Page 7 of An Innocent Bride for the Duke

“Anyway, that is a long time ago and I am not one of these ancient dowagers who lives in the past,” Lady Esher continued, to Benedict’s relief. “No, it is the present I wish to discuss with you, Your Grace. In particular, I want you to know that I am well aware of every scandal associated with you and every shred of gossip published in the gutter press.”

Benedict sighed, relieved but weary.

“I am on holiday from scandal and gossip whenever I am at Wexford Manor. It shall also be so on this journey, Lady Esher.”

“Good,” she replied, fixing him with a glance of stern steeliness that could have made a lesser man quail before her. “For my niece, Lady Louisa, knows nothing of you, and understands even less. I want to make sure you understand that she is entirely off-limits. Do you understand me?”

“I assure you, Lady Esher, that I am no seducer of innocent young ladies. You cannot say that scandals of that nature have ever followed me.”

This was true enough. All his life, Benedict had preferred experience to innocence and sought the company of women who delighted in the pleasures of the flesh as much as he did.

“No, but your reputation alone might be injurious to an innocent young woman, if we do not take steps to avoid such damage,” pointed out the silver-haired lady. “If you make even one wrong move in that regard, Your Grace, I possess enough respectable relatives, friends and acquaintances to ensure there will not be a single drawing room open to you in the kingdom.”

“I shall take care not to be alone with Lady Louisa,” Benedict promised the doughty dowager, seeing little hardship in this and being rather amused by the cheerful threat, which Lady Easher was doubtless capable of carrying out. “I dare say your company and that of the children will prevent it in any case.”

“There must not be a whisper of impropriety, Your Grace. No notes, no inappropriate story-telling, no unseemly glances. Louisa has no conception at all of men like you and therefore little protection, except for me.”

While agreeing to this without hesitation, the emphasis on such delicacy began to puzzle and intrigue him now.

“How old is she, Lady Esher? I understood from Seraphine that they were the same age but the Duchess of Wexford is six-and-twenty, and Lady Louisa does not seem…”

As he trailed off, Lady Esher sighed.

“My nieces are the same age in years, but not in experience or temperament. Louisa has lived a very sheltered life, both due to our situation and her own natural inclinations.”

“But does she never wish to marry?” Benedict found himself asking as his curiosity got the better of him. “Has she really no suitors? For a lady so comely, six-and-twenty is nothing. In London, she would be besieged.”

Immediately, Benedict felt the tightening of Lady Esher’s hand on his arm and recognized the unwisdom of remarking on Lady Louisa’s physical charms, even politely.

“Perhaps my niece does have a suitor,” the old woman answered very carefully. “At least, there is an eligible gentleman who has been thinking of making her an offer. It would be a good match, if she accepts him, and perhaps the only proposal she will ever receive, given her retiring nature. I will not have him driven away by even a hint of scandal.”

It was an intriguing explanation.

“Does Lady Louisa favor this suitor?” he enquired and received a further sigh.

“She does not know of him,” Lady Esher admitted. "I thought it best not to raise expectations until he declares himself.”

“I see,” said Benedict again, although he did not.

It all sounded rather silly to him. Either a man should know he wished to marry or not, and a young woman of six-and-twenty ought not to be cosseted like a child. What on earth was this mysterious undeclared suitor waiting for? Why did Lady Esher not at least introduce the pair if she really wished the marriage to take place?

Well, it might be ridiculous but it was none of Benedict’s business.

“Lady Esher, you have my solemn promise that I will not compromise your niece or her future expectations in any way,” he told her. “Whatever you might have read of me, I am a gentleman and do not take advantage of ladies. Frankly, I often prefer it when they take advantage of me, and there is no danger of your niece engaging in that pastime.”

Having strolled around in a circle they were now facing the carriages again and walking back towards them. Their eyes both went to Lady Louisa, crouched down beside Ezra at one of the flower beds and showing him how to smell the blooms without grasping them and pulling them apart.

Lady Esher chuckled at this, taking no offense and seeming now quite satisfied with Benedict’s assurances.

"Excellent. I think we understand one another, Your Grace, and I trust that my niece will be safe in your company. As you note, Louisa is very unlikely to lead anyone astray. She does not know how.”

Looking up and perceiving herself under observation by both the Duke of Northwick and her aunt, Lady Louisa blushed charmingly. He smiled back without any untoward intent, thinking only how preferable he presently found her rosy-cheeked face to the practiced smiles and calculated flirtations of the denizens of London’s drawing rooms.

“Bounce, bounce, bounce!” chanted little Ezra, until Benedict sighed and bounced him yet again on the seat of the carriage.

Childish giggles filled the carriage, prompting sweet peals of laughter from Lady Louisa on the seat opposite. It seemed to Benedict that this game had been going on for ever, although he knew from the ringing of local bells that they could only have been on the road for an hour.

As soon as the bouncing paused, Ezra reached out and seized a handful of Benedict’s stock in his chubby little fist.