The Forgotten Duchess

Chapter Thirty-Seven | Offer

"Vivienne, I must confess that spending these last few weeks with you, I am sure you can tell that I have formed quite an affection towards you."

Heat crawled at the back of Vivienne's neck as she avoided his gaze.

"I was hoping to ask you for your hand in marriage. I hope you do not take offense in my asking you before approaching the duke."

"I—" she looked up at him hopelessly, immensely grateful that the captain had not spoken to James before her. She did not know how the duke would react.

The captain was a kind man, and she should have accepted but she was holding herself back. All because of the duke. While she enjoyed the captain—Rees company, her body didn't light up the same way it did with James. The carriage stopped and Vivienne still had not given him an answer.

As if noticing her hesitation Rees' face fell. "I don't expect you to give me an answer tonight, my lady. But I could just ask you to think it over? We wouldn't have a rich life, but I would provide for you as any gentleman would."

Vivienne saw the sincerity in his gaze, and so she nodded, before fleeing the carriage. She had many decisions to make, and they were pressing in on her faster than she had expected.

***

James' fingers hovered over the black pieces as he calculated his next move. He didn't know how or when it had begun, but it seemed that Vivienne and him were playing chess with each other. James did not know when she snuck into his study, for he had not seen her once, but he saw the white pieces moving. At first, he thought he imagined it, but when he moved his black pawn, the next day, a white knight had been moved. And so back and forth they went.

He still had not spoken to her after their time alone in the carriage, and she remained quite during the meals they did have together. If his aunt picked up on the strange emotions between the two of them, she did not comment.

"Your Grace, Lord Westmorland has arrived."

James set the piece back down and turned to Preston, "Let him into my study."

His butler bowed, pouring two glasses of brandy before leaving. Finally, the earl had decided to accept James' invitation. The door to his study opened and Westmorland stepped in, his left hand clutching the silver cane tightly.

"Westmoreland," James said in greeting and pointed to the chair in front of him, "Do have a seat. Preston, ensure that we are not disturbed."

The earl settled in, and Preston bowed before shutting the door of the study with a soft click. He watched as the Earl took in the surroundings. "It's quite a nice study," he said conversationally, accepting the glass James gave him.

James looked briefly around the room, "I suppose it is. Although I cannot take credit for that. It was my father's study, and I haven't made many additions to it since his death."

Westmorland nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "You summoned, and I arrived," he said flatly, his voice betraying the displeasure in being summoned by James.

James nodded and settled back into his chair. His eyes flickered to the man in front of him. "Our last conversation got cut off quite quickly. I must admit, I was under the impression that you might show up at White's, but it seems as though you are quite a hard man to catch."

"I do still work for the military on occasion," Westmorland said tightly. "If this is about my niece Lennox, I told you everything I know that day. Frankly, there isn't much left to be done."

James leaned back, he had almost expected the earl to say such things and so he had come prepared. Pulling the document from the side of his drawers, he extended it to the Earl.