Only a Lady Will Do by Tamara Gill
Chapter 10
"How dare the duke throw such a lady before me without care to my feelings. This is not right, Father, and you should make the duke do the right thing by me."
"Sophie, darling, the duke has made no promise to you. If every gentleman who called upon our estate in Hampshire was required to offer marriage, you would have been married as a babe."
Sophie sighed, rolling her eyes at her father's pathetic attempt to soothe her ire. She would not be soothed. She wanted the duke, and the poor little vestal virgin from Cornwall thought she would have the coronet. Well, she would not. The Penworth coronet would be hers to wear. It would be she who would give the duke children, a male heir, not some woman whom no one cared to remember after she left London seven years before.
"She was injured in a carriage accident, and I suppose it is very nice of the duke and his mother to help her gain a marriage, sponsor her, but she is impeding my ability to get close to the duke, and I will not have it."
"No," her father asked, raising a skeptical brow. "And how will you stop the duke from remaining by Miss Cooper's side? Tell him that you do not care for her and that he ought to be paying you more attention?"
Sophie growled, grinding her teeth. Her father really could be the most vexing man. "I do not know how I will make him come over to me, but I shall. I'm an heiress, an earl’s daughter, a lady in my own right. I am perfect for him, and he will know it before the Season is over." And if he did not come to his senses, she would force him in some way or another.
"Sophie darling, you cannot make someone enamored of you. It must come naturally, or you will find your marriage to the duke, or whomever you choose based on rank and wealth, will not be a happy union."
"Pfft," she scoffed. "I do not care for emotions. I know what I want and what will make me happy, and the duke is what I desire above all else. I do not care if he does not love me, but we are a good match. It would be a welcome alliance between our great families."
Earl Hammilyn sighed, staring out at the London streets. "Do not regret your choice, my child. Marriage is a lifelong commitment and one you will wish you had right from the moment you say I do."
"Father. I do not understand this romantic notion of yours."
"I do not understand your lack of one."
Sophie shrugged, checking her gloves and dress before they arrived at the McCalter's midnight ball. The duke would be hers, and if she had to befriend the little Cornwall chit to be near him, show him it was she he wanted and no one else, then she would do so. No one cut her out of what she wanted, and those who got in her way would be dealt with, Miss Cooper not excluded. She narrowed her eyes, taking a calming breath.
One would not think the ball would be as energetic along with a crush at the late hour that they attended, and yet, one could hardly move around the room, less carry on a conversation without yelling at the top of one's voice.
Josh stood near the smoking room doors, having found his brother-in-law Moore absent from his wife, an unusual occurrence and a situation one should always take the opportunity to enjoy.
He studied the room, sipping a whisky, and watched as a horde of men started to parade before Miss Cooper, at first assessing her like some prize before going up and requesting his mother introduce them.
Josh supposed he should be there, doing the honor, but it was probably best that he was not. A duke hovering close by could put some gentlemen off, and he wanted Miss Cooper to make a match. To find someone to whom she could see herself married for the rest of her days.
That this evening she looked utterly stunning helped also. There was no sign of her injured leg, and the scar on her temple was not so very bad.
Her large, blue eyes were filled with pleasure and amusement as more and more gentlemen joined them, her laughter reaching across the room to tease his senses.
"Miss Cooper is a beauty this evening. I think she has finally been seen," Moore stated. His friend’s gaze fixed on the lady as much as Josh's was.
"I'm happy for her." And he was happy, even if the sight of all the gentlemen vying for her hand left an odd, uncomfortable feeling lodged in his chest. Would they be kind to her? Were they gamblers who would leave her destitute when they had run through all their funds? Did they know of her injury and would be considerate of it?
"I would not allow Templedon near her. I heard he has pockets to let after a disastrous night at one of the hells in East London. It is rumored that he's at risk of losing his estate."
Josh's pleasure dissipated at the sight of Templedon bowing over her hand and being forward enough to brush his lips against her gloved fingers.
The rogue.
"I will speak with him should he call, find out the truth. I will not allow her to be taken in by such a false emotional ruse."
"You may also need to look into Lord Daniel’s finances. He has some outstanding IOUs that he is avoiding paying. He is known for being tight when it comes to his blunt. He may be merely being mean, or he too could be in financial strife."
Josh clapped his brother-in-law on the back, glad for the information. Just then, he caught sight of Miss Cooper being led out onto the floor by Lord Templedon. His jaw clenched, not particularly relishing the sight of the man with Miss Cooper on his arm.
He was a smug bastard. Too aware of his wiles when it came to women.
