The Duke’s Guide to Winning a Lady: A Regency Historical Romance (The Strongs of Shadowcrest Book 7) by Alexa Aston

Author:Alexa Aston [Aston, Alexa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2024-10-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Effie enjoyed herself so much during supper that it was almost over when she remembered that Waterbury was going to tell her what she had been wrong about.

Perhaps she had been wrong about him . . .

She had thought him a bit full of himself before tonight. A tad pompous simply because he was a duke. Also, a man who was much too serious. At times, she had sensed an anger within him, something he hid from the world with his cold, silent exterior.

Yet after what he had revealed to her, she couldn’t help but understand him a bit more. He’d truly had no one for years, other than a younger sister whom he had not been around that much. His schooldays had been lonely. His home life—with a distant father and self-absorbed mother—had obviously been miserable. Effie had seen firsthand how shallow the Dowager Duchess of Waterbury was, and she could not imagine growing up without abundant love. It made her realize how fortunate she was to have come from the family she did. True, her own father sounded an awful lot like Waterbury’s ducal father, but Mama had more than made up for his lack of attention and love.

She’d also had all her sisters and cousins, all her best friends from the time she came out of the womb. Effie could not imagine what it would be like to be excluded. Isolated. Lonely.

Waterbury had not really talked about the wife and babe he’d lost. Instinct told her he had behaved much toward them as his own father had to him, not knowing how to be close to others. She hoped he would do a better job in his next marriage. She would be on the lookout for a woman who might help His Grace live up to his full potential. Effie would also ask her brother and brothers-in-law to keep a watchful eye on the duke and befriend him.

“The dancing will start soon,” Lord Ashmore said. He gazed longingly at Lady Ada. “I wish we could dance the next set.”

Ada looked pleased at his remark. “Then you must ask me to dance again, my lord, at the next ball.”

“I will do more than that, Lady Ada,” said the viscount, his face earnest. “Might I call upon you tomorrow afternoon?”

Her friend blushed prettily. “You may.”

“Shall we go to the retiring room, Lady Ada?” Effie asked.

“Oh, that is an excellent idea.”

The gentlemen rose and helped them to their feet. Effie said to the duke, “I haven’t forgotten that you were supposed to share something with me. I cannot recall what, but please remember for me so that you might do so later.”

She laughed and saw him chuckle. She also saw his eyes darken as he looked at her. An odd feeling ran through her, and Effie shook it off.

Slipping her arm through Lady Ada’s they left the supper room and went to the retiring room, which was located on the ground floor.

“What do you think of him?” her friend asked breathlessly.

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