“Are you sure you won’t get caught up at the attorney’s office and forget to return home in enough time to change?”
He crooked up one brow as he met her gaze. “Why? Are you planning to dress me?”
She could feel heat rising in her cheeks. Once again he was flirting. She might as well flirt back. “I will if I have to.”
Something passed between them that electrified the very air. She couldn’t breathe. Her heart was pounding. She would swear he felt it, too.
He bent close to whisper, “Feel free to dress me anytime you like, Diana.” Then he straightened and seemed to realize they had an audience—one that wasn’t paying any attention to them, but still . . . “You may not have noticed,” he went on, “but I own a watch, which keeps perfect time. I’ll be here at the necessary hour, I assure you.”
She forced herself to take a breath. Then another and another. After that, she was able to compose herself. “Do you have a chapeau bras?”
“What’s that?”
Feeling a sudden panic, she said, “Perhaps we can get you one from—”
He chuckled. “I know what a chapeau bras is. Good God, you must really think me a green lad. My new tailor sent me right off to the only hatter he approved of. The same for a cobbler and a glover. But as it happens, I already owned a chapeau bras. I wore it to the Society’s dinner. You just didn’t see it because your footman took it from me when I arrived at your sister’s house.”
She relaxed a fraction. “Then you know about carrying a sword.”
“I plan to dub several gentlemen knights of the realm.”
“Do be serious. You have to wear a sword. It’s required.”
He eyed her skeptically, then called Eliza over. “Must I wear a sword to the Queen’s Drawing Room?”
“Yes. Not a big one, mind you, but a genuine sword. A ceremonial one will do.”
“You may be surprised to hear this, but I haven’t been in any situation where a ceremonial sword was appropriate.” He shook his head. “Why, pray tell, do I need one? In case I need to defend Rosy’s honor in the garden?”
“The queen dictates these rules,” Diana said. “But I’m not sure of the reasoning behind the swords.” She cast him a mischievous smile. “Be sure to ask her while you’re there. I wouldn’t dare to do so myself, but you’re a duke—you can get away with anything.”
“I have no desire to converse with the queen beyond an introduction. If you disapprove of my cursing, God only knows how Her Lofty Majesty would react.” As Diana fought a laugh he headed for the door. “But I’ll solve this sword problem right now.”
Oh, no, that didn’t sound good. She hurried after him, wondering what he could possibly mean. But it was too late. He’d already found his valet.
His valet? What in heaven did he expect his valet to do?
“Tell me, Webb,” Grenwood said, “did your previous master have a sword he used for court things?”
Webb stared at him wide-eyed. “C–court things, Your Grace?”
Diana sighed. “He means a sword to use when appearing at court. Like for Lady Rosabel’s presentation this afternoon. And his own.”
“Ohhh,” Webb said. “Yes, Your Grace, I believe your predecessor did have such an item. I shall have it found at once.”
“In time for him to use it this afternoon?” Diana asked.
“Yes, my lady,” Webb said. “I will make sure of it.”
The valet rushed off, gathering footmen to look for the sword as he went.
Grenwood stared at her smugly. “There. Problem solved.”
“If they find it in time. Which is by no means certain.”
“Diana, calm yourself,” he said in a low voice, “I can see you’re worried about this afternoon and tonight.”
Startled that he could tell, she blurted out the truth. “Of course I’m worried. These two events could destroy Rosy’s confidence if they go badly. She’ll blame herself. And we’ve worked so hard to give her confidence.” She shouldn’t have said that. One of their cardinal rules was never to confess their own fears and weaknesses to a client.