The duke eyed Freddy. “Yes, you would, wouldn’t you?”
“Oh, Freddy.” His wife swooned happily. “You are so romantic. I adore you.”
He kissed her cheek and said, “Aye, never was so. Never was in the petticoat line, and then you walked into my life … well, it took me a bit, but once I knew what needed to be done, I did it,” he said to his wife and then turned to the duke. “You need to come to an understanding with yourself, Glen … and then perhaps you’ll see what needs to be done.”
“What needs to be done is making sure Reinhart doesn’t hurt her!” the duke snapped. The waltz was not at an end, so he marched right up to the earl and tapped his shoulder.
Surprised, the earl turned his face to stare at the duke, but he politely inclined his head and backed away.
Felicia smiled brightly and told her guardian, “Well, here you are.”
“Indeed, I thought your first waltz at Almack’s would be with me,” he said softly.
“It should have been,” Felicia returned. “However, James was a very good substitute.”
“Was he?” the duke returned, his ire up, his mood taking on a burn.
“Indeed, he is amusing and playful and made me forget to worry about my steps, you see.”
“You didn’t worry about your steps when you waltzed with me,”
he said softly.
“That is quite different. Here, the whole world was intent on watching, weren’t they?” She sighed. “I do like James a great deal.”
“How much is a great deal?”
“Why?” Felicia returned.
“Don’t play coy. Answer me.”
“A great deal is just that,” she said and gazed intently into his silver orbs.
“Your green eyes slay me, love … do you know that?”
“No, but I do like it when you say things like that to me,” she whispered. “Reinhart does.”
“Damn his soul. He isn’t for you,” the duke shot back at her.
“Is he not? Well then, who is?”
“We shall have to wait and see,” he answered.
“I think, in the end, that is my decision to make,” she answered gravely.
“Is it? As I said, we shall see,” he answered quietly as the waltz came to an end and he gave her his arm to lead her off the floor. He could see her mind working. Her face always gave her away—at least to him.
“Well, yes, whether you are my guardian or not … we shall see,” she answered and suddenly added, “Ah, but you won’t be for long, my duke, not for long, and then what?”
He eyed her and saw the laughter in her green eyes. Damn, but it was a good question. Could he see her with anyone else? Could he? “What indeed,” he answered.
~ Twenty-Six ~
FELICIA HAD HEARD quite a great deal about the Drury Theatre and the performances staged therein. On this night, The School for Scandal was scheduled, and Felicia sparkled with excitement as she sat forward in Lady Daphne’s box and took in all the sights.
Below their box was what was called ‘the pit’. It was full to the brim with London’s up and coming ‘middle class’. Overlooking the pit in a semicircle, with the stage at its fore, were the boxes, and they held London’s fashionables, known as the haute ton. Lady Daphne had explained a great deal to her, and Becky and Felicia’s gazes absorbed it all.
The duke sat at her right, and with unconscious glee she grabbed hold of his white-gloved hand and excitedly inquired, “Ashton! Look there … is that the Prince Regent?”