A Gift of a Duke by Miller Fenella J

Author:Miller, Fenella J [Miller, Fenella J]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2020-07-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Rordan almost missed his footing several times in his hurry to reach the side door. He was damned if he was going to let his teeth chatter despite the fact that his extremities were now as numb as his nose.

As he reached his destination, he saw that the door was already ajar. He stepped in ready to thank his rescuer but she was no longer there. She must have unlocked it and then returned to the drawing room.

He took the stairs at a run and this time his valet was present. His man removed his boots in seconds and, five minutes after his precipitous arrival, he was ready to rejoin the noisy guests in the drawing room.

He wished to thank Mirabelle personally for her assistance and explain why he'd been outside in the first place. She must have been sitting at the very far end of the room to have heard him knock on the window, so he avoided the main entrance and hurried down the corridor.

He was disappointed to see that she was no longer there. He was immediately called to join Selby who was enjoying a lively conversation with several young ladies and hopeful gentlemen.

'Where have you been, your grace? We thought you might have retired,' Selby enquired with a smile.

'I went for a walk to clear my head and got locked out. It's freezing hard, too cold for further snow.'

'It matters not if it snows as long as it clears by twelfth night.'

'Your grace, do you play cards? They are setting up tables and I do so love to play a game of Loo,' one of the girls said to him with a friendly smile.

'Not tonight, thank you, but maybe another time? I heard talk of an itinerary of activities for the guests – has anyone had sight of it?'

A young lady dressed in pale yellow silk, identical in appearance to the one who'd asked about the cards, immediately answered his question.

'Tomorrow there will be charades, bite the bullet and other parlour games in the music room. In the evening there is to be a musical entertainment of some sort – those that can play or sing have been requested to sign the paper pinned somewhere in that room.'

He exchanged a quizzical look with his new friend. 'I shall look forward to that. Do either of you young ladies have a musical talent?'

'We do – I play the piano whilst my cousin sings. Our names would be first on the list of we could locate the wretched sign.'

This made him laugh and he warmed to the two lively young ladies. 'I am a passible baritone, what about you, Selby?'

'A tenor, so we should fit well together. Ladies, what do you intend to perform tomorrow night? Perhaps his grace and I could accompany you for one of your songs?'

This was the last thing Rordan wanted to do as it might give the wrong impression of his intentions. By singling out his two young ladies the other guests, and his hosts, might be misled into thinking he'd selected his bride.

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