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Miss Lewis stared at him as if he’d grown horns. She then turned to the Duchess of Somerset and raised her brows. John looked at his intended, then back to her friend, but by this time, Miss Lewis had composed herself and smiled at him sweetly.
She curtsied low then cleared her throat. “Pleasure to meet you. And please, call me Miss Samantha. Miss Lewis is my elder sister.”
That voice. That sweet, husky voice was too familiar. He already knew they’d met, but he was certain it wasn’t just one time.
“What a rare and beautiful name,” he said, smiling. “But I believe we’ve already met.”
Miss Samantha seemed to blanch at the statement. Her mouth parted slightly, drawing his gaze to her lush lips once more.
“You have?” his intended asked in astonishment.
“Yes, indeed. But don’t feel bad for not placing me, Miss. I believe you caught me at a disadvantage.” He looked back at Miss Samantha then returned his gaze to his intended. “You see, my horse threw me on my morning ride, and I am afraid I tumbled into a puddle of mud. So, I probably look a little better groomed at the moment.”
“Oh, yes, that’s… yes, that’s where we’ve met,” Miss Samantha said with a tight smile.
“Oh, my!” The duchess laughed.
She did it a lot, he noticed. Laughed, that was. The sound was pleasant. But would he get used to hearing it in his house every day, or would it die down soon after their marriage?
“I can assure you I am a far more graceful rider than I seemed then too,” John said, and Miss Samantha seemed to choke on air. She coughed into her fist.
“You didn’t tell me this story, Sam!” the duchess exclaimed.
Miss Samantha still looked a little dazed, blinking from John to the duchess.
“Well, it was a tiny incident, hardly worth mentioning, I imagine,” John continued, looking at her. “Although it did smart my pride quite a bit.”
“No need for that. Happens to the best of us, I can imagine,” Miss Samantha said in a low voice and smiled at him slightly. And that’s when he remembered her sensual voice. She was also the lady who’d bared her legs in front of him during last night’s ball!
He swallowed a laugh and studied her carefully. She had beautiful facial features; he’d noticed it from the first. She had a soft feminine figure, the tops of her breasts peeking out above her low bodice. He forced his gaze up.
“I am very pleased to finally meet you,” he said with a smile. “I heard Her Grace tried to introduce us last night, but you disappeared.”
“Yes, I… um, I wasn’t feeling well,” she stammered.
“I hope you are feeling better now. If not, a ride in a barouche should put some color in your cheeks.”
“A ride in an open carriage sounds heavenly.” The duchess weaved her hand through Miss Samantha’s and led the way.
When they reached Hyde Park, John left the vehicle in his groom’s care and they all proceeded to promenade around the Serpentine. The two ladies were walking hand in hand and chattering away. They were as different as the sun and the moon. The duchess was as bright as her hair, always laughing and animated. She talked of her love of dance, about beautiful gowns, the theater, and art galleries. John couldn’t help but think that when they wed, she would suffocate without the city life or they would have to spend most of their married life apart.
Miss Samantha, on the other hand, was quieter, or perhaps compared to the exuberant Duchess of Somerset anyone would seem quiet. He wondered if Miss Samantha recognized him from before. She’d looked flabbergasted when she first saw him, so perhaps she did. Now, however, she just studied him and kept asking him all kinds of pointed questions. It was obvious that she cared about her friend very much and was assessing whether John would be a suitable husband to her. Something that John doubted more and more with every passing minute.
When they finally stopped at the bridge overlooking the roses, John asked if he could have a private moment with Her Grace. They stepped several feet away from Miss Samantha, so they were still in view but could have a conversation without her overhearing.
“Your Grace,” John started and cleared his throat. “You must suspect what I came here to ask you.”
She nodded silently, and John sighed. “I… In the past few days, I’ve come to admire your spirit. I enjoy your company very much, and therefore I think it is only fair that we talk openly, yes?”
“Yes, I think it best.” She nodded again and smiled politely.
“The thing is… I need a wife,” he blurted and waited for her reaction.
She didn’t give him any. She was a clever young lady and surely she’d ascertained his intentions from the start, so he continued.
“I inherited the barony about a year ago, and with it, quite a number of debts. I need to marry an heiress to help me settle them.”
He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably on his feet, waiting for her to acknowledge this. When she realized that he required an answer, she smiled.
