Page 54 of The Duke’s Wager

“Edward, let’s get out of here.” Alfred, shockingly, turned into the voice of reason. “Let’s go.” Edward took a deep breath. “It’s not worth it, Edward. You’re not going to let Pembroke get to you, are you?”

His friend was right. Even as he stood, basking in his fury, Edward knew that Alfred had a point. Julian was trying to get to him, trying to upset him – and allowing it would do no good.

“You’re right. Let’s go.”

Edward grabbed his coat from the table, making sure to spill Julian’s drink all over him. The man let out a string of expletives, shocking the ladies around him and causing more laughter to erupt from the men.

Edward glared at him. “Have a good one, my friend.” He spoke through gritted teeth and with that, he turned for the door.

“Your time is running out, Lockhart!”

Edward gritted his teeth at this, his hands balling into fists again. There was nothing he wanted to do more than punch the arrogant fool in the face.

“Tick tock, tick tock!” Julian continued, apparently unaware that he was in dangerous territory. “Perhaps it is better you fail so Lady Lucy does not have to suffer the disappointment of knowing you. It’s not like she’ll be missing anything… In fact, perhaps I should start trying soon…”

The blasted, cursed, vacant clown—

Alfred grabbed Edward by the shoulders just as he was about to act on impulse. “No, Edward. Hold yourself, my friend.”

Edward released a tense breath. “You’re right. I need to get my head back in the game.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

He was not there.

Lucy could not quite place her feelings. She had gone to the cemetery once again, certain that she would find Edward there but he was not there.

After all, though the arrangement remained unspoken, they had made it a habit.

And to her surprise, she had waited there for him for many torturous minutes.

Where on earth could he be? Had he grown tired of their meetings? Had she said too much at their previous meeting, and had that scared him off? Was she too damaged?

No. She could not think like this.

There was most probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for his absence. He was most probably busy. She would not read into it. She was certain that Edward would not abandon her entirely – not after what he had learned about her. He was far too kind to do so without speaking to her first.

A small smile played on her lips. Though the cemetery was sad and gloomy, Edward’s presence lit it up like a warm fire. Somehow, when she saw him there, it felt less cold. She was quiet on the way home, her mind still wandering to his absence as the carriage came to a halt at their estate.

Without being fully aware of her movements, Lucy made her way to the kitchen where Nicolas awaited her with a warm cup of tea and lemon biscuits.

“I heard you returned and made tea,” he announced cheerily when she stepped into the kitchen.

“Thank you, Nicolas.” Lucy smiled at him gratefully and took a seat at one of the long counters in the kitchen. She groaned in delight as she took a bite of the biscuit. “I must admit, these remain my favorite by far. They are simply marvelous.”

The cook grinned at her compliment. “I made them just for you, my little lady.”

The kindness he extended to her was simple yet wonderful, and Lucy pressed a hand to her heart. “You are too kind.”

“Hmm.” The cook suddenly turned and eyed her suspiciously. Lucy could feel her cheeks heating up under his long gaze, and she paid careful attention to her tea – wishing that she could miraculously disappear into the cup.

“I wonder,” Nicolas exclaimed suddenly, as though a thought had just occurred to him.

She continued staring at her cup of tea intently, doing her best to avoid Nicolas’s curious gaze. “What is it that you wonder, Nic?”

“You’ve been spending a lot of time at that cemetery.”

“Far more?” Lucy quickly busied herself with taking a delicate sip of her tea, then inspecting the lemon sweetmeats in front of her. “What on earth are you talking about, Nicolas?”