Someone to Love (Westcott #1)(70)

The talk around her had progressed to betrothal announcements and betrothal parties.

Why on earth had she agreed to marry the Duke of Netherby? Was she in love with him? But what did that mean—being in love? And he was surely the last man with whom she might be infatuated.

At last everyone left, though Anna knew it was just a temporary reprieve. Elizabeth had gone downstairs to see her mother and brother on their way and was gone for a while.

“Did I hurt Alex’s feelings?” Anna asked when she returned.

“No,” Elizabeth assured her. “But he is afraid he has hurt yours. And he is afraid you accepted Avery’s offer without due consideration because you were upset.”

Anna smiled ruefully.

“I hope I did not hurt you by what I said,” Elizabeth added.

“Oh, you most certainly did not,” Anna assured her. “Neither did Alex. I do not know quite why I accepted Avery’s offer, Lizzie—if you can call it that. I was taken totally by surprise. But—I do not believe I am sorry.”

“He will not be an easy husband,” Elizabeth said, “but he will be a fascinating one, I suspect.”

“Yes,” Anna agreed. “He will certainly be far more gorgeous than I. But in a number of bird and animal species the males are more showy than the females. Did you know that?”

They both laughed, but then Elizabeth bit her lower lip and Anna thought something was troubling her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I could tell after Avery had made his offer and then left that something was bothering Alex,” Elizabeth said. “He reminded Avery of an appointment tomorrow morning, if you will remember. And he did not participate in the general discussion afterward. I had it out of him just now when he walked a little way along the street with me after Mama was in the carriage. He begged me not to tell you, but how can I not? He asked only that I assure you tomorrow if Avery does not keep his appointment to call here that there is nothing personal in his absence, that he will surely come when he is able.”

Anna looked at her inquiringly.

Elizabeth bit her lip again before continuing. “Oh, Anna, Viscount Uxbury has challenged Avery to a duel. It is to be fought tomorrow morning. Alex is to be his second, but he is worried. Avery could not refuse the challenge. Gentlemen cannot, you know, without losing face and even honor, though it is very foolish. But Alex is afraid it will be a slaughter. He has sworn to stop it before Avery is . . . hurt too badly, but he is very much afraid he will be in no fit state to call on you here in the morning.”

Anna felt as though all the blood had drained from her head. The air felt cold in her nostrils. There was a buzzing in her ears. “A duel?” she said. “A fight? To the death?”

“Oh no,” Elizabeth said. “Alex will stop it before it comes to that.”

“How can he stop the course of a bullet?” Anna jumped up from her chair. “How can he redirect a sword thrust? What are the weapons to be?”

“Alex did not say,” Elizabeth told her. “He said only that he feared a slaughter.”

“I must go to Archer House,” Anna said, turning toward the door. “It was I who angered Lord Uxbury. Avery must not die for something I said. I shall go and put a stop to it.”

“Oh, you cannot, Anna,” Elizabeth said, catching at her arm. “You cannot interfere in gentlemen’s business, especially an affair of honor. It would be horribly humiliating for Avery if you tried. He would be fearfully angry, and you would not change his mind. He is not the challenger. Oh, you must see how impossible it would be.”

Yes. Anna could. “Where?” she asked. “When?”

“Hyde Park,” Elizabeth said. “I do not know just where, but I have heard that duels are usually fought among the trees on the east side of the park, where they are least likely to be observed and stopped. Duels are illegal, you know. They are usually fought at dawn, probably for the same reason. Alex will come here as soon as he may to relieve my mind. He promised that he will relieve it. We will hear by breakfast time.”

“The eastern side—this side—of Hyde Park, at dawn,” Anna muttered, frowning.

Elizabeth gazed at her. “You are not thinking of going, are you?” she asked. “It is absolutely not the thing, Anna. Women are not allowed . . . They are not allowed even to know of such meetings. There would be huge trouble for you if you tried to interfere. You would become a social pariah, and you would make Avery the laughingstock.”

Viscount Uxbury was a large man, Anna was thinking. He was tall and rather broad, and it seemed to her that the breadth of his chest and shoulders owed at least as much to muscle as it did to fat. He was twice the size of Avery, and she did not really believe, did she, that the duke had once put him down with a few fingertips to the chest. Anyway, that would not matter tomorrow. If swords were to be the weapons, the viscount’s reach must be very much longer than Avery’s, and he would have the advantage of height. If they were to be pistols, well . . .

Elizabeth sighed. “What time will we be leaving?” she asked.

“We?” Anna’s eyes focused upon her.

“We,” Elizabeth said. “But just to watch, mind, Anna, if we are not caught before it even begins, as I daresay we will be. Not to interfere.”

“Not to interfere,” Anna agreed. “As soon as darkness begins to turn to light? I shall tap on your door.”