Lily and the Duke (Sex and the Season #1)(28)

She nodded, smiling. “Tell me a little about your family, Your Grace.”

“Well, you know my father and brother are gone now.”

“Yes, I’m so sorry about that. It must have been very hard on you and your mother. Were you close to either of them?”

“Not especially. I was closer to my mother. My father spent most of his time with Morgan, because he was the heir. Morgan was completely educated in the management of the estate and the affairs of the House of Lords and would have made a fine duke. Now the title has been thrust upon me, and I’m wholly unprepared for it.”

Lily stared at Daniel’s handsome face. Worry lines creased his forehead. Odd that she hadn’t noticed them before. How could such a formidable man sound so unsure of himself?

“You seem to know what you’re doing,” she said.

“At least my bankers and stockbrokers do, and that’s encouraging. And my mother is very intelligent and was always involved in the affairs of the estate. I’ve learned quite a bit from her. You remind me of her, actually.”

“Do I?”

“Yes, she defied convention herself in her day. No woman should have been involved in such business affairs, but my father valued her opinion and sought her advice frequently.”

“I always knew I liked her.” Lily smiled. “Did you know that her sister and my Auntie Iris were best friends when they were girls?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Neither did I until this afternoon. Evidently they lost touch over the years.” Lily lowered her voice. “And do you want to know something else?”

“What, love?” Daniel whispered.

“My father once courted your mother.”

Daniel smiled mockingly. “Really?”

“You knew that?”

“I did.”

“Just think, if they had married, neither one of us would exist,” Lily said.

“I’d rather not imagine a world without you in it.” Daniel squeezed Lily’s thigh under the table. “Do you want to know something?”

“What?”

Daniel lowered his voice until it was barely audible. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

Lily’s blood turned to molten nectar, and her heart pulsated wildly. Warmth crept up her breasts to her face.

“You look amazing in that dress, but I know you’ll look even more delicious out of it.”

Lily squirmed as moisture penetrated the thin fabric of her undergarments. “You must stop talking like that.”

“Why? No one’s paying attention to us.”

“Because, it makes me feel all…”

Daniel grinned. “That’s the idea.”



* * *



After dinner, Lily relaxed with the girls on the front terrace, enjoying coffee and dessert, while the men retired to the back terrace for cigars and port. The others pounced on Lily.

“How did you manage to get seated next to him?” Alexandra asked.

“I’m not exactly sure.” At least that was the truth.

“He seemed to enjoy your company,” Sophie ventured. “It looked like he was conversing mostly with you, from what I could see.”

“It was either that or try to talk to Lady Bourough, who is deaf as a stone, or Lord Madison, who can’t keep from drooling over his wife.”

“Who cares?” Alexandra said. “You got to sit with him. Is he agreeable?”

“He’s very nice. And charming, as one would expect given his reputation with the ladies.”

“Not to mention, devastatingly handsome,” Alexandra added.

“Yes, there is that,” Lily agreed. “Tell me, Ally, how did you get on with Polk at dinner?”

“He was agreeable, but I actually preferred Mr. Landon, who was on my other side. He’s a cousin of the duke.”

“Really?”

“Second cousin actually. His father and Her Grace are cousins. He owns several businesses here and in America. It sounds like he’s worth a fortune.”

“Ally, don’t go barreling after a heavy purse,” Sophie warned. “There are more important things.”

“We can’t sponge off of Aunt Flora and Uncle Crispin forever, Sophie,” Alexandra said. “And damn it, I don’t want to be poor.”

“No one does, dear,” Sophie said. “But there are more essential matters, like love. Do you really want to end up in a loveless marriage with a tyrant like Father?”

“Of course not, and if any of us are lucky enough to find a love match, I’ll be the first one to hoot and holler in glee. But in the meantime, I’m willing to settle for money, especially if he’s handsome, which Mr. Landon is.”

“Well, as long as you have standards,” Sophie said, her tone sardonic.

They conversed and laughed until a maid approached them. “My lady?” she said to Lily.

“Yes?”

“I was bid to bring you to the library.”

“Whatever for?”

“His Grace wants to see you.”

“Oh.” How would she explain this to the others? “He’s going to show me the estate’s art collection. I nearly forgot. Will you all excuse me?”