Miss Mayton had paused. She grabbed Rosalind’s arm. In a whisper, she said, “The duke. He is here.”
“Conbatten? Here?” Rosalind whispered back. She could hardly believe it. Though she had a great confidence that the fates smiled kindly upon her, how had they managed it? She had never thought to find the duke at such an evening. She had been certain she would not see him until Lady Bloomington’s masque.
She slowly turned as her aunt waved to him. Having caught his eye, he smiled and made his way over.
What a man. Just look round you, world—was there anybody finer? Of course, there was not. Nobody could approach Conbatten.
“Lady Rosalind, Miss Mayton,” he said with his ever-elegant bow. He rose and seemed to peer at Miss Mayton’s veil, still wrapped tight round her cheeks on account of the stray dog hairs that remained glued on.
“Toothache,” Miss Mayton said by way of explanation. “Now, Rosalind, you did say you were hoping for a glass of wine, if only you could view what was on offer?”
Rosalind nodded. She’d not said so, but her aunt was so perceptive as to see it would calm her nerves over the sudden appearance of Conbatten.
“Might I escort you to the sideboard, Lady Rosalind?” the duke said.
She nodded and put her hand on his arm. “Duke,” she said.
“You should probably take to calling me Conbatten,” he said, leading her across the room. “I imagine you were heading in that direction anyway.”
“Yes, I was hoping to,” she said. How interesting that he wished to be styled as Conbatten, though she had not the social standing to do it. It must mean something.
He showed her the selection of wines and she chose a Canary. As a footman poured her a glass, Conbatten said, “I must put you on your guard, Lady Rosalind. Archibald, the brother of the rash Baron Leighton, has paid me a visit.”
Of course she knew it, as she’d been there. But what would he say about it?
“It is as I feared,” Rosalind said.
“Indeed, yes,” Conbatten said. “I found it very disturbing that a brother was urging another brother to get himself killed, as certainly he would be. I declined to assist Archibald in his schemes. One hopes he’s resigned himself to living as the younger brother and taken his older brother home.”
Rosalind sipped her wine to give her some time to parse his speech. Was it as her sisters thought? Had Conbatten only refused the duel because he would not act as the means of a brother disposing of a brother?
“I cannot say what the baron will do next,” Rosalind said. “If Archibald is to be considered rash, then the baron must be considered even more rash. I doubt he will be turned from his purpose so easily.”
“I see,” Conbatten said thoughtfully. “If he does not go home, then what does he do next? Do you have a list of various houses he might stop at to issue his challenge? It may be wise to alert other gentlemen of the circumstances of the case.”
Other gentlemen? What other gentlemen? Did he think there were other gentlemen? Why would he think so?
“Well,” she said slowly, “I can think of no one.”
“Ah, just me, then,” the duke said. “I wonder if he will reapproach me with some new idea.”
Rosalind wrinkled her forehead, thinking of how to hint at what the baron might do. How to hint at an attempted kidnapping to Gretna Green?
“I cannot know, of course,” she said, slowly. “I am only certain that he wishes to marry me and once he gets an idea into his head, it can be very hard to get it out again.”
“A determined fellow, then?”
“Oh, yes, very.”
The room had been filling and just then a glass dinged. A gentleman Rosalind did not know said in a loud voice, “Charming ladies and esteemed gentlemen, if you will be so kind as to find your seats, we will commence with the theatrical!”
Rosalind looked toward the chairs and saw her aunt waving. The dear lady had commandeered a chair and then leaned over two more as if she would guard them from all comers.
“I believe my aunt has secured a seat for you too, Conbatten. Unless you are with a party you would sit with?”
“I have come alone and would be delighted,” the duke said.
He was delighted, he said. Surely there was something in that.
