Page 62 of From Unwanted to Duchess
CHAPTER 20
James
Once the card game concluded, and James had sufficiently recovered his senses thanks to several cups of strong tea, Gideon and James made their way to the billiards table, Frances in tow. James couldn’t quite explain it. On the one hand, he would rather be alone with his friend. On the other hand, he liked Frances’s presence. It was clear that his friend was fond of her.
The two bantered as though they had known one another for a long time, and he had to admit it felt quite natural. He had never thought it possible to feel natural to have a young woman keep company with him and his best friend, but it did.
It was also alarming.
Once he had thoroughly beaten Gideon at billiards, Frances bobbed a graceful curtsy and bid them a good night that was almost melodic, and returned to her chamber.
“Well, well,” Gideon said. “And there you were telling me that you were never going to settle down.”
“I have not settled down.”
“Really? You have a lovely woman living in your house, and she can spar with you without any problem. I can already tell that just after one dinner with her.”
“She and I have an arrangement,” James said. “Somerset Trust was breathing down my neck. You know this. She is helping me by presenting herself as my wife, and I am helping her in a similar fashion. She needed to find a husband. She is lowborn.”
“Did you not say she’s a gentleman’s daughter?”
“Yes, but not titled. Besides, her father is quite a wretched piece of work, as is her stepmother.”
“Oh, so you have that in common. A horrible father. Does she know about yours?”
“Vaguely,” James said, “and I do not want her to know more than she already does. Besides, I don’t know if we should talk about this here. The walls have ears.”
“Ears that you pay for. If you think one of your servants is disloyal, simply let them go.” Gideon shrugged. “But I understand what you mean. Say, why don’t we go to the club? I know there is one nearby in town. What’s it called? Hamilton’s?”
“Yes,” James said. He hadn’t been to the club in some time, not since returning from London. “Hamilton’s it is, then.”
“Yes. ” Gideon replied. “Unless you think your wife would disapprove?”
James took a deep breath. “I already told you we do not have that sort of relationship. She and I are both entirely free to do whatever we please. It is a marriage of convenience, nothing more. Nothing has changed.”
“If you say so,” Gideon said. “Then you will not mind if we go?”
As if to prove his point, James walked to the door and rang the bell. Once Franklin appeared, he ordered him to ready the carriage at once.
Fifteen minutes later, the two gentlemen were ready to go. James sat in the carriage beside Gideon.
Why did he think that anything had changed, even after he had already explained? Or was there something that Gideon could see that James could not?
He glanced at his friend, who was whistling as the carriage pulled out of the driveway.
Could it be that Gideon had sensed his doubt? It was true that he was becoming more and more impressed with Frances.
James found that quite alarming. Back at his godmother’s house, he hadn’t thought twice about the odd twinges he felt in his heart when he was around Frances because they had been safe there. She wasn’t going to be his anything but his godmother’s guest. They were going to part ways.
But now they were married, living in this godforsaken house that he had always hated so much, and she was popular with the tenants. Even Mr. Morrison was impressed. The servants liked her. And Gideon did, too. And the truth was, so did James. He had been glad when she agreed to come to dinner, and he had enjoyed the conversation. But it wasn’t safe. None of this was safe.
No, he had to prove to himself and to his friend that nothing had changed at all.
They arrived at Hamilton’s a half hour later and entered. Immediately, Gideon had a bottle of scotch brought over and poured them each two glasses up to the rim.
“To freedom!” he toasted.
“To freedom,” James echoed, though the word sounded hollow to his own ears. He’d just recovered from having too much to drink at dinner and wasn’t terribly keen to drink more.
