How to Heal the Marquess by Sally Forbes
Chapter Twenty
Tobias watched with noticeable disappointment as Daisy rose and left the room. He could not ignore the thrills of awareness he felt when his hand had rushed against hers. If he was completely honest with himself, he realized he could no longer deny his attraction to her.
In fact, he was not even sure what would have happened had his grandfather not interrupted their tender moment. Suddenly, all he could think of was how it would have felt to put his hand over hers completely as he kissed her gently.
With his heart thumping in his chest and his face hot enough to have melted his fruit ice, he waited for the door to close behind Daisy. He also forced himself to shake off his previous thoughts. He had made a promise to his grandfather to marry and marry well.
How could he allow himself to have such thoughts or feelings about the physician’s young daughter?
She was clever, kind, caring, truly, everything he could hope to find in a wife. But he was the heir to his grandfather’s dukedom. Custom dictated that he find a lady of the gentry to bear his heirs. No matter how beautiful and sweet Daisy was, he could not have such feelings for her.
“Toby, come and sit with me, my boy,” the duke said, shattering Tobias’s thoughts.
Tobias mentally shook himself and complied with his grandfather’s request, smiling fondly at him as he took the chair opposite his grandfather’s.
“It is good to see you are getting on so well, Grandfather,” he said, gesturing to the duke’s empty bed as he tried to mask his nervousness. “It is truly wonderful to see you up and about.”
The duke smiled warmly, glancing at the closed door as he sipped the drink Daisy had poured for him before leaving the room. Tobias noticed then that, though he was out of bed, his grandfather still looked tired and very weak. He made a mental note to speak with Daisy later about whether letting the duke get out of bed so soon was to blame, despite the trust he had come to develop for the physician’s daughter.
“I have been receiving the best of care,” he said as he returned his cup to his bedside table. “I have a way to go yet, but I have faith in our young Daisy.”
Tobias nodded, unable to help the smile that crossed his lips.
“As do I, Grandfather,” he said.
The duke nodded once, indicating to Tobias that he wished to close the subject.
“I have not yet had the chance to ask you if you enjoyed the Marwood’s garden party,” he said. “I trust all went well.”
Tobias stiffened. He had almost forgotten about the party, now it was behind him. It had been a most uncomfortable event, and though he did not wish to tell the duke so, nor could he lie to his grandfather.
“Lady Marwood is a most kind and gracious hostess,” he said as cheerfully as he could. “And she asked after you, as did some of the other ladies who attended. It was a lovely afternoon all around.”
The duke nodded, taking a raspy breath.
“Very good, my boy,” he said, smiling. “And what of promenade hour? You attended that as I asked as well?”
Tobias nodded, his hopes of avoiding any discussion of Lady Selina dashed.
“I did,” he said, hoping his voice did not sound as flat to the duke as it did to his own ears. “I escorted Lady Selina for a walk during promenade hour, in fact.”
The duke beamed, clearly pleased with the news, as Tobias had expected he would be.
“Wonderful,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “And did it go well?”
Tobias nodded slowly, trying to find some way to steer the conversation away from Lady Selina. Deep within him, he already knew he would never be able to take her for a wife. But he did not wish to say any such thing to his grandfather just then.
“It was a lovely day, Grandfather,” he repeated. “I do believe that my favorite part was the garden party, however.”
The duke raised an eyebrow, seeming to sense Tobias’s reluctance to discuss his time with Lady Selina.
“Oh?” he asked. “Why is that?”
Tobias launched into a cheerful description of the gardens at Marwood Manor, as well as the delicacies served at the luncheon and all the guests he was sure his grandfather knew.
He struggled to recall many of the names, apart from the Viscountess Marwood, but there was one thing he did remember. With real enthusiasm, he recounted the viscountess’s tale about Daisy and her father and how they cured her daughter of influenza. The duke listened with tired awe, smiling and nodding as Tobias spoke.
“Well, from what I have seen of the pair, I can believe every word of such a tale,” he said. “Especially of young Daisy. If it were not for her, I do believe I would not be here this day.”
Tobias nodded, his thoughts echoing the duke’s sentiments. Just days before, he would have dismissed the notion without a second thought. Now, however, he was almost certain it was true.
“Well,” the duke said, shifting in his bed, “The important thing is that you enjoyed yourself, which means you have had a wonderful start to all the events you will be attending this Season.”
Tobias stared at his grandfather, confused.
“All the events?” he echoed. “What do you mean?”
The duke gave his grandson a bemused smile.
“Why the garden party was merely the first of many events planned for this Season,” he said. “There are several invitations stacked up on the desk in my study. I had planned to address them myself. But seeing as I will likely miss out on such social events for the foreseeable future, you will take my place and do lots of mingling with the young ladies of the ton.”
Tobias could not hide his discomfort with the idea. He looked at the duke with a pained grimace.
“Oh, Grandfather,” he said. “I know you wish me to find a wife soon, but must I really attend so many events? Mightn’t I just attend the occasional dinner party or ball at my leisure? At least until you are well enough to leave your room?”
Unsurprisingly, the duke shook his head.
“Not just some of the events,” he said firmly. “All the events. I wish you to attend all the events during this Season. And it is not all about you finding a wife, although that is, indeed, your priority. You must become accustomed to attending such events, as you will be expected to when you inherit the dukedom.”
Tobias allowed himself a soft groan. Oh, Lord!
The duke looked at Tobias and, for the first time, seemed sympathetic to his grandson’s plight.
“I know you have likely already found your match in Lady Selina,” he said. “But you must understand that these events will give you the opportunity to get to know her better. It will also give the ton plenty of time to see the two of you mingling in public, so people can see your serious intention of courting, and surely marrying, her.”
Tobias cleared his throat, successfully keeping his protestations from escaping his lips. He had certainly not found a match with Lady Selina, nor did he wish to continue with her to see if anything changed that resolve.
He once again considered telling his grandfather of his objections to Lady Selina, especially now the duke was looking so much better than before. But after a moment, he decided he could save that for the following day if the duke was still on the mend.
“I would feel a great deal better about doing so much socializing if you were better,” he said, at last, looking at his grandfather, who, he now noticed, suddenly looked very tired. Tobias supposed it had been quite an adventure for one as ill as the duke to leave his bed, sit in a chair, and feed himself the treat he had requested.
The duke shrugged, taking a big, deep breath.
“You made me a promise, Toby,” he said. “And you will never fulfill that promise while you are locked inside these walls with me. It could be weeks before I am up and about again, and that is too much time wasted for one as young and unwed as you.”
Tobias snorted. It would do no good to try to get the duke to see why Tobias was so much more worried about watching over him than about fraternizing with members of the ton. Besides, as he had already reminded himself, he must keep his word. Still, even as he begrudgingly agreed to do as the duke asked, he could not help feeling as if he was failing somehow.
“But just because I attend these events does not mean I will not be spending as much time with you as possible,” he said sullenly.
The duke looked at him, preparing to say something, likely a reminder that he did not need a babysitter. But as he opened his mouth, a terrible cough replaced the words he had been preparing to speak. And as he took another breath, Tobias could hear a sudden rattle in his grandfather’s chest that had not been there moments ago.
Before Tobias could react, the duke fell into a horrific fit of coughing that rivaled those of the very first days of his illness. In a panic, Tobias leapt to his feet, frantically trying to decide what he should do. Daisy, he thought.
