A Duke and A Damsel

A Duke and A Damsel--Chapter 8

“We were just about to have tea,” the young man said. “Please, join us. I have just arrived from India, and I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting many people. Blake and I were good friends back in Calcutta, and he's agreed to let me stay here for a few days until I am due at Oxford. It would be lovely to make some friends while I am here.”

After a moment's hesitation, Emma accepted. He was a delightful young man with charming manners. If only the duke could have been more like him.

-----

As soon as Emma accepted Arjun's offer to stay for tea, Blake knew that it was time for him to finally say something. It was awful of him to have just shut down like that and make his friend, who knew virtually nothing of English customs, play host. Seeing Emma so unexpectedly had completely thrown him off guard; he had thought he would have more time to come up with a suitable excuse for his behavior the previous night. After all, there could be no other reason she would pay him such an impromptu visit.

You know that's not what rendered you speechless, he thought. It's the fact that Miss Sheridan looks even more attractive when she's angry, and it makes you want her even more. He decided that it would be best to ignore the direction of his thoughts.

“I'm sorry, I do believe an introduction is in order. My manners just got away from me. Arjun, this is Miss Emmaline Sheridan. Miss Sheridan, this is Arjun Sen. We grew up together in India.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Sheridan,” Arjun said taking her hand.

She smiled breathtakingly at him. He realized that he had never really seen her smile before, except for the previous night when he had found her locket for her. He didn't think he'd ever seen anyone look as beautiful as she did when she smiled. She should smile more often, he thought to himself. But if she keeps smiling like that, trying to find a wife in the ton will be a lost cause, you won't want anyone but her. He really needed to get his thoughts under control.

“Please, call me Emma,” she replied. Blake stared at her incredulously. Here she was giving leave to a complete stranger she'd barely met five minutes earlier to call her by her given name, and she had not even given him permission as of yet. It was true that they had only met on two other occasions, but he had retrieved her precious locket. That should have been the perfect reason to give him permission, if nothing else. Except that you were interrupted, he thought, you're being completely unreasonable and acting like a jealous cad when you have no reason to be. The thoughts going through his head were really beginning to annoy him now. Thankfully, she turned towards him, so he had something else to focus on.

“I suppose you could call me Emma too. It wouldn't do to only allow your guest to do so. That would not be a good reflection upon my manners at all,” she said pointedly. It did seem that every time he was in her presence, his manners were severely lacking. He would have to work on that. She turned back to Arjun.

“Mr. Sen, please do tell me about India, it does seem like such a fascinating place. And do tell me how you are finding London thus far.”

-----

By the time Emma left the duke's residence, she and Arjun (as he had insisted she call him) had become fast friends. He was so utterly likable and full of stories that she could not help but like him. In fact, he had made her completely forget the purpose of her visit, but not for long.

“So, Miss Sheridan, Emma, I assume that you had a purpose in visiting me today, besides telling me off about my butler, of course,” Blake stated bluntly, while escorting her back home (Spencer had taken him aside as Emma was about to take her leave and informed her that as improper as it was for her to visit him unescorted it was even more improper to have her return alone knowing she was unchaperoned and could be in danger).

“One should not assume,” she said, without thinking about what she was saying but about the recent mishaps she had had because of her assumptions, “but you are right, Your Grace.”

“Ah, I see that we are back to the formalities then, Miss Sheridan. Although there really was no need for them ever, now that I think about it, was there? If I recall correctly, oh, what was it, we happen to be first cousins?”

Emma flushed for what felt like the fiftieth time that afternoon. “I'm sorry, it was the only thing I could come up with on such short notice. I didn't even have a clue what we were talking about.”

This time Blake grimaced slightly. Then he sighed.

“It's not your fault, just a silly misunderstanding. And all because that blasted door wouldn't open, and then the Milleboones decided to walk out at the wrong moment.”

“So what are we going to do now?” Emma asked him. “My mother will kill me if she finds out that there is a rumor going around that we are related, and first cousins no less. She has made up her mind that I am to marry you.” She looked up at him tentatively as she said this last part, not sure how he would respond to the information.

He let out a small laugh, but somehow, she was sure it wasn't meant to be entirely humorous.

“That would have made things too simple,” he muttered. At least that's what she thought he said, though it made no sense. Then he cleared his throat and said to her, “This isn't exactly a prime situation for either of us, so of course we must come up with a plan of action. Maybe Arjun can help. He's gotten me out of many a fix before back in India.”

Emma's whole face lit up at hearing Arjun's name. “Yes, that sounds marvelous. Arjun is a wonderful man. He seems very intelligent...”

And so the rest of the way back to her house, she chattered on about Arjun's many merits, not once thinking that it may be affecting her companion in the most negative manner.