“It seems that you already have.”
Lavinia’s smile faded. “You heard what she said, then.”
“I did, and I was furious. I hope you didn’t believe anything she said.”
“Well…” Lavinia glanced down at her lap, where her fingers were knotted tightly together. “Iama spinster, and a poor one at that. He has been remarkably kind to me, but I’d be a fool to take his kindness for anything other than plain old politeness.”
Lady Brennon shifted to face her. “Now, you listen to me, girl. I am not the finest mother in the world, and I know that… that sometimes I focus a little too much on Gillian.”
“I know, I know, you don’t have to remind me.”
“But let me tell you this. I know more of the world than you,andmore than little Miss Bainbridge, too. Gentlemen like the duke do not simply act flirtatiouslytowards spinsters and women of your age and station out ofcharity, regardless of what that woman tried to tell you.”
“He is not flirting with me, Mama.”
“No, but he is singling you out. Here is my opinion on the matter, from what I have observed. The duke enjoys your company. You are clever, outspoken, confident, and you are pretty. You don’t flirt withhim, and you do not appear to be endeavouring to win his affections. It is refreshing for a man like that. So, as I said before, he enjoys your company. You are friends. It is a very small step from friendship to love, let me tell you. The two can be almost indistinguishable. There is no reason why you shouldnotcatch the duke, and Miss Bainbridge knows it.”
Lavinia bit her lip.
Stop it!she wanted to scream.Stop building up my hopes! He’s not going to marry me, even if I wanted him to.
I don’t, of course. That would be nothing but foolishness. He’s going to marry Miss Bainbridge, everybody knows it. Miss Bainbridge, or at least a woman just like her. Not somebody like me.
“I don’t want to win his affections, Mama,” she said at last. “He shall engage into matrimony with somebody more suitable, after all. There is little merit in indulging hope, is there not?”
Lady Brennon was quiet for a long moment.
“Did you hear of the Dowager’s story, my dear?”
“What? No.”
“She was madly in love with the old duke – his Grace’s father – but he only married her for her money and her breeding. Because she would make a good duchess, you know. It is most distressing to witness a marriage decay in such a manner, when one party is full of affection and the other has yet to experience a single sentiment of it.” Everybody in London knew how the old Duke treated his wife, and how she adored him all the way through it. She still does, as far as I know.”
Lavinia glanced across the room to where the Dowager Duchess sat, surrounded by a cluster of friends, talking and laughing. There was a sort of hollowness in her face, even when she was smiling. A blankness behind the eyes, perhaps. Lavinia felt, not for the first time, a powerful pang of sympathy for the woman.
She didn’t deserve that. Nobody deserves that.
“That’s awful,” Lavinia said, voice barely louder than a whisper. “The poor woman.”
“Yes, I thought so. But it seems to me that the current duke – all of the Willenshire children, as a matter of fact – are keen not to make the mistakes of their parents. They’ve all married for love, if rumours are to be believed, and having seen them together, I quite agree. Why should the duke not marry for love, too?”
“But…”
“Do you think he loves Miss Bainbridge? Do you thinksheloveshim?”
Lavinia shook her head. “No, but it’s more complicated than that. It must be.”
Lady Brennon only smiled faintly. “My darling girl, it is not as complicated as you think. Not nearly as complicated. Why not give it a try? Attempt to garner the duke’s attention and observe the outcome. Miss Bainbridge wouldn’t have warned you off if she hadn’t seen you as a threat, would she?”
Lavinia had to grin at that. “No, she wouldn’t, would she? That’s quite an interesting point, Mama. And… and thank you. For standing up for me the way you did.”
Lady Brennon winked, reaching out to pat Lavinia’s cheek. “I do love my girls, Lavinia. I might not be the best mother in the country, but I love my girls.”
There was no time for anything else, because at that moment, the door opened and the gentlemen began to file in, talking and laughing.
Lavinia found herself seeking out the duke and loathed the way her heart clenched when she saw him.
Stop it,she scolded.You mustn’t.
