AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cordelia gave an unladylike shrug. “They didn’t say, but I imagine that it has something to do with my being married off to some ugly old friend of father’s.”
“I’m sorry about that, Cordelia. What will you do?”
“Isuppose I ought to start looking in earnest for a husband. I have something of an idea of what I want in a man, and I don’t think I’m unreasonable in that.” Cordelia absently patted her pristine golden curls as she spoke, and Rosaline suppressed a smile.
“No, Delia, I think it’s safe to say that you could have any eligible man in thetonthat you set your heart on.”
“Hm. Perhaps. Anyway, that is not what I came to talk to you about today. The fact is, Mama and Papa have taken matters into their own hands. They’ve arranged for me to take tea at Dainty’s Tea Shop – chaperoned, of course – with none other than theDuke of Keswick.”
Cordelia sat back in her seat, slightly breathless, and waited for her words to have an impact on her friend.
Rosaline blinked. “Who?”
Cordelia missed a beat. “Oh, you know. The Duke of Keswick. The Duke of Ice. Youmustknow him.”
“Ihaven’t been in Society for a couple of years now, Cordelia. I wasn’t much good at memorizing the names of the gentry even when we were in Society. I don’t know the man, I’m sorry.”
That deflated Cordelia a little.
“Oh. Well, you know, perhaps it’s for the best. The man’s a beast, apparently. He’s got these awful ice-blue eyes, cold as you like, and black hair, which makes it all worse. He juststaresat people. Or at least, so some of my acquaintances have told me. He made Hannah Bulimer cry, you know.”
“Why? What did he say?”
“Ithink he just looked at her too sternly. She is rather a wimp, though. Anyway, that isn’t the point. You see, the Duke of Keswick has gotten his grandmama – you know the Dowager Duchess Mary McCarthy…”
“Idon’t know her either but do go on.”
“…to contact a few eligible ladies this Season and arrange meetings. It’s such a vulgar thing I don’t know what to say, I can’t believe Mama agreed to it. Fancy going around forcing ladies to meet you in tea-rooms. Just because he isn’t charming enough to tempt a woman in a ballroom, where there’s a little more competition.” Cordelia tossed her head, obviously considering the lack of social graces to be the most unforgiveable of sins.
Rosaline gently cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to hear that you’ve got to spend some time with the Duke of Keswick, Cordelia, but I really don’t know what this has to do with me.”
Cordelia brightened. “Oh, I forgot to tell you! See, I was thinking hard about how to avoid it. Papa says that I’m going and that’s that, but then I was struck by inspiration. Really, it’s a marvelous idea. You’ll laugh and laugh when I tell you.”
“Are you ever going to tell me, or are you just going to talk about how clever you are?”
“Alright, Miss Sourpuss. Simply put, you’ll go to Dainty’s Tea Shop instead of me. You will meet with the Duke, and you can be as rude and unladylike as you want. Be thorough. Really put him off. He won’t want a second meeting; I can tell you.”
Rosaline rubbed the bridge of her nose.
“That won’t work, Cordelia. We don’t look at all alike.”
Cordelia beamed. “That’s the clever part. He’s never met me, or you. He has no idea what I look like, so there’s no reason for him to suspect that youaren’tMiss Atwood. I’ll send my maid along as a chaperone – you remember Helen, don’t you? – she’s in on it all so you can trust her.”
“Ifind it hard to believe he doesn’t know who you are. You and your family are familiar faces in Society.”
“Yes, but he’s been away on business until recently. A few years, I think. He’s not a social man, I hear. He sounds dreadful, doesn’t he?”
“Let me make sure I understand you correctly, Cordelia. You don’t want to meet this man because he’s harsh, rude, and unpleasant, is that right?”
“An absolute monster.”
“So, you want me to meet him instead? Why should I put up with the Duke of Keswick on your behalf? He isn’t interested in talking to me. I may never have to meet him. I can quite confidently guarantee that I am not on his list of eligible ladies. I rather think you’ll just have to take your medicine, Delia.”
Cordelia breathed in deeply through her nose. “Oh, please, Rosie. Do it for me.”
Rosaline tapped her chin, pretending to think about it. “Let me think… no.”
“Iought to have told you that he was handsome and charming.”
