Page 46 of The Duke’s Wager

Albeit his curiosity, he decided not to push too hard for answers. It was rather evident that she was troubled by something, and he would listen should ever decide to confide in him.

So rather than question her, Edward allowed her to sit in silence. After a while of watching her, he could not help but wonder what his parents would have thought of her.

Though he could not claim to have known them at all, he was sure that they would have liked her.

“Lucy! Lady Lucy! Where are you?”

The urgent voice interrupted his musings, and Lucy turned frantically.

“Oh! That is Maria, I had forgotten about her. I am sorry!”

She rose to her feet quickly, stumbling a little. Edward’s hand shot out to steady her, and for a few loaded moments they just looked at each other.

Lucy was the first to regain her composure.

“I thank you for your company, my lord… and again, I truly am sorry for your loss.”

His hand slowly trailed a path down from her elbow, until he held her palm in his. He turned it and pressed his lips to the back of it in a slow, deliberate kiss.

“The pleasure was mine, Lady Lucy. I do hope that I will see you again.” Though he did not verbalize it, he hoped indeed that he would see the part of herself she had shown him in this cemetery – the true, vulnerable, kind Lucy, the one who could never be confused with an Ice Queen.

She looked a bit flustered at his languid kiss, and her cheeks turned red. She slowly removed her hand from his grip and gathered her skirts.

“If fate allows it, my lord. Enjoy the day as much as you can.”

Lucy pulled a face after the words left her lips, and Edward could not stop a smile from forming. He could see that she was chastising herself for telling a man in mourning to have a lovely day.

As much as you can.

There was no need for it. In fact, with her sudden appearance, his day had turned out a fair bit lovelier than any of his previous birthdays. This, however, was not something he was quite ready to share with her.

“Enjoy your day as well, Lady Lucy.”

His words seemed to spur her into action, and she turned around, disappearing between the willows without a second glance in his direction.

Edward sat back slowly and wiped a hand over his face. He was still smiling. It was an odd feeling – and not one he was used to. He felt peaceful, serene, almost happy.

No. Don’t do this.

The smile was quickly replaced by a frown.

He had no business feeling happy about sharing a moment with Lucy Beaumont. She was nothing more than a means to an end, and there would never be anything more between the two of them. It could never work.

Besides, he had long since decided that he was not one for a romantic tale. Even if he were, he hardly thought that Lucy Beaumont would be the woman for him.

Enough of the damned smile that kept appearing whenever he thought of her.

Edward stood quickly and made his way back to his carriage at the other end of the cemetery. Once he arrived there, the mask was once more, as usual, intact.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Lucy was trembling all over. Of all the things she had expected at the cemetery, running into Edward Lockhart was certainly not on her mind. What was even more surprising was that the time they spent together had turned out to be quite pleasant indeed.

Oh, who was she kidding? It had been far more than pleasant. It had been ideal.

“Well, what did he want, Lucy?”

Maria looked at her eagerly, though not without a fair bit of concern.