Page 5 of The Hero
Harry wished she might join him!
Bird-watching would be preferable to spending the morning with the ladies and then meeting up with the gentlemen for a picnic luncheon. After which they would part again and not meet again until dinner in the evening, followed by the playing of cards or parlor games.
She could envisage the Duke of Oxford playing cards out of politeness to his host and hostess, but no amount of her imagination could see him participating in any after-dinner parlor games.
“You find something amusing?”
Harry continued to smile as she refocused her gaze on the arrogantly toplofty gentleman beside her. “I was trying to envision you joining in the parlor games after diner. And failing,” she derided.
“Rightly so,” he murmured. “Such entertainments are for the young and frivolous. Of which I am neither.” His whole demeanor tensed, shoulders becoming rigid, expression losing all teasing as his attention was caught and held by the loud chatter of several gentlemen entering the room. “What in hell is he doing here?”
Harry was a little taken aback, both by the swearing and the harshness of Oxford’s tone. “I do not know which he you are referring to.” How could she when four young and single gentlemen had entered the room? One of those men was her older brother, their father’s heir, Edward, Viscount Henlow.
“The usurper,” he grated.
“I do not…” Her brow cleared. “Can you be referring to Robert Granger, the Duke of Plymouth?”
Oxford’s nostrils flared. “I will never be able to think of or accept him as such.”
“Understandably.” She knew the previous Duke of Plymouth had been a close friend of Oxford’s. “Except you cannot change the fact he has now become the recipient of his cousin’s, and your friend’s, title,” she added gently.
Oxford continued to stare at the young duke through narrowed lids. “What is he doing here?” he demanded harshly.
She shrugged. “Well, for one, Robert Granger is the son of my uncle’s closest friend. Secondly, he is also a friend of my brother’s from when they were at school together. I also believe it to be a distinct feather in my aunt’s social bonnet that she has not one but two single and eligible dukes as guests at her weekend party. My aunt sees herself as something of a matchmaker,” she explained affectionately.
“Single and eligible…?” Oxford glanced about the room before looking down at her from his superior height. “There are four single gentlemen present and five single young ladies.”
“Five gentlemen,” Harry corrected softly. “You forgot to include yourself,” she added when he continued to frown.
He recoiled in obvious horror. “I am not young, nor did I come here in search of a wife.”
“I believe I had already guessed as much from your scowling countenance,” she derided. “Unfortunately, it is my aunt you will have to convince of your disinterest, not me.” She grimaced. “But at least let me assure you I do not have any designs on becoming your duchess. I am sure our meeting earlier today will have provided you with more than enough evidence of my complete lack of feminine wiles and machinations with which to entice you.”
His top lip curled back. “There is nothing in the least enticing about a woman using wiles and machinations to ensnare a husband.”
Her eyes widened at the thought this stern gentleman might find her lack of those things attractive. “There isn’t?”
He shook his head. “I have absolutely no interest in a woman who does not behave as her true self.”
“Really?” She chuckled. “Then you must love me!” She winced the moment the words left her lips. “What I meant to say…”
“I also prefer for a woman to say exactly what she means,” Oxford murmured. “It saves wasting time on empty conversations which ultimately have no substance or meaning.”
Harry felt color warm her cheeks. “You would prefer me to speak the truth?”
“Yes,” he bit out softly between even white teeth.
She leaned forward confidingly. “In that case, I think I should tell you…”
“Yes?”
“That I find your appearance far more ducal this evening now there is no tangle of reeds in your hair and streaks of mud down your cheek!”
* * *
Gideon should have expected this young lady’s irrepressible humor at his expense to continue. She didn’t seem capable of wishing to maintain a serious conversation for longer than a few minutes at a time. Although he was sure that was through choice rather than any lack of intelligence.
A subterfuge that made his palm twitch to administer the spanking such behavior deserved.