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“Hmm.” Kitty rested her chin on her fist, staring at her in contemplation. “You know, I had the same problem with Sebastian.”
“Really?” Francesca had heard little about Kitty’s whirlwind romance with the Duke of Ashford, only that it had happened very fast and resulted in a suspiciously rushed wedding and a curiously premature yet healthy daughter. The rumor mill accused the young duchess of being a fortune hunter, something that she and her husband often mocked with how utterly besotted they acted in public and private.
“I was overwhelmed from the beginning, so much so that I couldn’t make heads or tails of what I wanted from him, and he hid his feelings so well that I didn’t even know what he wanted from me either.”
“What did you do?” Francesca leaned forward in her seat, determined to latch on to every word.
Kitty shrugged. “The more time we spent together, the more my feelings organized.”
“I—” Francesca snapped her mouth shut, heat scalding her cheeks at what she was about to utter out loud. “I was thinking…”
“Go on,” the duchess encouraged.
She squirmed in her seat. “I was thinking of discovering if it is just l-lust after all by… by…”
“Seducing him?”
She nodded, feeling the flush creep down her neck. “I’m already ruined, anyway. If there is nothing more to us than attraction after all, then maybe my feelings will fade after… well, after. I know I shouldn’t, being unmarried, but I—”
Kitty held up a hand. “Say no more. I think it’s a capital idea.” She frowned. “Sophie won’t, and neither will Amberwood. Even Sebastian told me I should advise you to stay away. But since when did running solve anything?” She crossed her arms with a resolute nod. “I say you go for it. If you need any advice, just ask.”
“I think I can handle it,” Francesca replied meekly, already embarrassed that she was even discussing this with Kitty at all.
“Hopefully there will be ample opportunities to get alone with him. I’m puzzled why he seems so scarce around the house, considering his dislike of the country.”
“I am unsure why he came at all,” she replied. Her conversation with him in the forest had been the closest she’d come to understanding his motives, but his reaction to her prying only confused her further. He’d become cagey nearly every time the topic of his attendance had come up, something that she could no longer attribute to mere dislike of his surroundings.
“Now that I think about it,” Kitty said thoughtfully, “All the menfolk are acting strangely. I find it odd that Sebastian and Barrow insist on accompanying Jasper every time he has estate business to attend to, and when I asked my husband about it, he demurred on the manner quite spectacularly. Sophie and I are beginning to suspect that there might be more to this party than just a need for a respite from London.”
Francesca was glad that she wasn’t the only one feeling suspicious. “Arthur acted strangely during Lady Clifton’s visit. I wonder if Renwood has to do with anything?”
“Arthur?” Kitty raised an amused eyebrow.
“You know about everything now, so I see no need to pretend otherwise,” Francesca replied, embarrassed to have made such a mistake so easily.
Kitty chuckled. “Make sure you don’t slip that out in front of the others. Goodness, wouldn’t that be a show?”
“I will be careful.”
“And I’ll help you keep your secrets. Within reason, of course.”
“Thank you,” Francesca said with a relieved smile. The duchess was proving to be a valuable friend, indeed. And to think, just one year ago, they’d been engaged to the same duplicitous man.
Kitty stood before walking over to gently pat Francesca’s shoulder. “You just focus on your mess with Barrow. I’ll sniff around and see if I can learn any more information about everyone’s odd behavior. Sophie said that Lady Clifton will visit again with her daughter tomorrow. Perhaps something will reveal itself then.” The woman yawned. “Back to bed for me.”
“Good night, Your Grace.” Francesca bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at Kitty’s scowl.
“Good night, Lady Francesca,” Kitty replied with a mocking tilt of her head, though the amused grin she wore dispelled any notion of true irritation. After the door clicked shut, Francesca slumped in her seat. Perhaps she should have been brave enough to ask the duchess for advice on how, exactly, an inexperienced debutante should go about seducing one of the most infamous men in London.
**
“I have some business in town. Would you care to join me?”
Francesca looked up at him from her plate, seeming about as shocked as he at the words that had just left his lips. They found themselves alone again at breakfast, the others delayed by one thing or another, and Arthur had spent the past ten minutes scrambling for something to say. He’d decided to follow the advice Ashford had given him yesterday and attempt to subtly court Francesca properly, the only problem being that he had no idea what said courtship should entail. The ways of the Ton were absurdly complex, and he hadn’t bothered to learn anything beyond what was needed to run his club and mingle with gentlemen when needed. Courting etiquette had decidedly not been a consideration.
The object of his uncertain affections stared at him for another moment. “I… yes. That would be lovely.” A spot of pink tinged her cheeks, and he felt the need to assuage any worries regarding his intended conduct. Their behavior in the forest had likely shocked her after she’d had a moment to get her bearings.
“Perhaps one of the ladies would like to chaperone?” He understood enough to know that such things were required when venturing in public with an unmarried lady. Strangely, Francesca seemed to have the opposite reaction to the suggestion than he’d expected, the blush fading and her shoulder’s mildly slumping in what could only be disappointment. It was as if she wanted to be improperly alone with him again. His body heated at the thought. Perhaps she hadn’t been shocked after all and wanted more. He swallowed and ruthlessly suppressed the temptations stirring in his brain. He’d made a promise to himself and to Ashford that he’d go about this properly. Arthur couldn’t very well know if they’d suit while he was busy buried between her legs, now could he? But by God was she alluring.
