The Heart of a Duke (22 page)

Alex gently removed Lady Pitsford’s hand from
his arm and aimed a sheepish grin at her. “I’m sorry,
Madelyn.”

She returned his smile and shrugged. “I
understand. She is a lovely girl. You should go after
her.”

If they hadn’t been standing in the ballroom,
he might have hugged the widow. “Thank you,” he said with a quick
touch to her hand before following the same route Valera had
taken.

When he couldn’t locate her or his sister
after several rounds of the ballroom, he concluded they had slipped
off to the retiring room. Perhaps he had time to speak with
Lyndhurst in the card room before they returned. He didn’t expect
the viscount would be surprised by his news. Lyndhurst had seen
what Alex had been blind to for days.

He was hopelessly in love with Valera, and he
could never watch her marry another man.

Chapter Seven

Alex entered the hazy card room and located
Lyndhurst sitting at a back table, a cheroot dangling from the
corner of his lips. It appeared the viscount’s claim that he never
bet unless he was certain he would win wasn’t a boast. A neat stack
of coins and bills were lined up in front of the man and contrasted
with his opponents’ meager winnings.

Lyndhurst glanced up as Alex approached. “If
you’re here for me, I will save you the trouble. The Duke of
Langley has decided the girl will suit his purposes. Therefore, I’m
withdrawing.”

Alex skidded to a stop, his body rigid.
“Langley barely knew Miss Bell existed days ago. Why would he
consider marriage to her?”

“
I suppose I’m partly to blame.”
Lyndhurst tossed a card on the table without looking up. “But you
are mostly at fault, Ravenswood. If you hadn’t regaled me with a
list of her pleasing attributes, I wouldn’t have mentioned them to
the duke. He admitted he had been considering her, and now that he
is certain you have no interest in the lady, he has decided to
pursue her.”

“
And you just stepped aside?”
Alex’s fist shook as he resisted the urge to slam it into
Lyndhurt’s face. The viscount didn’t deserve his rage. Alex was
angry with himself.

As the last card hit the table, Lyndhurst
grinned around his cheroot and raked the pot toward him amidst
groans from the other men. He cocked an eyebrow as he looked up at
Alex. “I never bet unless I know I will win, and you can be sure a
duke has the upper hand.”

Lyndhurst’s words slammed into his gut. Valera
was holding out for a duke, thanks to that bloody gypsy and her
bloody necklace. What chance did Alex have against
Langley?

Forget the duke’s heart. Valera
had already possessed Alex’s, and he would be damned if he stepped
aside for anyone. He couldn’t believe a title would make any
difference to her.
But a roof over her
head will.

He ignored the pessimistic voice
in the back of his mind. Valera was from a good family. She had a
kind heart, and she was loyal to those she loved. His parents must
see her value. He would
make
them see it, because with or without their
blessing, he would ask her to marry him. His only true fear was
that she wouldn’t accept him.

Spinning on his heel, he marched back to the
ballroom, determined to win her heart just as she had won his.
Golden candlelight bathed the vast room, and the sweet scent of
gardenias was a faint note on the air. He made a quick turn about
the room, but still didn’t see his sister or Valera.

When he finally located his sister, she was
standing with her husband just inside an empty alcove. Valera was
nowhere in sight.

“
I thought Miss Bell would be with
you,” he said as he reached the alcove. “Have you seen
her?”

“
I am afraid you’ve missed her.”
Elle twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger, a worry
line forming between her brows. “Valera asked her sister to take
her home early.”

Damnation.
He wished Valera had waited until he’d returned from the card
room. “Did she seem ill?”

Elle shrugged. “She claimed she is tired, but
she seemed well enough.”

Perhaps Valera had been putting on a brave
face for his sister. He couldn’t imagine any other reason she would
leave suddenly. Now he would be concerned about her all
night.

Across the room, Langley—who towered over most
of the other guests—was weaving through the crowd as if searching
for someone. Alex smiled. It was almost time for the supper dance,
and the duke’s partner had timed her departure well. Hope sparked
inside Alex, warming him.

He nodded toward his sister and her husband.
“Have a good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Farrish.”

Elle grabbed his forearm to stall his own
departure. “Where are you going?”

“
I have a matter to discuss with
our parents, and it cannot wait.” His smile grew. “I have a young
lady to call on tomorrow and an offer to extend.”

“
You wish to marry Valera?” Elle
whispered and clutched her hands to her chest. “Oh, Alex. I knew
you cared for her, but I didn’t dare hope you would do the
honorable thing.”

Alex sighed. “Some days it’s hard to control
my urge to throttle you, dear sister.”

Elle’s husband placed a protective arm around
her shoulders and aimed a dark glower at Alex that dared him to lay
a hand on her. Alex chuckled. He was happy to see her husband’s
protective instinct make an appearance.

Elle looked on her husband with adoration.
“Surely you remember Alex is all bluster and empty threats. He
would never do anything to harm me.”

“
And don’t think she doesn’t use
my weakness to her advantage,” Alex said.

Mr. Farrish’s posture relaxed. “Have you
thought about what you will do if you are not able to gain your
parents’ approval?”

Alex shook his head. He didn’t want to discuss
the possibility of failing to gain their approval.

