Page 16 of From Unwanted to Duchess
“Oh, neither did James,” Aunt Eugenia said. “Until he came of age, his father was quite strict with him, wasn’t he? So much so that I had to interfere at times. Can you believe the old Duke would not even let him have a pony? A pony! Any young gentleman must have access to a horse so he can learn to hunt and ride properly. I rectified that situation by buying him a pony myself. You rode on it once.”
“I did?” Frances asked.
“She did?” the Duke asked at the same time.
“Yes,” Aunt Eugenia replied. “I bought the pony when you were twelve, James. Because of how your father was, he had to remain with me. Artemis was his name.”
“Artemis,” Frances said. “I don’t remember that name. My father spoke of a horse at your stable that he liked very much.”
“Oh, your father was ever so jealous. One of the last times he came and brought your mother to visit me at my seaside home, he tried to buy Artemis from me. I made it clear to him that the horse was not for sale, and even if it was, he would not be able to afford it. He did not like that much. He does not like me.”
Frances could imagine that her aunt was the sort of person who spoke her mind, and that was exactly the kind of woman her father did not care for. Which was ironic, because her stepmother always spoke her mind, while her mother had been the quiet sort. And yet he had married Isabella.
“In any case, we let you ride a few rounds on the horse. You were only two years old. Of course, one of the grooms rode on the horse with you. You see, the two of you have something in common already, beyond just my lovely self.”
Frances looked at the Duke, who smirked at her.
Before anything else could be said, they arrived at the theatre. The coachman opened the door and helped Aunt Eugenia out, but before he could assist Frances, the Duke slipped past and offered his hand. Quite the gentleman.
“I am perfectly capable of exiting a carriage on my own,” she replied sharply and took the first step down.
However, she had underestimated the space between the steps and thus slipped and tumbled forward. Had it not been for the Duke, she would have fallen flat on her face. As it stood, he leapt forward and wrapped his arms around her, catching her before she fell. Then he gently set her down on the ground.
“I see you are very skilled at exiting carriages,” he drawled.
“I could not see properly. It is dark,” she said.
That was not entirely wrong. It was getting dark outside, but not so dark that she couldn’t see the step.
“What are the two of you doing back there?” Aunt Eugenia called. She was almost at the entrance of the Drury Lane Theatre. “Come now, dears.”
The Duke offered his arm to Frances, but she shook her head. “I can make it on my own,” she insisted.
“If you are certain. These cobblestones can be quite tricky,” he said.
“Contrary to what you believe, I am not entirely helpless.”
“I never suggested that you are,” he replied, and followed her into the theatre.
Frances had been worried that the next two weeks would pass by slowly, but now she realized she had been quite the goose. Truly, she wasn’t even sure how she was going to endure the next two hours, let alone the next two weeks.
