Chapter TEN
Lucy made her way downstairs the next day to meet Cass and Jane in the drawing room. When she paused in front of the door, she couldn’t help but overhear a bit of her friends’ conversation.
“Please, Janie, you must help me,” Cass said.
“I don’t think it will work at all,” Jane replied.
“But I cannot possibly do it alone. I’m already forced to pretend that I’m a complete ninny.”
Jane snorted. “Yes. You’re even beginning to convince me.”
“I’m not certain how long I can continue to—”
Lucy pushed open the doors and strode inside. “Continue to what, Cass?”
Cass blushed and started at the sound of Lucy’s voice. Jane glanced away.
“Oh, Lucy, there you are.” Cass tugged on her gloves.
“What’s wrong?” Lucy asked. “You’re talking about the duke, aren’t you?”
“You could say that,” Jane offered, staring out the window as if the most interesting thing in the world were happening in the street beyond.
Cass gave Jane a stern look before turning back to look at Lucy. “Yes, we were talking about the duke. You’ll never believe what’s happened.”
Lucy crossed over to the chair to hug her friend. As usual, Cass was perfectly put together. She was dressed in a simple pale blue day dress with a matching pelisse, a white bonnet atop her head, and white kid gloves. “What is it, Cass? What has you so upset?”
Cass pressed her gloved hands against her pale cheeks, making solid impressions of pink. “I don’t know what to do. Truly, I don’t.”
Jane rolled her eyes.
Lucy sat across from Cass and patted her hand. “Calm down. Calm down. Now, what’s happened?”
Cass dropped her hands into her lap, bit her lip, and stared out the window.
“It cannot be all that bad. What is it?” Lucy prompted.
Cass squeezed her pretty blue eyes shut and then the words tumbled from her mouth in a tangled rush. “Mama told the duke that I’d go riding in the park with him this afternoon.”
Lucy snatched her hand away. “She did what?”
Cass tugged at her gloves. “I know. I know. He came to call and he was speaking so quickly and Mama was so enamored by him and … Oh, Lucy, all I know is by the time he left we’d all agreed that he would fetch me and a footman at six o’clock. What am I to do?”
Jane fluttered her eyelashes at Cass. “I suggest you tell him—”
“Shh,” Cass said, giving Jane another disgruntled look. “I need Lucy’s help.”
Jane huffed and pulled a book from her reticule. “Fine. If you say so.”
Lucy folded her arms across her chest and tapped her fingers along her arms, considering the duke’s latest play. This news shouldn’t surprise her. The man was determined, and so was Lady Moreland. But the duke had taken advantage of the situation, ensuring Lucy was not there when he next asked Cass to accompany him somewhere.
A reluctant grin spread across Lucy’s face. Hmm. She had to admit it was well played of him. He’d already learned from experience, hadn’t he? If Lucy or Cass had had any idea that he was planning to pay Cass another visit, Lucy would have been sitting right there next to her friend waiting to do battle. He’d warned her, hadn’t he? She’d let down her guard, been too lax when she should have been prepared. But now that she knew just how cunning her opponent was, she would not make the same mistake again.
First, however, she had to find out how Cass truly felt. She leaned forward and braced her hands on her knees, facing her friend. “I must ask you a question.”
Cass blinked at her, her own knee bobbing up and down rapidly. “Yes, Lucy?”
Lucy stared her directly in the eye. “Have you changed your mind at all? About the duke, I mean?”
Another set of blinks. “I’m not certain I follow.”
Lucy flourished one hand. “I only wonder if you’ve decided you might be interested in the duke’s attentions after all. And if so, that’s perfectly—”
The look of pure shock mixed with a bit of horror in Cass’s eyes gave Lucy her answer. “Oh, Lucy, no. I never know what to say in front of the duke and he’s just so, so…”
“Overbearing?” Lucy offered.
“So…”
“Arrogant,” Lucy said.
“So…”
“Frustratingly sure of himself?” Now she was ticking off his faults on her fingers. She could keep going all day.
“So big!” Cass finally finished.
Jane rolled her eyes again at that. Lucy wrinkled her nose and made a harrumphing noise. “I suppose so. A big ox if you ask me.”
A shudder went through Cass, but she didn’t meet Lucy’s eyes. “I’ve no doubt his opponents were fearful just seeing him on the battlefield. Why, his arms are like scythes and his chest is so wide and his shoulders so broad—”
Lucy plucked at her collar. It was far too hot in the drawing room this morning. Where was the maid to open the windows? “Yes, he’s a giant. A giant lout if you ask me,” she grumbled.
Cass leaned forward and grasped Lucy’s hand. “I’ve no idea how you’re brave enough to say some of the things you’ve said to him, Lucy. How do you do it?”
“Yes, Lucy, how do you do it?” Jane propped her elbow on the arm of her chair and rested her chin upon it. Cass glared at her.
Lucy waved a hand in the air. “I’ve no idea how he’s had the nerve to say some of the things he’s said to me. Believe me, I’ve got quite a lot more to say.”
“Oh, Luce, that’s why I love you so. You’re never afraid to speak your mind.” Cass bit her lip. “But what’ll I do? He expects me to ride in the park with him.”
Lucy sat up straight. “The duke accused me of sticking my nose in your affairs last night. I do not want to do that.”
“No. No. Not at all. I need you to help me, Lucy,” Cass assured her.
A harrumping noise came from Jane this time.
Lucy nodded. “Very well. I had to make certain that you still wanted my help. But now that you’ve reassured me that you do, indeed, need—no, want—my help, I am perfectly resolved.” The Duke of Claringdon and his arrogance would not overpower her sweet friend. “Don’t worry, Cass. We’ll handle it.”
“Oh, Lucy, I do so want your help.” Cass wrinkled her nose. “What shall we do?”
Lucy folded her hands in her lap. “I’ll come with you. That’s all. You need a chaperone, do you not?”
“The perfect solution,” Jane said.
Cass ignored Jane. “But Lucy, as the duke pointed out yesterday, you’re not a proper chaperone.”
Lucy shrugged. “That’s not about to stop me. And at any rate, we’ll be accompanied by your footman. Your mother isn’t planning to attend, is she?”
Cass shook her head jerkily. “No. I rather think she’s happy to see us go off alone. Shameless, really.”
Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and smiled to herself. “His Grace didn’t seem particularly interested in listening to what I had to say last time. This time I’ll give him no choice. If he intends to outlast me in this game of ours, he doesn’t know with whom he is dealing.”
Jane raised an eyebrow. “Are you both quite certain this is wise? I doubt the duke will like it very much if you’re there, Lucy.”
Lucy allowed a wide smile to spread across her face like summer jam on bread. “I know the duke won’t like it. That is the very best part.”