“Oh?”
There was a breath and Dominic realized what the viscount was going to say. He had no chance to brace himself.
“And your future husband.”
“Ah.”
CHAPTER 2
“You could sound more grateful. Welcoming, at least,” Cassian pointed out as Verity stared at the tall gentleman.
She couldn’t help it. Sometimes she sounded rude when she was nervous. Verity had been expecting to hide in the drawing room with her writing desk for the morning.
Never would I expect Cassian to be in here, let alone speaking with him. I don’t even know who Wycliffe is!
“Grateful for a match made without my involvement?” Verity wished she had her heavy writing desk in hand to throw it at someone. “I didn’t particular desire to marry a stranger, Cassian.”
“But you did wish to marry.”
“Well, yes,” she admitted. “Eventually.”
“You’re two-and-twenty. Next year, you’ll be on the shelf, and I won’t have that,” Cassian carried on like the lord he was born to be.
While he had always been fairly high-and-mighty knowing what he would inherit and become in time, the last three years had turned him into someone she hardly recognized.
It’s so annoying.
“I wasn’t aware you were in such a rush to have me married off,” she noted drily.
“Why wait and why dawdle when I have found you a match?” Her brother pointed out. “We can discuss this later, Verity. I was just seeing His Grace out. Do you mind?”
“Yes, actually, very much. Thank you so much for asking.”
Her brother rolled her eyes. As for the duke… Verity had put off looking at him once he let go of her. It wasn’t often someone touched her like that. But that touch had felt different. It almost felt special.
Maybe it’s simply because he’s handsome. And I well know that looks are not enough to build a marriage off of. That would nonsense.
But then Verity looked and couldn’t stop looking. She was a tall lady and she liked finding someone taller outside of her family.His broad shoulders reminded her of day laborers, but he wore it well in his dark blue suit. The coloring worked well for his stormy gray eyes that pierced her to the bone. He even had a charming cleft chin that would be admirable if he didn’t look so serious.
“Verity?”
“I’m thinking.” She blinked and finally looked away. “Why now?”
He frowned. “We can speak later. And you’re still blocking the door, Verity.”
Biting her tongue, Verity moved out of the way to allow the two gentlemen past her into the hall.
Then she walked at her brother’s side. “You cannot expect me to trust your opinion when you set no trust in me. Why now? Why him? I’ve never even danced with His Grace. Have I, Your Grace?”
“Not that I can recall,” he confirmed as they reached the front door.
“Precisely. You would at least think to marry me to someone I am familiar with already. But you didn’t, Cassian. And you seem to think that I could be forced to accept a marriage against my will, which I assure you, is not the case. I am better friends with the magistrate.”
There was Johnson arriving to open the door with a flourish. The Duke of Wycliffe stepped outside. His dark hair was curling and unruly, she noted. He wore it well while the rest of him was extremely neat and orderly. She’d never seen such a neat cravat.
“Your Grace, I will look forward to your correspondence,” Cassian said whilst ignoring her.
The duke glanced between the two of them. “Very well. Good day, my lady.”
