Duke of Daring (Lords of Scandal 1)

Minnie pressed her lips together. Cordelia was beautiful. In fact, she and Grace were nearly identical, but it was hard to tell with her hand constantly in front of her face as she pushed up her spectacles.

“Are you going to take him on a walk and give him a tour of English garden birds?” Diana asked quirking a brow.

“That was only one time,” Cordelia sniffed and all the ladies giggled.

Minnie relaxed as the light banter washed over her. Perhaps she was making a big deal over nothing. Darlington wasn’t that fond of her. At the last dinner, he’d been Jack’s guest. Mayhap, he’d considered it his duty to escort her. Or he’d just been punishing her for her turn

“Excuse me, ladies,” a deep voice rumbled through her, making her insides quiver. “I’m hoping you can tell me where to find Miss Chase.”

Grace gave him a pretty smile, perfected after hours of staring in a looking glass. “Oh, I don’t know where she is, but perhaps you’d be interested in the company of another Chase?” Grace made a slight curtsey. “I’d be happy to accompany you on a turn about the garden, Your Grace.”

Minnie peeked between Diana’s shoulder and Grace’s fan, nibbling at her lip as they both hoped he would and would not take the offer.

Darlington quirked a brow. “Most kind of you, Lady…”

“Grace, Your Grace.” Grace took a small step forward as she smoothed her skirts.

“Well Lady Grace, I appreciate the offer but I can’t help but notice…isn’t that Miss Chase crouching down just behind you?”

Grace gave a tiny gasp as Diana let out a huff.

Minnie inwardly groaned. Then she straightened. She was taller than either Diana or Grace and her head peeked above the top of theirs as she met the Darlington’s gaze. “Must you be so persistent?”

One corner of his mouth turned up. “I must. It’s lovely to see you too, Miss Chase.”

He held out his hand, but she didn’t take it, didn’t move from behind her wall of cousins. “My mother is getting a mistaken impression on the nature of our relationship.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What is the nature of our relationship?”

She straightened her shoulders even as her brow furrowed. “Do not play coy with me. We both know you have no intention of courting me. You don’t even like me.”

He held out his elbow, turning slightly to the side. “I’ll try to alter the impression your mother is getting if you take a turn about the garden with me.”

She gave him a long look. “How will taking a turn about the garden alter my mother’s impression?”

“Humor me.” He held his elbow slightly higher.

Minnie paused for a moment. What was he playing at? Should she accept? It was likely a terrible idea but she had to confess, she was curious. She gnashed her teeth. Why did she allow Darlington to pull her in when she knew she should leave him alone?

For some ridiculous reason, Tag held his breath. He wanted her to accept. Damn it all to bloody hell, when had he started to want Minnie’s attention? Yes, he was required to seek her out, but now he was personally worried she wouldn’t accept.

Slowly, she stepped forward, and threaded her hand into the crook of his elbow. With a nod to the other women, he began walking around the perimeter of the crowd.

“Minnie?” he asked, attempting to make conversation. Now that he had her here, he wasn’t entirely certain where to begin. “What’s the name short for?”

“Minerva,” she answered. “My mother’s choice. She would never dream of using the nickname Minnie, she likes it about as much as you do.”

He had to smile at that. He didn’t confess that the name was growing on him. “So how did you end up with it then?”

She shrugged. “Until about three years ago, I was smaller than Ada or my cousins. They called me Minnie to tease me. Actually, first they called me Miniature but over time, it became Minnie. At the age of sixteen I suddenly grew, but by then the name had stuck.” She looked over at him. “Is Tag a nickname for your given name as well?”

This one made his mouth twist as his face darkened. “It is. My mother was French and she named me Dartagnan after a French village she’d loved as a child.”

Minnie’s gaze was intent upon him. Did she sense there was something under the surface of this story? “She named a future English duke after a French village?”

He shook his head. Minnie was clever, which he had to be honest, he liked a great deal. But she’d honed in on a very sore spot between his parents. “She did. It made my father furious, of course. He was the fourth Duke of Darlington, all who’d been named Alfred.”

“Did she do that often?” Her voice was quiet, almost soothing. “Infuriate your father?”