Moore chuckled beside him. "Now, now, Penworth. No glowering at the guests. You're assisting Miss Cooper, not attempting to scare away all her suitors."
Josh schooled his features, unaware that he was so public with his reaction to seeing her being led out by a man he knew was unsuitable. She was an earl’s granddaughter, a vicar's daughter, she may not be overly high on the social ladder, but she deserved better than a husband who would continue to whore his way around Covent Gardens any chance he gained.
"I should put a stop to the dance, should I not?" he suggested to Moore, narrowing his eyes at his sister's husband when he grinned.
"If you want everyone here to know that you are vying for her hand and not merely acting as a guardian of sorts. I would let things play out this evening, keep your distance and see if any gentlemen call on her or yourself in the coming days. You can make your feelings known at Penworth house better than in McCalter's ballroom."
"Yes, you are right. I shall refrain." But the longer the night went on, the number of gentlemen asking for Miss Cooper's hand to dance was bordering on the absurd.
She did not have one dance spare before supper at the ungodly hour of two in the morning took place. He escorted his mother and Miss Cooper to the supper room and did not miss her relief as she sat across from him. Nor did he miss her flushed skin. Her chest rose and fell rapidly from all the dancing. He swallowed, unable to remove the vision from his mind of her ample bosom.
The little mole that sat directly between both breasts. Dear God, had that mole been there the entire time?
He licked his lips, wondering what she would taste like. As sweet as she smelled, of roses, jasmine and lavender and everything delightful. Her smile as she talked to his mother was full, honest, and utterly charming.
How had he not seen that she was such a treasure? How had the other gentlemen not have seen either?
Were they all blind?
He glanced about the supper room, many eyes upon them, men with admiration, curiosity, and interest, women with annoyance and disdain.
Lady Sophie Hammilyn one of them, watching them play at their table as if they were all sport. He no longer thought of the possibility of them, not after his time with her in Hampshire. As well-bred as she was, or how refined, she would never be his duchess.
"I'm going to go for a ride tomorrow in the park. Would you like to accompany me, Miss Cooper? Mother can ride alongside us in the carriage to ensure you're suitably chaperoned."
Her eyes widened with pleasure. "I would like to, yes. If your mama says she will accompany us."
His mother bit into her millefruit biscuit, and it took her several moments before she replied, "Of course, I shall accompany you."
"I think Daisy will suit Miss Cooper. She is calm and tame around traffic," he stated, wanting to put Miss Cooper at ease over the mount she would ride.
"You are always so thoughtful and protective, my dear."
Josh ignored his mother's words, unsure if she meant kindly by them or was pointing out his overprotective nature. Iris’s accident had been his fault, and fear had spiked within him of causing another, of not being a good brother, keeping his sisters safe from harm, be that of the male kind, or some other type of accident.
He may have been too protective at times, but at least they were all safe and happily married now. He would do the same for Miss Cooper. "Do you have any dances left on your dance card this evening?" he asked her, sipping the claret and wishing he'd taken a glass of brandy instead of the dry red beverage.
"I have one left, a waltz." Miss Cooper lifted up the little card hanging off her wrist, reading it as if to ensure she was correct. "All the others are taken."
"How popular you are this evening, my dear," his mother remarked. "Is it the gown? It suits you, and you look simply lovely."
"Or it could be that the gentlemen have finally noticed your beauty, inside and out." His mother's gasp brought his to attention to what he had just said.
Aloud.
Miss Cooper grinned into her dessert, his mother looking at him as if he had lost his mind. Which, when he was around Miss Cooper, had been occurring more and more.
What possessed him to say such things to her? He was not courting her, even if she looked so very fetching right now, all flushed and abashed.
"May I request the waltz, Miss Cooper?" he asked, ignorance over what he had said the best course of action. He should not be taking up a valuable dance that she could be enjoying with a gentleman who did wish for her to be his wife.
He was not that man. Nor could he stop himself.
She peered at him, mulling over his words, and for a dreadful moment, he thought she might refuse until her lips lifted into a sensual smile that left his wits scattering.
Who knew Miss Cooper could be so alluring?
He did a mental calculation of how much spirits and wine he'd downed this evening, to be sure he wasn't in his cups.
"You may," she answered him finally.
Josh could not look away from her, even as his mother watched on with something akin to shock. Up until the waltz, he would make a point of dancing with others. He did not need the ton wagging their gossiping tongues over who he was courting or considering for his duchess.
That would end such rumors and leave him free to court whom he did wish to be his wife.
Which right at this moment, he had no fucking clue whom to choose.
