Who knew that the yearning to kiss her would grow over time? Now Lucas understood why some people rushed into marriage when they felt such an intense attraction and weren’t allowed to do anything about it without getting into trouble.
For him, it was certain. He was in love. And Lucas had done it properly this time. Dorothy was an open book once you took the time to pay attention, and Lucas did a lot of that. He was even getting into books with her recommendations, and many of their conversations ended up becoming in-depth talks about their various reading material.
It was surprising for Lucas, given that he hadn’t cared for them before. From how she was around him during those times, Dorothy seemed quite surprised and pleased about his knowledge. She was also quick-witted and clever, and when she was relaxed and smiling, she was even more beautiful.
He was a fool for not having spent the time before getting to know the woman who would have been his wife the previous Season. If he had paid attention, they would have been married by now, and Dorothy could be carrying their first child. The thought of her belly swelling with a baby was a heartwarming image. Lucas had not expected it to be like that with her.
Although he had to slow down a bit. Dorothy was warming to him, but he couldn’t jump into it like this. Lucas knew he was being given a second chance and wasn’t about to squander it.
Not just yet, anyway.
“Look, Pierce …”
Lucas beckoned for his friend to follow him, and they headed into the hallway. Looking around and confident that nobody was around, he turned back to Pierce. Even then, he lowered his voice.
“Do you know how hard it is to be around a woman you desire and not be allowed to touch her as you want?”
Pierce snorted.
“I knew it. I figured this was more than a ruse to sneak off for a quick kiss and a fondle.”
“It’s not like that!”
“Look, I don’t really care. I just don’t want Lady Dorothy to get her reputation tarnished because you two were foolish. Hiding it in a ball you’re throwing is one thing, but …”
“It’s just a house party. My parents have headed to London for the week, so they won’t be present. And with you and Lady Frederica running interference …”
“It could still go wrong. What if one of the guests …”
“They’re all friends and good acquaintances of mine. I want the atmosphere to be relaxed, and we can enjoy ourselves.”
Just what he needed to relax Dorothy. And to also show her that he could host as well. One thing a woman looked for was how good their husband was at hosting social engagements. While Lucas didn’t care much, if he could show he was capable, then it might endear him to Dorothy.
“Lord and Lady Bedford are going to be here as well,” Pierce reminded him. “Do you think she will be able to sneak away from them? And she has a maid following her around.”
“Do you think you can distract her?”
“How?”
“Flirt with her a little, maybe,” Lucas suggested. “You’re good at that, aren’t you?”
Pierce went red.
“I don’t think Frederica would approve of that, even if she was aware of why I’m doing it.”
“Frederica.”
Then Lucas remembered. Pierce and Lady Frederica Colt had been spending a lot of time together in their own chaperone’s company. While it was no surprise to see Pierce with a pretty girl, Lucas was surprised that he had been walking out with her for a month.
Normally, his friend would have moved on to someone else. His free-spirited nature couldn’t keep him still for long, but with Frederica, he was still there. Then again, with the times Lucas had been with her, he could see why Pierce stayed; the two were quite similar. And they looked like an adorable couple.
While they hadn’t made anything public, their actions showed things very clearly to Lucas.
“I’m sure you can figure something out. She’s going to be helping out as well.”
“All this just so you can sneak away from everyone else for a bit of a grope.” Pierce shook his head. “This feels far too elaborate just for that.”
“Short of hitting the chaperone over the head, what do you expect me to do? Besides, I’ve got to impress her parents to show I’m a decent person. After all,” Lucas grimaced, “I’ve got a lot of ground to cover to make up for my past actions.”