Page 41 of To Steal a Duchess

He didn’t answer. What could he even say? That Eloise was taking up more space in his mind than he cared to experience, or admit?

“It must be the delicious food,” Gideon said smoothly. “You always go quiet when you are enjoying your meals.”

Dorian was surprised that Gideon wasn’t choosing to tease him, or guessing if his silence would be related to Eloise—or even jokingly implying, even if he didn’t know it was the actual truth—but he was glad he’d given Dorian some sort of cover.

“Exactly,” he said, sitting forward again, reaching for his coffee. A second too late, he noticed he hadn’t really touched his plate, which wasn’t even half-filled anyway. Eloise’s eyes remained on him, but he forced himself not to look up.

He couldn’t stop thinking about how close he had been to kissing her, to remembering how it had felt to kiss her in the church, to feel his control slipping.

He could not allow it to happen again.

“What did I miss?” he asked, making himself have a forkful of meat from his plate, trying to appear more collected than he felt.

“Nancy and I were answering your wife’s questions about our wedding,” Gideon told him. “It’s in one month, and will take place in London. I did want it to be at my country estate, for that was where my parents, albeit untraditionally, wed, but Lord Maystone cannot travel such long journeys, so we are having a church ceremony after all.”

“And while I do agree that the estate ceremony would be beautiful, and would have allowed for an outdoor celebration afterward,” Nancy added, “I do also like the thought of being wed in a church and having that pretty, traditional wedding.”

“Of course,” Eloise said. “It has been your dream since I have known you, at least. And I have seen your collection of fabric swaths for your dream gown.”

She pointedly looked at Gideon, who merely laughed.

“Do not worry, Eloise, for Nancy will be thoroughly lavished and spoiled for her big day. It is a husband’s honor to take care of everything. Though I shall be ensuring that everything is heavily influenced by my bride’s preferences.” He was sat next to Nancy, and he leaned toward her, taking her hand to deliver a brief kiss. “As I said, I want her to have the day of her dreams. Nancy shall want for nothing.”

Nancy blushed, nudging Gideon, as though to shyly stave off the public gesture, but it was clear that she was thrilled by it. Even Dorian could see that.

He smiled at the couple, finding it slightly jarring to see his friend so affectionate, but he was truly happy for him. He had meant everything he had said to Eloise the night before, and it was clear even more so: Gideon would treat Nancy as though she was his reason to breathe.

He fought not to look at Eloise, wondering if she wished she’d had the chance for the same.

“You will be coming back to London for our ceremony, will you not?” Nancy asked Eloise, her eyes wide and hopeful. “I do not want to cut your time in the countryside short, but I cannot imagine getting married without you there.”

“I—” Eloise stopped, and Dorian finally gave into the prickle of her attention on him.

He didn’t want to look away, but he didn’t like the drop in his stomach he felt when he looked at her. She looked lost for a moment, bewildered, and he wanted to go to her, to do something, but he couldn’t.

Even if he could, he didn’t know what.

“We will be there,” Eloise finally finished.

He nodded. “Of course we will. I will make arrangements for my townhouse to be set up for us both. Neither of us would miss the celebration for anything.”

“Excellent. Then I feel I cannot wait another day more for our union to be confirmed,” Gideon laughed, kissing Nancy’s hand once more as he stood up. “Alas, there is work to be tended to, and meetings to be had, before then, so I unfortunately must bid you all a good day and take my leave.”

“Do not feel as though you must rush off, though,” Eloise said quickly, almost too quickly, and Dorian wondered if she would miss the company of their friends filling the silences he caused.

“Nonsense,” Gideon replied. “My stay here has already been longer than I hoped. Duchess, it was a pleasure to see you again, and Dorian, your hospitality was very nice to experience again. Do not leave it so long next time.” He grinned mischievously, and Dorian rolled his eyes. “My beautiful Nancy, I shall see you in London upon your return. Perhaps I shall take you to that tearoom you have been eyeing up. Yes, I did notice.”

At that, Nancy laughed happily, her hands wistfully tucked beneath her chin as she gazed up at Gideon. “I cannot wait.”

He kissed her hand once more, as though he could not stop finding a reason to touch her as much as he could without being too improper. Then, he nodded to Dorian and Eloise once more and departed.

Soon, the heavy clop of his horse’s hooves sounded outside, and it left Dorian awkwardly sitting between the two ladies.

“I will also take my leave,” he finally muttered. “I shall be in my study. If any of you require anything, do not hesitate to ask Mrs. Hale.”

He barely let himself look again at Eloise before he stood up from the table and strode to his study.

Work would help take his mind off things.