laughed, the rich sound rolling through the night air like distant thunder. "Ah, lass," he chuckled, shaking his head in rueful amusement. "Ye'll have to do a sight better than that to scare me off. I"m made of sturdier stuff than yer average dandy."

Harriet couldn"t help but smile at that, a grudging respect kindling in her breast. "So I"m beginning to realize," she murmured, studying him with a newfound sense of intrigue. He was different than she had expected. Different even than she'd found him to be during their promenade. There was just something about him.

Hugh's grin turned crooked, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I should hope nae, lass. I"ve never been one for meetin' expectations."

With that, he offered her his arm once more, inclining his head towards the ballroom. "What say we rejoin the festivities, aye? I believe ye still owe me a dance, Lady Harriet."

Harriet laid her hand on his sleeve, a frisson of anticipation zinging through her veins at the prospect. "Lead the way, Your Grace. Let's give the ton something to really gossip about."

The ballroom was a sea of swirling skirts and tailcoats as Harriet and Hugh made their way back onto the dance floor. Whispers followed them as they moved towards the dance floor. It was clear that the gathered guests were eager for another glimpse of the unlikely pair who had set the ton"s tongues wagging with their earlier display.

As they took their places among the other couples, Harriet felt a flicker of trepidation skitter down her spine. A waltz was a far more intimate dance than the lively reel they had shared before, requiring close proximity and prolonged eye contact. The thought of being held in Hugh"s arms, of staring into those fathomless green eyes for the duration of the song, sent a curious flutter through her belly.

The first strains of the music swelled, a dreamy melody that seemed to hang suspended in the air. Hugh's hand settled at the small of her back, large and warm even through the layers of her gown. Harriet sucked in a sharp breath as he drew her close, until mere inches separated their bodies.

"Relax, lass," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through her very bones. "I've got ye."

With that, he swept her into the dance, his movements sure and fluid as he guided her across the floor. Once again, Harriet had to admit to herself that the hulking Scot was an exceptional dancer, his steps precise and graceful despite his imposing size. He led her through the turns and spins with effortless mastery, never missing a beat.

As the dance progressed, Harriet found herself becoming lost in the mesmerizing rhythm, the rest of the ballroom fading away until only she and Hugh remained. His gaze held hers captive, blue eyes smoldering with an intensity that stole the breath from her lungs.

By the time the final notes of the waltz trailed away, Harriet was flushed and breathless, her pulse fluttering wildly in her throat. Hugh"s expression was inscrutable, but she could have sworn she glimpsed a flicker of answering heat in his eyes before he stepped back and bowed over her hand.

"Thank ye for the dance, Lady Harriet. T'was a true pleasure." He smiled down at her, and Harriet felt her lips curl into an almost dreamy smile.

She could only nod mutely, her wits scattered to the four winds. She allowed him to escort her from the dance floor, her mind awhirl with a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. Everything about this man confounded her, challenged her preconceived notions and left her floundering in uncharted waters.

As the night wore on, Harriet found herself growing increasingly troubled. By all accounts, Hugh seemed the perfect match for her - a man unafraid of her wild spirit, capable of meeting her wit for wit and holding his own against her tempestuous nature. And yet, a niggling sense of trepidation persisted, an unshakeable unease that coiled in the pit of her stomach.

This sense of worry stayed with her as she awoke the next morning and she walked around the manor like a sprite, unable to find rest. It was Jennifer who made the suggestion after Harriet made her third turn in the drawing-room.

"Goodness, child," she said, frowning at her daughter worriedly. "Why don't you visit Caroline? It always lifts your spirits."

Seeing as Caroline would be leaving the residence soon, it was easy for Harriet to make her way to Yeats Manor. Caroline's face lit up when she saw her friend, though concern quickly.

"Come in," she invited her quietly, leading her to the drawing-room. It was only when they were sat down, each with a cup of tea, that Caroline spoke her mind.

"What is it that is the matter, Harriet? You look positively haunted."

Harriet put down the cup of tea and ran her fingers through her hair with a sigh. "Oh, Caroline I am so confused. Everything seems to be happening so fast and nothing is like I thought it would be and I just... I am so overwhelmed."

Caorline moved quickly to sit beside her friend and she wrapped an arm around her.

"Start from the beginning," she encouraged gently. "Tell me everything."

