Page 59 of The Duke’s Wager

Lucy sat quietly as Maria’s expert hands waved through her hair, creating an elaborate braid. Upon finishing, she clapped her hands together, her eyes filled with tears.

“Oh, my dear. You look radiant.”

She smiled and stood slowly, the dress falling around her slender figure in elegant folds. She almost looked forward to the opera.

“I wonder if he will be there.” The words left her lips before she could consider them, and she blushed furiously when a smile broke out on Maria’s face.

“Lord Edward?” Her tone was teasing, and Lucy pressed her hands against her cheeks.

“Yes, and I am merely concerned about him.”

Maria merely lifted a brow, and Lucy sighed. “He was not at the cemetery today, and I just… I may have gotten a fair bit used to his presence there, so I was surprised.”

“So you are hoping to see him at the opera?” The question was asked in the same teasing tone, and Lucy avoided Maria’s eyes.

“Well… I would not say that I was hoping to see him, I merely wonder if I will.”

Maria nodded, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Lucy shook her head with a laugh and gathered her skirts.

“Enough! I must go now – you know how my father despises waiting.”

Both women paused, looking at each other silently. Maria finally broke the silence as she waved Lucy away tenderly.

“Enjoy the opera, Lucy.”

* * *

The opera house was quite busy when they arrived, with people hurrying through crowds to find their seats. Still, many of them stopped to openly stare at her. Her father noticed this, and his chest swelled with pride.

She knew that he liked it when people noticed her and realized that she was his daughter. She had heard him mention years earlier that it was a point of pride for him, something he took great delight in. Lucy glanced inconspicuously at the many faces, looking eagerly for the one face in the crowd she truly wanted to see.

Edward, however, was nowhere to be seen. Was she not meant to see him today?

Then it happened. Not all at once, but slowly – little by little, the all-too-familiar scent wafted towards her.

Bergamot and sea mist.

In an instant, Lucy was transported to sharing a laugh with Edward – the world coming to a standstill as their eyes met. She could feel his hand gently rubbing her back as he comforted her while she cried about the cruelty of her father.

She could see vividly the glint in his eyes, the lines of his jaw, the curve of his lips.

If she tried hard enough, she could hear the low timber of his voice while he told her that she truly was good enough, kind enough, clever enough… That she did not need to prove anything to her father, for he was the one lucky to have her as a daughter. Just the scent was enough to bring to the forefront every memory and her heart raced in her chest as she turned around slowly.

Edward stood there, frozen in the midst of hurrying crowds, an elderly couple by his side. She recognized them: the Duke of Hartford, William Lockhart, and his wife, the Duchess. Everyone knew the Duke and Duchess, and even as people hurried to their seats, many of them stopped to greet them. They were the type of people one wanted to associate with – people wanted nothing more than to be in their good graces. Even her father paused when he saw them, albeit reluctantly. Though Lucy knew that her father had little time for Edward, the same could not be said for his grandparents. They were influential enough for him to yearn for their good graces too.

Lucy slowly tore her eyes away from the elderly couple, raising them to look at him, her heart skipping a beat when she met his green gaze.

In that instant, it felt as though everyone around them faded to obscurity. It was as though the world had turned gray and the only color was him. Her heart raced wildly in her chest. She was certain that her father would hear the drumming of her heartbeat and scold her for it, but she could not control it. Nor could she tear her eyes away.

He felt it too. She could see it – could feel it radiating from his very being. His eyes left hers for a few painful seconds, traveling over her form in the dark gown.

When his eyes met hers again, the admiration in them was joined by another emotion – one that sent Lucy’s blood rushing up to her cheeks.

Desire.

He desired her, wanted her, and the realization struck her suddenly, like a fist to the throat. He desired her as much as she desired him.

Edward seemed mesmerized, enthralled by her, and he took a step forward. It took all her self-control to not step towards him as well, to stay motionless.