The Accidental Duke (The Mad Matchmaking Men of Waterloo Book 1) by Devlin, Barbara (love letters to the dead .TXT) 📕

him. She welcomed him, and he liked her, but he would never tell her, because nothing could come of a union with him. “Yet, you cannot allow your memories of war to ruin this lovely day.” She lifted her chin and smiled, and he thought her rather appealing. “The sky is clear, and the sun shines, my lord, yet you see none of the natural splendor. You must retrench or risk diminishing all that you gave in service to the Crown. And I wager John would not want you to forever mourn his death. Whatever your wounds, you are still here, and you must go on, if only to honor your brother’s sacrifice, my lord.”

“You make it sound so simple.” To his amazement, the tension twisting his insides into gnarled knots, at last, abated in her company. It was not the first time she pierced the somber veil of misery that encircled his wretched existence. Just as she did during their previous meeting, when he intentionally baited her, she relieved the anxiety imprisoning him in its grip, and he longed to know more about her. What power did the lovely lady possess over him? “You were right.”

“About what?” Elegant in her carriage, something he failed to note in their prior encounter, because he scarcely looked at her, she rested her hands in her lap. She extended an offer of friendship, and only a fool would deny her, given her classical features and lilting voice.

For a while, he studied her blue eyes and her thick lashes, which he could contemplate for hours if she let him. And how had he missed the swanlike curve of her neck during their earlier exchange? In that instant, he faced her, committing his full attention, and saw her as if for the first time.

He noticed the pulse that beat at her throat and the way she focused on him, turning her entire body in his direction, as though he were the most important thing in her world. Blessed with a wealth of brown hair, which he would splay across his pillow if given the chance, and with an ample bosom, she displayed the sort of fire any man would kill to claim in his bed. But it was her full lips that held him enrapt until she cleared her throat, and he started.

“You are a good listener.” To his dismay and gratitude, because he wanted to get better, Arabella worked on him, easing frazzled nerves and silencing the rage that ran unchecked beneath his flesh. Without his consent or cooperation, she soothed his uncontrollable inner beast, and he was not sure he appreciated her peculiar ability, yet he could not tear himself away from her, despite his best efforts, and he vowed to learn more about her. With a sigh, Anthony glanced over his shoulder and discovered their mothers dawdling at a discreet distance. Sitting, he prodded her in play. “So, what would you suggest I do, all-knowing Lady Arabella, given I am unable to dig myself out of the pit of anguish I’ve created?”

“My, but you lay a lot on a lady for our first public appearance. Shall I solve the world’s problems while I’m at it?” The stoicism of her expression gave him pause, until she surrendered to mirth, and he exhaled his relief. “You are shameless, my lord, and you are baiting me, again, which I refuse to take. Has this charming tack worked for you in the past, or am I the lone beneficiary of your half-hearted insults? By the by, I am certain you can do better, but I am not all-knowing.”

For Anthony, what began as a snicker soon grew into a full-blown belly laugh, and it felt so good as he contemplated the absurdity of his query. Still, she bested him, and he savored it. How long had it been since he enjoyed a carefree moment of levity? He could not remember. But perched alongside what was for all intents and purposes a stranger, he felt as if he had reclaimed a small part of himself thought long lost. Thanks to his very much unwanted, pretty little fiancée.

“Lady Arabella, were I not engaged to marry you, I could like you.” Exhaling, he noted they had garnered the attention of several nosey nobles, and he stood. “Help me devise a plan of escape from the demands of my father and the rank, and I shall be forever in your debt.” Not to mention the mental hell that imprisoned him. “And if your offer still stands, I would accept your friendship, even if I am not to be your husband, which I hope you know has naught to do with you. Were I not carrying the wounds of battle, I just might marry you.”

“Upon my word, my fiancé is quite sentimental.” Adjusting her gloves, she stretched her legs and rose from the bench. “And while I consider myself of above-average intelligence, I have yet to identify a means of avoiding the parson’s noose, given I am defined as chattel, by law, and must abide my father’s commands without prejudice. Have you pondered the fact that you might have to wed me?”

“No, and I have no wish to, because an arranged union would not bode well for either of us.” The suggestion elicited a wicked shudder of revulsion, because he would never saddle the spirited young woman with the hollow shell of a man he had become. And the truth was, he lacked more than an arm. He lacked a will to live. As Anthony offered his escort, his mind raced, and he sought a polite rejoinder to make his point clear. “I am beginning to think it would have been much better to have met an honorable death on the battlefield.”

“Must you insult me, in truth, when I have been the soul of charity?” she snapped. Without missing a step, she regained her composure and nodded to Lady Jersey, and he admired Arabella’s confidence and poise, as she deflected unwanted scrutiny