Percy was beginning to wonder if the duke was rubbing off on him.
Chapter Fourteen
Felicity was quiteimpressed with Mr. Stratton just now. He’d been waiting near the doors for her arrival, had handled her father with good humor, and when it came to Lord Rustmont… Well, she must think that Mr. Stratton had kept the upper hand in that exchange. It was beginning to seem as if there were more to Mr. Stratton than she’d originally thought.
Felicity paused. What didhethink, though? He seemed to like her, but that had been their original agreement. He was to trail her about to make Lord Rustmont jealous, thereby driving that lord to her side.
It was just, she found herself not entirely certain she wished Lord Rustmont to be driven to her side. Did Mr. Stratton like her? Or was he a consummate actor, enjoying his part in the ruse?
Mr. Stratton had since brought her to her father. Lord Rustmont was down for her first and would collect her soon. Mr. Stratton said he would take his leave as he could not be trusted to be civil to that gentleman.
She’d quite liked that, actually. Mr. Stratton’s incivility was very attractive. For that matter, her father rather approved of this new, more unbuttoned, Mr. Stratton.
Felicity had watched him stride away and noticed he did not approach another lady, but rather his friend, Mr. Wiles.
“Lady Misery blew her tiara off when I gave her the news of her butler,” the duke said, enjoying looking back on that encounter. “Then I went right into the pence and broken window at Lady Albright’s house—she was staggered!”
“Oh dear, where is my aunt now, Papa?” Felicity asked. “I do not wish to be scolded on your behalf.”
“She’s making the rounds; she wants to ensure everybody knows she was tricked into attending a cyprian’s party and that her wretched brother left her there. She intends to drag my name through the mud, but we’re from the Dales—what care we for a bit of mud?”
“Really, Papa, you ought not to have left her at that party.”
“And ruin Mrs. Right’s diabolical plan?” the duke asked. “I admire our housekeeper’s diabolical plans—she saves me no end of trouble. I do not want a butler, and one, two, three, I don’t have a butler.”
Felicity could not argue that. Mrs. Right was the backbone of the house. She was housekeeper and mother and butler combined. Most of all, she understood the duke as well as his own daughters did.
“Young Stratton seems in spirits this evening,” the duke said.
“Indeed he is,” Felicity said. “He was very naughty in teasing Lord Rustmont for not staying behind to face the tiger.”
“Hah!” the duke said, “as well he should. Those like Rustmont are all the same—they put on a good show but when it comes to it, they’re good for nothing. On top of that, he seems a rather sour sort of fellow.”
“Sour?”
“Oh you know what I mean—all wrapped up in his dignity with a damp blanket of seriousness. His household will be as dull as dirt.”
Dull as dirt. That had not been at all what Felicity had imagined. She’d somehow conceived the idea that life with LordRustmont would be one of romance and daring. He would be adoring clay in her hands, but her hands only. As for the rest of the world, he’d be rushing off to one Corinthian thing after the next, all with that one sardonic brow raised.
“Whatever you do, Felicity, do not choose a humorless man. You are too prone to fun to tolerate it.”
Humorless. Is that what Lord Rustmont was? She had taken his serious mien as manly maturity… or something like that.
“Here he comes, Lord Rusty.”
Felicity turned and found Lord Rustmont, looking as grim as ever. Still, she could not entirely dismiss her earlier feelings. He was very handsome and he might prove to redeem himself. Perhaps.
“Your Grace. Lady Felicity,” he said, holding out his arm for her hand.
“Cheer up, Rustmont,” the duke said, laughing.
Lord Rustmont looked startled. He really did not understand her father’s temperament.
She laid her hand on his arm and he led her to their places.
“Lady Felicity, I believe I must address at once the shocking events that occurred at Lady Albright’s party.”
Felicity stayed silent, as she very much agreed with him.
