Lavinia should have seen this coming, of course. However, she found herself flinching away, chest tightening. She gave a nervous laugh.
“Mama, really! There is quite a competition going on for the duke’s attention. You know how I hate to compete at anything.”
“Be serious, please. He would not have waltzed with you if he had not liked you.”
“Of course he would!” Lavinia wanted to laugh. “He is a kind man, and a gentleman. He would have waltzed with me to avoid offending me. Believe me, Mama, the duke feels nothing at all for me. I am his mother’s guest – no,youare his mother’s guest, and I am simply your daughter. I daresay he doesn’t consider me from one moment to the next. Why should he?”
Lady Brennon pressed her lips together. “Perhaps I have been remiss in your training. My dear girl, men like the duke do not simply make their feelings known. I daresay he is trying to decide which lady would make the finest duchess – that is something that must be considered – and you, my girl, are in his choices.”
Lavinia got to her feet. “No, Mama, I am not. Miss Victoria Bainbridge has her eye on him, and how can I compete with her?”
Lady Brennon sniffed. “Easily, I should think. She could never match your beauty.”
“She is clever, and rich, and confident. She has her eye on the duke, and frankly, she is the best choice. If he as logical as you say, why would he not choose her?”
Lady Brennon’s eyes glinted. “So youareintrigued by the man, at the very least? You would consider trying to catch him?”
Lavinia gave a groan. “No, Mama, I would not.”
How could she explain? Of course, the whole awful tale of their first meeting at Lady Clarissa’s party would make her mother see that the duke wasnotinterested in her and would not change his mind, but that would involve having totellher mother what had happened.
Absolutely not.
“Mama, I really must get ready. I don’t want to be late.”
Lady Brennon huffed. “Fine. But think on what I said. If you could catch a duke, it would change our fortunes forever. I tried to push Gillian at him, but he barely looked at her twice.”
On this cheery, maternal note, Lady Brennon swept out, slamming the door behind her.
***
The Pump Room was packed to the brim.
Lavinia had assumed – wrongly so, as it transpired – that mid-morning would be a pleasant, quiet time to take the waters and perhaps enjoy a cup of tea or two.
No.
The building itself was breathtaking – Lavinia was quite in love with the smooth white stone she saw everywhere, and the traditional Roman designs – and the assembly rooms were large and well-furnished. However, it seemed that this was the most fashionable time for Bath, and therefore the rooms were full.
They were required to sign in and elbowed their way through the crowds to find seats.
The Dowager Duchess accompanied them and walked arm in arm with Lady Brennon. Lavinia clutched her sister as though she might be torn away in the crush. She kept spotting a glimpse of broad shoulders, and a chestnut-curled head taller than the gentlemen.
That was him, of course. The duke. Try as she might, Lavinia was not quite able to restrain a shiver whenever he glanced her way. It was infuriating, but only to be expected. Hewasa rich and powerful man, who was also her host. His gaze was cool and level, almost unblinking, and really a woman would have to be blind to think him unattractive.
Stop it!she scolded herself, tightening her arm in Gillian’s.
“Ouch, Lavvy. Don’t pinch. I’m still tired from last night – do you think we shall find any seats?”
“We must,” Lavinia said, shooting a quick glance at her sister. It had been close to dawn by the time they retired to bed last night. Their mother had not permitted them to go to bed early.
Well, perhaps Lavinia would have been allowed to go, but Gillian was very popular and a great many eligible gentlemen wanted to talk to her, so naturally Lady Brennon would not allow her to miss out on such opportunities. Lavinia chose to stay up, mostly to keep an eye on her sister.
The duke had not appeared after supper. When the gentlemen finally joined the ladies again, he was not there, and Lady Brennon managed to find out from the Dowager that he had played billiards and then gone to bed.
Privileged man, Lavinia had thought sourly at the time. She felt it even more now, since her eyes were gritty and heavy with sleep.
“Perhaps taking the water would do you good,” she commented, eyeing her pale sister. “There’s meant to be all kinds of goodness in it.”
