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But what other path is there for me, truly? I am the daughter of a duke. Besides finding a suitable match, what other roads are available for me to pursue?
It was a question that still haunted her.
It was going to be a long Season, indeed.
* * *
“Good evening, Mother,” Thomas said, nodding as he entered the drawing room, where his mother’s dinner party guests had gathered for light refreshments before the planned transition into the dining room.
“My Dear Thomas!” said the Duchess, coming up to him and smiling with gusto. She gestured to the two most immediate guests. “You will remember the Duke and Duchess of Horwich.”
The couple was the same age as Thomas’ parents—the Duke himself looked a little older than the Duchess, the skin around his jaw loosening with age, while the Duchess’ looked easily five years his junior.
“And may we present our daughter, Lady Leticia,” the Duke said, and he and his wife parted ways so that Lady Leticia herself could step forward.
Her curtsy had a bit of a bounce to it, and her blonde curls jiggled around her cheeks when she righted herself. “Your Grace. It is an honor and a pleasure. I am positively delighted to make your acquaintance at last.”
Thomas struggled to keep himself from taking a step back. Lady Leticia’s eyes were, indeed, bright with enthusiasm—a little too much enthusiasm, perhaps.
Thankfully, Thomas managed not to show his discomfort. “It’s my honor as well.”
“I’m sure the two of you will have a great deal to talk about!” said his mother, committed to playing matchmaker. “Thomas needs a conversation partner with a little spark to them. He’s been so tired as of late, taking on so many new responsibilities.”
“He seems a driven lad.” The Duke of Horwich looked Thomas up and down. “Cultivating business in the East. And now, returning to London to take over the full business here. How, may I ask, have you been keeping things operation in your physical absence?”
Thomas realized the question was directed at him, not Mother. He also realized this wasn’t just a question, but an interrogation.
Ah, yes. I am Lady Leticia’s prospective suitor. Of course, her Father would regard me with such an attitude.
Even so, Thomas couldn’t help but feel as though he were being spoken to as if he were still a boy—still a young, completely inexperienced Marquess.
Everyone kept saying he was the Duke of Elvington now, but in this moment, he didn’t particularly feel as though he was being treated as such.
“My brother Gerard has been kind enough to act as steward in my stead, in the months following Father’s funeral,” Thomas said, a little stiffly.
“Ah, yes, the enterprising Marquess of Langwin.” The Duke of Horwich nodded with what seemed like genuine enthusiasm. “The word around town is that your brother is really making waves in the shipping industry. Lots of internal growth, I hear.”
“That’s all well and good,” the Duchess of Horwich cut in, before Thomas could agree with the praise on his brother’s behalf. “But is it not a little odd, one son stepping away for so long to mourn, while the other continues on as usual?”
Thomas opened his mouth to respond, but quickly realized he didn’t have the first clue how to answer.Wasit strange that he had gone to the country to officially mourn, while Gerard had stayed to take on even more responsibility than he’d been tasked with already?
He had little time to consider the thought, for dinner was announced moments later. Thomas dutifully offered his arm to Lady Leticia.
The liveliest people at the table, in fact, were Gerard and Lady Leticia. Gerard was telling some story about a misplaced textile shipment he’d had to see to personally earlier in the month—not the most adventurous tale, but dramatic enough for this particular audience—while Lady Leticia kept batting her lashes at Thomas from across the table.
“Is there something in your eye?” he asked her quietly, when it truly seemed as though she was struggling to blink out a speck of dirt.
Lady Leticia’s face colored. Thomas realized his mistake. He wracked his brain for something to say to smooth things over, but came up with nothing, and resorted to swallowing a large spoonful of soup instead. It hadn’t had enough time to cool and promptly scalded the roof of his mouth.
Mother, bless her, jumped to his rescue. “I’m certainly looking forward to the events of the upcoming Season.” She addressed her next comment to the Duchess of Horwich. “There seems a great deal of potential in the air for our charming children. Wouldn’t you agree?”
The Duchess of Horwich must not have noticed Lady Leticia’s eyelashes predicament, or Thomas’ less-than-stellar response. “Why, yes, absolutely! Especially in regards to the young Duke.” She turned to Thomas. “You’ll certainly be in want of a wife, of course, now that you’ve inherited the dukedom.”
Well, I wouldn’t say I particularlywanta wife,Thomas thought.Merely that it seems I’m required to procure one.
By whose rules, he couldn’t say.
“I will certainly be considering my options,” he said civilly.
