The Unexpected Duchess (Playful Brides #1)(84)

“Lucy!” Lady Moreland wailed. “Lucy’s the biggest wallflower in the ton.”

Lucy wrinkled her nose and clapped her hand over her mouth. Somehow she didn’t think pointing out to Lady Moreland that Janie was a bigger wallflower than she was a prudent idea at the moment.

Cass’s father slapped his leather gloves against his thigh. He pointed at Cass. “I don’t care who he’s in love with. He’s led you on and if he’s a true gentleman, he’ll do the right thing and marry you, by God.”

None of them missed the emphasis the man placed on the word “gentleman.” He was questioning Derek’s honor. Derek’s fist was tightly clenched.

Lady Moreland shot up from the settee. “Tell me, Claringdon, do you still refuse to marry my daughter?”

Derek nodded. “Inasmuch as she refuses to marry me as well, my lady. Yes.”

Cass nodded. “Mama, if I marry someday, I want it to be to a man who loves me as well as the duke loves Lucy.”

Lady Moreland turned a mottled shade of purple. “Lucy? Lucy Upton will never be a duchess!”

Derek clenched his jaw. “I’ve done my best to be civil, Lady Moreland, but now I must ask that you leave my home. I won’t have you disparage my future wife.”

Lucy gasped softly. Derek stood up for her. No one had ever done that before. Cass tugged on her mother’s hand. “Let’s go, Mama, before you say something you’ll regret.”

Cass’s father pulled on his gloves so hard, Lucy wondered if the leather would shred. He stalked to the door and opened it, turning to wait for his wife to follow.

Lady Moreland turned in a swirl of orange silk, savagely clutching her reticule. She faced Derek and Lucy, who stood together near the fireplace.

“You mark my words, Claringdon,” Lady Moreland seethed. “You may refuse to marry Cassandra but it’ll be a cold day in hell before a duke marries the likes of Lucy Upton. I’ll go to the queen herself and inform her of this travesty. I happen to know that the conditions of your investiture require that the Crown approves of your wife. The queen will never allow it.”

Lucy swallowed and glanced away. Derek, the muscle still ticking furiously in his jaw, nodded at Lady Moreland. “You do what you must, my lady, as will I.”

Two minutes later, all three of the Monroes had left Derek’s town house. Cass had given Lucy a hug and said her good-byes to Derek, offering them both her best wishes. Lord and Lady Moreland had resignedly trotted out to their carriage with their daughter. Lady Moreland paused only long enough to give Lucy another simmering narrowed-eyed glare.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Lucy sank to the sofa. Shaking, she dropped her head into her hands. Derek crossed over to her and sat next to her. He pulled her tight against him. “It’s an idle threat. She’s angry, that’s all.”

Lucy tugged herself out of his arms and looked at him. “No, Derek, you don’t understand. The queen, she … She doesn’t approve of me. She won’t approve of me. Why didn’t I think of this before? It will never work.”

A thunderous expression moved across his face. “What do you mean?”

“The queen won’t say yes. I know it.”

“There’s no guarantee Lady Moreland will even bring it to her attention. She was probably only bluffing.”

Lucy shook her head. “You don’t think the queen will notice when one of her dukes marries?”

“I don’t give a damn what the queen thinks. We can get a special license and be married before anyone can object.”

She put a hand on his sleeve. “Is what Lady Moreland said true? Is it a condition of your investiture that the Crown approve of your wife?”

He swore under his breath. “Yes.”

Lucy squeezed her eyes closed. “They won’t accept me.”

“That makes no sense. You’re the daughter of an earl.”

“The unwanted daughter of an earl who disgraced herself at her come-out. There’s more than one reason I’ve remained unmarried all these years, Derek.”

He scrubbed both hands through his hair. “Your debut was five years ago. Not to mention we’ve already—”

She looked away, couldn’t face him. “I trust you won’t tell anyone about that. And you must ask Hughes to be discreet as well.”

“Damn it, Lucy, of course I won’t tell anyone, and Hughes will be out on the street if he dares breathe a word about it, but—”

Her head snapped back to face him. “You don’t understand the ways of the ton as I do, Derek.”

“I don’t care about the bloody ton,” he growled.

Lucy searched his face. “You say you don’t care, but what if you were forced to give up your title?”

He grabbed her by the upper arms and stared into her eyes, his words coming through clenched teeth. “It won’t come to that. Say yes. Marry me, Lucy.”

Lucy pulled away from him, stood, and crossed over to the door. She placed her hand on the cool brass handle and faced the dark wood. “I cannot say yes to you, Derek. Not knowing it may cost you everything you’ve earned. My answer is no.”





CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE


A summons from Queen Charlotte. No matter how many times Lucy stared at the odious bit of costly vellum, wishing it to perdition, it lurked on the edge of the writing desk, haunting her.