poor but her dowry was good. And when he thought about it, Nate could not even remember seeing Eversley at the ball, but then it had been such a crush that Prinny himself could have been in attendance and Nate might not have seen him.
He checked his watch. Just before two. He had time for a couple of brandies then time to pay Lady Sarah a visit and have this out with her.
Chapter Seventeen
“Lady Sarah, His Grace the Duke of Kirkbourne is here to…” started the butler as Sarah turned to see Nate barge past the servant and into the drawing room.
“ Your Grace, what a lovely surprise.” Sarah threw an apologetic look at Hodges, who looked rather disconcerted. Then she frowned at her betrothed. There was no need to be rude to the staff.
The duke’s brow was furrowed and he looked even more thunderous than the day after the wager. He also staggered slightly as he walked. He was drunk. And in the middle of the afternoon.
“ There are rumours going around town,” he blurted out. She steeled herself to give him what for. Imagine disgracing himself in such a manner!
“ There are always rumours, Your Grace. Which particular piece of salacious, and most likely fallacious, gossip has you so riled?”
“ That you were kissing Eversley on the balcony at the Abernethy ball.” He seemed to be having difficulty focussing properly on her, and Sarah realised his words were slightly slurred. He was utterly foxed.
“ I kissed you on the balcony at the Abernethy ball, Nathaniel. Or rather, you kissed me. You should remember, you were there. And you were not drunk—unlike now.”
Nathaniel threw her look of disdain. “But I am told you kissed him too.”
“ Nathaniel, I was on the balcony at last night’s ball but once, and I was in your arms the entire time.”
“ How do I know that what you say is true?”
“ Because I do not lie. Good God, was James even there? I do not recall even seeing him, never mind speaking to him, or kissing him for that matter.”
“ James? You call him James yet you insist on calling me ‘Your Grace’ or ‘Nathaniel.’ Not my preferred name.”
“ I like to annoy you. I knew James when we were young. Did you call your childhood friends by their titles and ranks?”
“ No. But then I do not kiss them on balconies at balls either.”
“ Neither do I.” She wanted to raise her palm and smack it across his cheek for his sheer impertinence now. How dare he accuse her of such things? How the hell would she even have got out onto the balcony? He pushed his hands through his dark curls, obviously impatient then he started to pace from one side of the room to the other.
“ Then why are gentlemen at White’s telling me it is so? Why did I have to hear it from the Honourable Adam Wilson?”
“ I do not know. And I resent being accused of being unfaithful. Perhaps someone does not want us to marry. Did someone else, another woman, have her sights set on you? I suppose many ladies would be hoping to snare a duke. They will not like it that crippled little Lady Sarah Steele managed it.”
“ Is that all ladies care about? Titles?”
“ Oh no. They care about fortunes just as much, and I have to assume you have a fortune. My father would not want me married to a pauper.”
“ Indeed. Rather a large one as it happens.”
“ Well then, stop being a ninny and accept that someone is trying to make mischief. I did not see James last night and even if I did, I would never kiss him. It would be like kissing my brother.” She screwed up her nose. She may not have a brother but the idea of kissing James was quite horrible. He was handsome, she supposed, but he was just James.
“ I am not a ninny,” he ground out.
“ No. Not now that you are seeing clearly. Nathaniel, I have no wish to be unfaithful to you. Our match may have been unconventional, but I have every intention of making it work.”
He harrumphed but his countenance was now less severe, his hands were now unbunched and
He checked his watch. Just before two. He had time for a couple of brandies then time to pay Lady Sarah a visit and have this out with her.
Chapter Seventeen
“Lady Sarah, His Grace the Duke of Kirkbourne is here to…” started the butler as Sarah turned to see Nate barge past the servant and into the drawing room.
“ Your Grace, what a lovely surprise.” Sarah threw an apologetic look at Hodges, who looked rather disconcerted. Then she frowned at her betrothed. There was no need to be rude to the staff.
The duke’s brow was furrowed and he looked even more thunderous than the day after the wager. He also staggered slightly as he walked. He was drunk. And in the middle of the afternoon.
“ There are rumours going around town,” he blurted out. She steeled herself to give him what for. Imagine disgracing himself in such a manner!
“ There are always rumours, Your Grace. Which particular piece of salacious, and most likely fallacious, gossip has you so riled?”
“ That you were kissing Eversley on the balcony at the Abernethy ball.” He seemed to be having difficulty focussing properly on her, and Sarah realised his words were slightly slurred. He was utterly foxed.
“ I kissed you on the balcony at the Abernethy ball, Nathaniel. Or rather, you kissed me. You should remember, you were there. And you were not drunk—unlike now.”
Nathaniel threw her look of disdain. “But I am told you kissed him too.”
“ Nathaniel, I was on the balcony at last night’s ball but once, and I was in your arms the entire time.”
“ How do I know that what you say is true?”
“ Because I do not lie. Good God, was James even there? I do not recall even seeing him, never mind speaking to him, or kissing him for that matter.”
“ James? You call him James yet you insist on calling me ‘Your Grace’ or ‘Nathaniel.’ Not my preferred name.”
“ I like to annoy you. I knew James when we were young. Did you call your childhood friends by their titles and ranks?”
“ No. But then I do not kiss them on balconies at balls either.”
“ Neither do I.” She wanted to raise her palm and smack it across his cheek for his sheer impertinence now. How dare he accuse her of such things? How the hell would she even have got out onto the balcony? He pushed his hands through his dark curls, obviously impatient then he started to pace from one side of the room to the other.
“ Then why are gentlemen at White’s telling me it is so? Why did I have to hear it from the Honourable Adam Wilson?”
“ I do not know. And I resent being accused of being unfaithful. Perhaps someone does not want us to marry. Did someone else, another woman, have her sights set on you? I suppose many ladies would be hoping to snare a duke. They will not like it that crippled little Lady Sarah Steele managed it.”
“ Is that all ladies care about? Titles?”
“ Oh no. They care about fortunes just as much, and I have to assume you have a fortune. My father would not want me married to a pauper.”
“ Indeed. Rather a large one as it happens.”
“ Well then, stop being a ninny and accept that someone is trying to make mischief. I did not see James last night and even if I did, I would never kiss him. It would be like kissing my brother.” She screwed up her nose. She may not have a brother but the idea of kissing James was quite horrible. He was handsome, she supposed, but he was just James.
“ I am not a ninny,” he ground out.
“ No. Not now that you are seeing clearly. Nathaniel, I have no wish to be unfaithful to you. Our match may have been unconventional, but I have every intention of making it work.”
He harrumphed but his countenance was now less severe, his hands were now unbunched and
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