Page 41 of To Dare a Duke

“And don’t leave out a single detail,” Bonnie added, grinning.

Prue sighed and took pity on them. “Last night, at the St Clair ball, I danced in the private garden, at midnight, with….” She drew it out, aware that the entire room was holding their collective breath. “The Duke of Bedwin.”

The room erupted.

Prue laughed and shook her head, refusing to answer any further questions. What had happened outside of the dance was between her and the duke and she had no intention of sharing the details.

“How do we know she’s telling the truth?” Kitty demanded, looking no less sceptical than she had before Prue’s revelation.

“Because if Prue say’s that’s what happened, that’s what happened!” Alice said with considerable heat.

Prue smiled at her, touched by her timid friend’s defence. “Thank you, Alice, but I thought Kitty might be difficult to persuade, and I took the precaution of bringing evidence.”

The room fell silent once more as Prue reached into her reticule and pulled out the duke’s ring with a flourish. Everyone gasped.

“Oh, Prue,” Matilda said, her voice filled with wonder.

Prue looked back at her friend’s shining eyes with consternation. “What?”

“He gave you his ring,” she said, sounding awed and as if she might swoon.

“Yes,” Prue said, looking at the heavy gold signet ring which bore the Bedwin crest. “I can see that.”

“But, Prue,” Matilda said incredulous now, “can’t you see the significance of that?”

Prue looked around and discovered that if she couldn’t, everyone else could. They looked stunned.

“What?” she said again, perplexed.

“He wants to marry you, you goose,” Kitty said, rolling her eyes now. “Honestly. Why else would he give you something so precious?”

Prue flushed. She knew, of course, that Bedwin—that Robert—wanted to marry her, though not for any of the romantic reasons she could see shining in her friends’ eyes. She hadn’t, however, wanted anyone else to be privy to that information. How foolish of her to accept his ring, of all things.

“Oh, Prue,” Alice breathed, her sweet face alight with excitement. “Has he asked you?”

Prue swallowed, wanting to deny it, but finding herself unable to do so in the light of her friend’s honest pleasure in the idea.

“Yes,” she said with reluctance, sounding as though she was admitting to having caught lice rather than gaining a proposal of marriage from a duke.

The shrieking began again. Louder.

“I told you he was fascinated with you!” Matilda exclaimed, staring at her in wonder.

“Oh, what did you say?” Jemima added. “I mean he’s a duke and awfully handsome, but… but they do say—”

“Oh, Prue, they say he… his w-wife….” Alice stammered.

“He’s got a dreadful reputation.”

“… a gambler and a libertine….”

“They say he beat her….”

“…locked her in her room.”

“He fought a duel with a man just for looking at her!”

“She died at his hands….”