Elle smiled sympathetically. “There is always
Grandfather. He wouldn’t turn you away if you needed a place to go,
but I have faith in Papa and Mama. They have surprised me with
their acceptance of Jacob’s and my marriage.”

His sister hadn’t left their parents much
choice, which made him fonder of her than ever. If Elle had the
courage to take control of her life, so did Alex.

Valera shifted restlessly on the settee and
tried once again to lose herself in a book that couldn’t hold her
interest. While Mama was engrossed in her needlepoint and Papa
perused the newssheet, Valera tried to calm the tumultuous churning
in her belly.

She was expecting the Duke of Langley. And
dreading his call.

Without a hint of mirth last night, he had
announced after signing her dance card that she would make a
passable duchess for him. Valera had lost all ability to speak—so
overcome was she by his abrupt announcement and the lack of romance
involved—but His Grace hadn’t seemed to notice. He informed her
that he would be by to settle the matter with her father today,
then assured her that he looked forward to the supper
dance.

She suspected the duke rarely
needed to concern himself with other’s wants or opinions, and
therefore hadn’t thought to ask if she
wanted
to be his duchess.

She adjusted her position again with a soft
sigh.

Papa lowered his newssheet, his brown eyes
warm. “Vallie, you have been stirring every two minutes. Is
something troubling you?”

Mama looked up from her embroidery
hoop.

“
No, Papa.” Valera forced a calm
smile and returned to reading her book.

She should tell them about the duke’s visit
before he arrived, but she didn’t want to give them false hope or
allow time for them to convince her to accept the duke’s proposal.
When Langley arrived and requested to speak with her alone, she
would decline his offer and send him on his way before her parents
could assert their influence.

In the wee hours, she had mentally wrestled
with how to explain her refusal to them. Marriage to a duke would
be a boon for her family. Papa and Mama might not understand
throwing away the opportunity for the sake of friendship, but she
couldn’t lose Elle. Besides, Valera couldn’t accept the duke’s
heart—necklace aside—when hers belonged to Alex.

Even if
his
heart would never belong to
her.

Alex had made her feel as if she were the only
lady that mattered when they were together, but after seeing him
with Lady Pitsford last night, Valera acknowledged how foolish she
had been. Likely every lady of his acquaintance felt the same way,
which insured his success as a scoundrel. The truth was a bitter
pill to swallow, but she must. Alex had never led her to believe he
was interested in her. She only had her fanciful imagination to
blame.

Perhaps Alison was right. It was time to be
practical. She tried to banish Alex from her thoughts. And she’d
rather not think about the duke either.

At three, the high-pitched peal of the mantle
clock made her jump. Her father frowned in her direction. “Are you
certain everything is all right?”

“
Yes, Papa.” She sent him a smile
and made a show of settling in to read again, but a sharp rap on
the parlor door caused her to squeal.

“
Valera.”

“
I’m sorry. I was
startled.”

Mama nodded toward the book on Valera’s lap.
“I have been wondering if your father should allow you to read such
tales. It sounds unsuitable for ladies.”

Valera glanced down at the front
cover of the book Alison had loaned her.
Gulliver’s Travels
hardly warranted
her mother’s concern, but she had been disapproving ever since
Valera had mentioned the Brobdingnag giants.

Papa ignored her mother’s gentle rebuke and
called for the butler to enter. Nash held himself rigid as he
crossed the room and held out a small silver dish with a calling
card to her father.

“
The Duke of Langley…” Papa’s
brows formed a V as he lifted the card. “Did His Grace mention a
reason for his visit?”

“
He said he wished to speak with
you about Miss Bell, sir.”

Mama and Papa turned wide-eyed gazes on her.
She clutched her hands tightly together to hide her trembling, but
Papa seemed to notice anyway.

“
Shall I tell him you are
receiving, Valera?”

“
I-I am uncertain.”

“
I see.” He nodded.
“Unfortunately, we cannot turn away the duke without offending him,
but nothing will be decided without your opinion being taken into
consideration.”

Nor her parents’ opinions, to be sure. “Thank
you, Papa.”

While Nash retrieved the duke, Mama snatched
Valera’s book and buried it behind the settee cushions. “Pinch your
cheeks for color.”

“
Do no such thing,” Papa said.
“You are lovely just as you are.”

Langley’s somber expression when he entered
the parlor reinforced her decision. What a dire creature he seemed
to be. Nothing like Alex with his charming smiles and easy
laughter. How could she have believed she could live with a man
that never smiled or teased with her?

Her father stood to greet the duke with a
handshake and invited him to join them. Langley’s gaze flicked to
Valera before he turned his back to address her father. “I had
hoped to speak with you alone, Mr. Bell.”

“
Oh, but wouldn’t you like an
audience with our daughter first?” Mama piped up with
uncharacteristic boldness.

Langley’s shoulders stiffened, and Valera
believed he would have ignored her mother if not for
Papa.

“
Mrs. Bell and I are happy to
allow you a moment with our daughter, for it’s best not to put the
cart before the horse.”

Valera swallowed a laugh when Langley swung a
startled look over his shoulder at her. Served him right for
deciding his wife without knowing what type of in-laws he would
broker in the bargain. Papa was not a man to be ordered about by
anyone, not even a duke.

Her father gestured for Mama to join him. She
kissed Valera’s cheek and whispered in her ear, “Follow your heart,
dearest one.”