"It's the Duke," Harriet admitted, looking at Caroline vulnerably. "You know most of the story - you know that we were caught on the balcony, you know that William wants us to marry. And... the Duke and I are like oil and fire, it's..."

Harriet laughed softly and shook her head. "If I choose not to marry him, William will send me to live with my Aunt Mildred. You know what she's like."

Caroline nodded and Harriet sighed. "I figured that if I were willing to marry the duke, but he refused... then William would not go to those lengths. He'd see that I was not at fault and I would be able to stay here and later, when I wanted, marry a man of my choosing but now..."

She shook her head with a shuddering sigh. "Nothing I do seems to frighten him off. He is unlike any man I've ever known. He is utterly impossible to scandalize or manipulate. It is as if he sees right through all my pretenses and to the core of me. And what is worse..."

Harriet trailed off, swallowing hard against the lump of emotion rising in her throat.

"What is worse is that I am starting to believe he may be exactly what I need. I have found a man who can handle me at my worse, who will not try to temper my spirit or mold me into a docile simpering wife, but..."

"I hope I am not a bother."

Harriet's words broke off when the figure of Benedict entered the drawing-room. Her lower lip trembled when he bent down lightly to press a kiss to Caroline's cheek.

"Oh, Benedict," Caroline spoke softly. "Harriet and I are just talking about..."

"He can stay," Harriet said quickly. "Perhaps he could offer some perspective on the situation."

Benedict sat quickly at that, his concern for Harriet evident. "Is this about the scandal?"

Caroline softly tapped her husband against the chest. "Darling," she admonished. "Be sensitive."

Benedict nodded quickly and looked at Harriet. She sighed deeply before continuing.

"He is different," she admitted. "He is unfazed by the most rebellious of my behavior, he does not seem like the type to try to change me, but..."

Benedict frowned sympathetically. "You are afraid," he said simply, and Harriet nodded, meeting his eyes.

"I know that sounds silly, but... I am terrified. Terrified of opening my heart to the possibility of a love like my parents... because if I allow myself to hope, to believe... If I allow myself to love, then I know I will also open my heart up to the heartbreak I saw in my mother when my father passed and I cannot imagine that pain. It frightens me."

It was Benedict who leaned forward, his one hand resting on his wife's wrist.

"If I may be so bold as to offer a bit of advice..." Harriet nodded eagerly at this and Benedict glanced at Caroline before looking back at Harriet.

"I understand your dilemma, Harriet. I too was afraid of opening my heart to love. If you truly do not want to open your heart to that heartbreak, the solution is simple. Marry Hugh Wilkinson - but refrain from falling in love with him."

At this, both Harriet and Caroline looked at him incredulously. "Refrain from falling in love with him?"

Caroline shook her head, frowning.

"Benedict, are you certain that it is wise to advise that? Should everyone not be able to live a life that is filled with love."

Benedict shook his head at this. "What you and I have my darling," he said, looking at Caroline warmly, "is not something that many people ever find. And while I would never give it up, the reality is that there are many people in this world who are happy without ever falling in love."

Harriet frowned as she looked at Benedict. "Surely you jest, Benedict? How does one enter a marriage without the expectation of love?"

Benedict shrugged, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I do believe it is possible, though I will not pretend that it is easy. Enter the union with the resolve to maintain a polite distance. Guard your heart against the lure of deeper emotions - focus on building a partnership of mutual respect and companionship, be his friend - and nothing more."

Harriet fell silent, turning his words over in her mind. Could it really be so simple? To accept Hugh"s proposal and wed him with the express intention of never allowing herself to love him?

The idea held a certain appeal, a neatness that soothed her frayed nerves. If she could keep her unruly heart in check, perhaps she could navigate this marriage without risk of it shattering her completely.

"You might be onto something, Benedict," she mused, a tentative smile blooming across her face. "A marriage of convenience entered into with clear boundaries and realistic expectations. It could work."

Caroline and Benedict exchanged a loaded glance, something unspoken passing between them. But when Caroline turned back to Harriet, her expression was warm with encouragement.

"If that is the path you choose, Harriet, know that we will support you every step of the way - though of course I do hope you will allow yourself to remain open to the possibility of more, should it arise naturally. But it is a better alternative than living on your Aunt Mildred's estate."

Harriet nodded with a wry smile and looked at her friends. "One step at a time," she said firmly, her eyes slowly regaining its light. "For now... I have a decision to make and a heart to guard fiercely."