Rescued from the Tower: A Historical Regency Romance by Kate Carteret

Author:Kate Carteret [Carteret, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dashing Dandies Publishing
Published: 2018-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

“Good afternoon, Your Grace. What a pleasure to have you here again.” Lady Eleanor gushed the moment Tunney, the Butler, showed the Duke of Darrington into the drawing room.

“And what a pleasure it is to be here again.” The Duke said, his attention immediately flying to Rowena.

“I trust you are well, Your Grace?” Eleanor went on when it seemed that the Baron had in some way lost his power of speech.

“I am very well indeed, Lady Eleanor.” He did not take his eyes from Rowena as he spoke. “And how are you, Rowena, my dear?”

“I am well, thank you.” Rowena said in the flattest tone imaginable.

She inclined her head and bobbed graciously, trying not to study him too closely. The Duke was wearing the same awful bright red tailcoat that he had worn on his first visit to Frinton Manor. Once again, he stood out garishly against the pale blue walls and the insipid coverings of every couch and armchair in the room. He somehow reminded her of an angry pimple in the middle of an otherwise creamy and blemish-free face. It was not meant to be there and its presence was painful and embarrassing.

“Well, do take a seat.” Lady Eleanor fussed, allowing herself the smallest moment to glare at her husband for his lack of participation.

However, the Duke’s eyes were busy roaming up and down Rowena’s body and she thought he hardly had the spare capacity with which to wonder why it was his host was so silent.

And in her own disgust at the way she was once again being appraised, Rowena could hardly wonder at it herself.

“Tea will be with us shortly, Your Grace.” Lady Eleanor went on, seemingly the only person in the room intent on speaking. “And I daresay you are keen to discuss the details of the wedding. I suppose we ought at least to decide upon a date.”

“Yes, we must.” Finally, he took his eyes from his prey and turned to the Baroness. “I do not think a lengthy engagement would serve any great purpose, Lady Eleanor. I should like to propose a date of just a few weeks from now. I have a plentiful staff and they will make all the arrangements for me. I assume that is time enough for you to be ready, Lady Eleanor?”

“Oh yes, indeed it is, Your Grace.” Eleanor Lockhart said with greedy enthusiasm.

Rowena cast her eyes in her father’s direction. He sat alone and aloof in an armchair, hardly seeming to be in the room at all. Once again, she felt a little sorry for him, seeing how easily the Duke deferred to the Baron’s wife rather than the Baron himself.

But the Duke and the Baroness were birds of a feather, and Rowena had little doubt that the Duke recognized Lady Eleanor was at the root of it all and that she was the person, in the end, who truly had the ability to give him what he wanted.

“Perhaps four weeks from now would be time enough?” The Duke said and raised his eyebrows at the Baroness.

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