Her teasing smile was back, and he felt his stomach jolt slightly. “Why? Because I participated in the board game?”
“That was unusual for you,” she said. “And I know that it meant a lot to the girls.”
“Really?” Lucien tried to keep the interest from his voice, as if he didn’t really care whether or not it meant something to his sisters. But inside, his heart was hammering.
“Yes,” Emery said, “I could tell. They couldn’t stop smiling afterward, and Eve mentioned to me that it was the first time you’d just spent time with the family like that in a long time.”
Lucien’s heart tightened, and it took him a moment to be able to answer. “Well, I wanted to make sure there was no bad blood between Henry and myself. Seeing as how it was his little going-away party.”
Emery smiled, and he could tell from the glint in her eye that she knew this wasn’t the only reason he’d played the board game with them. For some reason, it warmed his heart to know that she could see through him like that; that she alone could tell there was more to his actions.
“Whatever the reason, I’m glad you were there,” she said, and she looked up at him, blinking, her eyes wide and tender. And to his utter shock, she reached across the tea table and covered his hand with hers. Her hands were ungloved, and her skin was surprisingly warm and soft. At the same time, their eyes met, and they gazed at each other for what felt like a whole minute.
He wanted to say something to her, but what?Thank you for being patient with me over these past few weeks? You’re not who I thought you were, either. Perhaps we might start over and try to be friends?
But before he could, the sound of the ballroom door opening disrupted them, and Lucien started and pulled his hands away from Emery’s. She blinked several times, as if rousing herself from a daze, and then turned toward the door. He did as well, a flush of embarrassment on his cheeks, although he wasn’t certain why.
I’m just teaching my wife to pour tea!
Why, then, did he feel as if he had been caught in the act of doing something he shouldn’t?
Leah poked her head around the doorway. “There you two are,” she said, coming into the room and leaving the door open behind her. “Celeste said you would be working on tea etiquette.”
“Yes,” Lucien said at once. “I was just teaching Emery how to entertain.”
He was speaking more loudly and harshly than was strictly necessary, and Leah frowned.
“Right…” She shuffled forward, her hands twisting in front of her, and looked down at the ground. “Actually, Lucien, I was wondering if you and I might be able to have a moment alone to talk?”
“Of course,” he said, standing up. “We can go to my study.”
“There’s no need,” Emery said, standing as well. “I’ll go. Thank you for the lesson, Duke.” She curtsied to him, then headed for the door, although not before Lucien noticed her share a meaningful glance with his sister, as if giving her silent encouragement for whatever she was about to say.
Slowly, Lucien lowered himself onto the sofa and gestured for Leah to sit across from him. She looked nervous and jumpy as she sat down, and she kept glancing around, as if trying to find an escape route.
“What is it?” he asked, a touch warily himself.If Emery has put her up to this then there’s no saying what she might be about to say.
“I wanted to talk to you about the upcoming Season,” Leah said hesitantly. “There are one or two things that I am worried about.”
She sounded so scared and unsure that Lucien felt his heart go out to her, and he sat forward, peering at her intently. “What are you worried about?” he asked gently.
“Well…” She bit her lip. “I suppose there are the normal things, like what if I don’t remember all the dances correctly and make a fool of myself on the dancefloor? Or what if I accidentally use the wrong mode of address when speaking to someone who outranks me? Or what if I forget the right way to make conversation at a dinner party?”
“Oh, Leah…” Lucien shook his head. “You have nothing to worry about in any of those regards. You know your etiquette better than anyone. If there was one young lady I wouldn’t be worried about, it would be you.”
“Yes, but, what if I forget? I don't want to make a fool of myself and be shunned by theton.”
“You will not be shunned by thetonover a simple mistake,” he said gently. “Yes, thetoncan be a bit vicious, but they can also be forgiving of a girl in her first Season. And never forget: you are the daughter of a duke and the sister to another.Yououtrankmost people. They should be nervous to speak to you, not the other way around.”
She smiled at last, and the smile warmed his heart considerably. However, the moment he smiled back at her, she looked miserable again. “The truth is,” she began, “it’s not just little things like etiquette that I’m worried about. There is so much at stake, and I don’t know how I am going to measure up. What if… what if no one wants to court me? Men may not find me pleasing, or perhaps the other young ladies won’t like me and start a rumor about me. Or what if, worst of all, I am courted by someone who appears to be wonderful, only for him to turn out to be a villain all along, and I get trapped in a marriage with someone who mistreats me?”
His sister’s eyes filled with tears, and Lucien felt as if his heart were breaking. He hated to think that Leah was feeling so much anxiety over what should have been an exciting prospect--her first London Season and marriage to a fine gentleman. Worst of all, he was afraid it was his fault.
Reaching out, he took her hands, and looked deeply into her eyes. “I will not let that happen, Leah,” he said firmly. “That is why Henry, Emery, and I are all coming with you. We will look into any man that courts you and make sure that only the best are given access to you. And if anyone were to mistreat you after marriage--well, let’s just say that he doesn’t want to have to answer to me.”
Leah laughed, a little hiccup, and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. “Do the gentlemen of thetonknow that they should fear you?” she asked.
Lucien smiled and leaned back, releasing her hands. “I cannot disclose that to you, sister, but let us just say that I am known for my exacting loyalty to my family. Speaking of which…” he frowned at her. “I’m sorry if I have put too much pressure on you to be successful this Season and find a husband. I want you to know that if you don’t marry this Season, we will figure it out, together, as a family. Besides, there is always next year.”
