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“You do?” His heart gave a curious jolt.
“I do.” Her smile broadened to a grin. “I shall be free to do what I like, take care of my estates the way I see fit and live in my most favorite place on earth—Peacehaven. And I shan’t have to go through any more social seasons.”
He decided to let the insult slide. Why he thought it an insult, that she expected happiness away from him, he decided not to analyze at the moment.
“I thought you loved theton. You looked like you thrived in social settings,” he countered.
She gave a delicate shrug. “I love dancing. It was one positive thing out of being so sought after. I never had a free dance at the ball. I love the theater, art, and rides in an open barouche. Perhaps, I do thrive in social settings. But I never felt like I belonged there.”
“Truly?” He was genuinely surprised by her remark.
She nodded. “It is really difficult to find a genuine connection with people when most ladies envy you, and most gentlemen are after your dowry. The conversations, they just become noise, and you grow accustomed to blocking it out. Perhaps, once I am married, this is going to change too.” She paused. “I didn’t think you found yourself comfortable among thetoneither.”
“Why would you say so?” he asked, truly curious to hear what she thought about him.
“You don’t have many close friends. Except for Clydesdale, that is. The rest are either your enemies or your lovers.” She laughed sweetly.
He couldn’t help but laugh along with her. “Well, it is difficult being friends with men you are cuckolding.” He shrugged.
“You probably wouldn’t do it if you wanted them as friends. You haven’t cuckolded Clydesdale, have you?” That wasn’t said as a question, more like a statement. And he appreciated her faith that he had at least one virtue. He didn’t betray his friends.
“I don’t think Julie would be interested,” he said evenly.
“Oh, she wouldn’t. No, she is definitely in love. I envy that, you know. Real love.” She looked up with her innocent eyes and smiled at him with a wistful expression on her face.
He cleared his throat. “What about the soldier?” he asked, trying for a careless tone.
“The soldier?” she asked, wrinkling her brow.
“The one you were betrothed to,” he reminded her.
“Oh!” She laughed merrily. “Well, that’s the most engaging story, actually. He was in love with Samantha, my best friend. They are living happily in Bedford, I believe.”
“So, you weren’t in love with him?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It was going to be a marriage of convenience. Similar to ours. But my best friend fell in love with him during our courtship. It wasn’t meant to be.” She lifted one shoulder in a delicate shrug.
“Lucky me,” he scoffed. For some reason, it pained him that he was the last choice. After hundreds of suitors and the failed courtship, he was her last resort. On the other hand, he was glad that he was the one who got to keep her. Let thetondie of envy.
“Were Montbrook’s suitors so much worse than me then?”
“They truly were.” She laughed. “One was the old and lecherous Lord Lansdowne. Another was their son. Which was bad enough on its own, but Lady Montbrook wanted to control every aspect of my life. If I had married him, they would have taken over the dukedom too.”
“Would it be so bad to have fewer responsibilities?”
“These are my grandfather’s lands we are speaking of. I am not giving them up, not for anything. Besides, I’ve seen how they’ve run the estates ever since taking over the guardianship. They’ve done enough damage as it is. And—” She pursed her lips suddenly.
“And what?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Lady Montbrook is the head of that family, and she can be quite ruthless.”
Gabriel threw her a curious frown.Ruthless? He didn’t have time to pursue the matter, though. At that moment, a young woman waved at them and hurried their way.
“You’re new here,” she said, still several feet away.
“We’re just visiting,” he called out in return.
“Visiting whom exactly?” she asked, picking up her skirts and coming closer.
