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Elizabeth smiled brightly. “Indeed, Your Grace. You see, I was quite a hoyden in my younger years. I could outsmart and outfish these two any day of the week. That’s why they always wanted to play with me. I taught them things.”
The duchess threw back her head and laughed. “You remind me of myself when I was a little girl.”
Just then, a smiling Duke of Southart arrived beside his wife. Without caring a whit who saw, he placed his hand on his duchess’s lower back. “Daphne, whenever I hear you laugh like that, I worry trouble is afoot. What’s this about?”
“These three”—the duchess waved a hand across the three of them—“grew up together and Lady Overton claims she was a hoyden.”
Southart laughed and turned to Elizabeth. “Then you and my wife will be fast friends. She was a hoyden who tortured me relentlessly when we were younger.” He pointed to a small scar on his cheek. “She inflicted this injury on me when she was eight.”
The duchess playfully slapped his arm. “Quit telling tales. You rescued a magpie chick on my suggestion.” Her face was alight with humor and joy as she recounted the story. “What Southart didn’t count on was an angry momma bird when he placed that chick back in its nest.” A beautiful smile lifted her lips as she continued, “She thought he was up to no good.” The duchess leaned close and lowered her voice, but it was still loud enough for her husband to hear. “That momma bird had obviously heard the rumors about Southart.”
Ash laughed as the duke pretended outrage.
“I try to be a knight in shining armor, and this is what I get in return.” He rubbed the scar on his face, but the warmth in his gaze reflected the deep affection he had for his wife.
Ash twisted his mouth into a grimace. “I bet that hurt.”
The duke lowered his voice. “Like the devil.” Then he delivered one of his charming grins, the one that no one could resist. “But it was worth it.”
The duchess nodded her head. “That was the day that I knew I’d marry him.” She turned to Elizabeth. “When did you know you were going to marry Overton?”
“The first time I saw him.” Elizabeth’s grin grew as her gaze darted between Ash and Robert. Her glance was for both him and Robbie.
The duchess smiled, and her eyes glistened with sentimentality. “We’re lucky women. We know our husbands so well, don’t we?”
“Indeed, Your Grace,” Elizabeth said with a wide smile.
The duchess sidled over to Ash’s side. “I understand you’re newly arrived in London.”
“I’ve been away too long, I’m afraid.” Ash flashed a slight smile. “I was helping my brother get settled in running the family seat.”
“I’m sure your brother appreciates your help.” The duchess’s smile was unpretentious.
Ash raised an eyebrow. “His Grace described this as a small soiree. It's wall-to-wall people.”
The duchess laughed, then reached out and touched his arm. “It is a little loud, isn’t it? Please make yourself at home. If the crowd is too much, use Southart's study.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” Ash bowed his head in acknowledgment.
The duchess nodded, then stepped aside. “If you’ll excuse us, we must chat with all our guests. Everyone is a little distraught over Lady Hearne’s distress.”
Ash watched the duchess leave them with her husband by her side. The duke still had his hand endearingly placed on her back. It was apparent they were a couple deeply in love. Her initial cool demeanor was in sharp contrast to the warmth she showed the three of them.
Turning his attention away from the couple, his gaze caught on a woman holding court in the center of the room. It was Lady Eleanor.
Ash leaned near Robert. “Why don’t you take our lovely wife and dance? Your aunt is here. Center of the room. I’ll speak with her and distract her from finding you.”
Robert nodded curtly. “I owe you for this.”
“Yes, you do,” Ash acknowledged, never taking his gaze from Lady Eleanor. But he knew the instant Robert and Elizabeth stepped away as a new emptiness surrounded him. It was always that way when they weren’t together.
Ash groaned silently. Lady Eleanor stood next to the Duchess of Southart. It was apparent that the duchess couldn't get a word in edgewise. Of course, Eleanor's cronies stood beside her like a murder of crows, ready to defend anything that Eleanor had to say.
Eleanor scanned the ballroom, her eyes narrowing when she spotted Elizabeth and Robert on the dancefloor waltzing. Then, her line of sight shifted to Ash. He delivered his best cheeky smirk. Eleanor must have taken it as an invitation to join him as she excused herself and left the duchess to her cronies.
The woman couldn’t seem to help the corners of her mouth twitching into a small smile. As soon as she reached his side, he delivered a theatrical bow that should have been saved for a Shakespearian play.
“You always were a flirt, Hawksworth.”
