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“Theodore,” she called out, dropping the cigar like a child who had been caught with her hand in a jar of sweets.
“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, red-faced as if he had just eaten Mrs. Gardiner’s spicy chicken soup. The Dowager’s face turned sour almost immediately and her face became pale.
“I have been unwell,” she replied. “The physician just left. Did not you see him on your way in?”
“What are you talking about? There was no physician when I came in. I do not see any signs of an ailment.”
His grandmother shivered, turning her head to the side. “Maybe you missed him. He told me to get some happiness to get rid of the fever.”
Theodore could not believe what he was hearing. “That is ridiculous! Happiness to get rid of the fever? That is unheard of.”
“We cannot argue with the physician, can we?”
“You called with such urgency that I left all my work at the Wallington Estate,” he said and pulled up a chair for himself.
The Dowager took another puff of the cigar, blowing spicy smoke into the air. She turned around to the other women at the table and packed all the gambling chips to her side. The Duchess won the round.
“Since that is cleared up, welcome to the women’s den. Would you like a game of Old Maid?”
Theodore shook his head in utter disappointment. Everyone was staring at him now, smiling coquettishly and straightening their dresses. It only made him angrier. He should have trusted his gut and stayed behind at Wallington.
“No, thank you,” he said, trying not to sound demeaning to avoid a hit from his grandmother’s cane.
“You, Theodore, are the only person who does not enjoy gambling. Maybe if you get married someday, you will learn to enjoy it.”
Theodore cringed, plastering a fake smile on his face. “And what does my bachelor status have to do with a simple game of Old Maid? Perhaps, I do not like taking the high road.”
The Dowager laughed and took another puff of the cigar. “The high road helps me to keep throwing these balls. I am getting tired if you ask me.”
“Tired? You enjoy these balls,” Theodore replied and leaned over the game table.
“Enjoy?” the Duchess scoffed. “Hardly. I am throwing these sad balls so that you can find a suitable bride for yourself before I pass on.”
“But the Queen —”
Theodore was swiftly interrupted by his grandmother. “I want to see you have children, Theodore. You know I did not have a lot in my time. Just your father and his sister. I want a full household once again.”
He thought about the idea for a while, but the memory of his sister came into his mind and shattered everything. So, Theodore poured all of his concentration into the anger that was brewing up inside him.
“Why did you call me to Clyvedon with such urgency? My greatest fear was that you were on the brink of death, but here you are, smoking a cigar and gambling. I call that good health,” Theodore remonstrated after a few minutes of silence.
“Good health, yes,” the Dowager replied and passed the card to the woman in the peach ball dress and elaborate jewelry. “But then, I called you for an important matter nevertheless.”
“Important matter?” Theodore repeated.
“It is of utmost importance, Theodore,” she replied and put another two chips into the pile with a smile.
Then she turned to the other woman in the silver dress. “Lady Surrey, I believe your daughter is one of this year’s debutantes, correct?”
Lady Surrey nodded quickly and smiled at Theodore. Anger simmered and came to a boil in his veins as the duchess took a sip from her champagne glass. Not only did she lie to him, but the Dowager was also making plans to match him to an eligible debutante. Nevertheless, he kept his cool.
“Lord, no,” Theodore groaned, letting his head fall back against soft padded velvet. “You called me here to match me with a lady? Why not tell thetonto chase after me then?”
The Dowager’s eyes flitted to his, the soft gray turning into the hard color of gunpowder. “I would have told all the mamas in London that the Duke of Wallington is an eligible bachelor. A rake in fact if the information I collected is true?”
Gasps echoed through the room as the women laughed shyly. One of them at the other table even winked at him. It was nothing short of disgusting. All he wanted to do was get out of the room as quickly as possible.
He loosened his cravat, matching the Duchess’ gaze. “My wife, if I ever take any, must be a virtuous woman, knowledgeable in the know-how to properly run the Estate. A rather charming one, in fact, with more wisdom than evening dresses and promenades.”
