the
problems of marriage, as he saw it.
Of course, he knew he would marry. It was his duty. He must
marry. And he would. One day. There was certainly no rush
about it, was there? He had years left to him. What he would do
with those years left to him of freedom he wasn’t entirely certain.
He clearly hadn’t done much by way of excitement with his un
married years so far, but the future looked as bright as it ever had
done and he was prepared to enjoy himself, in whatever fashion
suited him.
How to Daz zle a Duke
77
At some point, he did realize, he had to find something which
suited him.
And, surely reduced to being a habit by now, he glanced again
at Miss Prestwick.
“Convinced of what, I should very much like to know,” Sophia
asked of her brother, smiling at George Grey.
“Convinced that having a London Season,” George said, “is
good fun. You’ve convinced me, Sophia, and I convinced my
father of the same. Why not stay?”
“Why not stay?” Miss Prestwick said abruptly, which was most
peculiar as no one was speaking to her. “Why not go? I can’t think
what you would gain by a London Season, Mr. Grey.”
“A wife, Miss Prestwick?” George Grey countered, smiling at
her. A girl would have to be very unusual not to be disarmed by
that single, deep dimple. Iveston watched Miss Prestwick. She
did not look disarmed in the slightest, no, nor charmed. It was
slightly gratifying, though he could not think why. “A man, just
as a woman, wants to marry.”
“Not all men, Mr. Grey,” Lord Tannington said.
“You do not intend to marry, Lord Tannington?” Sophia
asked.
“I will marry when I can avoid it no longer,” Lord Tannington
said, “but the point I believe your nephew was making is that all
men want to marry. I would say that while all men may marry,
very few of them actually want to.”
“That sounds very nearly tragic,” Sophia said, looking not at
all tragic, but rather flagrantly amused. “I think a poll must settle
it. Now, do answer honestly, which I know is very difficult for a
man to do.”
It was at this juncture that Miss Prestwick snorted in what had
to be assumed was suppressed laughter.
“Now, how shall we organize it? Just around the room then?”
Sophia mused.
78 CLAUDIA DAIN
“Alphabetically?” Edenham said pleasantly, his brown eyes
shining with mirth.
“Far too difficult for me to manage,” Sophia answered, smil
ing at Edenham.
“By age? Oldest to youngest?” Miss Prestwick blurted out.
“Oh, I think not,” Sophia said. “Someone could well fi nd him
self insulted.” And she looked at Edenham again and chuckled.
Was Edenham the oldest man in the room? Perhaps Ruan
and certainly John Grey were of the same approximate age.
Ruan didn’t look insulted in the slightest, in fact, he was watch
ing Sophia fl irt with Edenham with a very nearly bored expres
sion. Very nearly bored. He was watching, after all. And John Grey,
well, his expression was impossible to read. He simply had no
expression whatsoever.
The same could not be said of Miss Prestwick. She was watch
ing Sophia dangle charm and gaiety like a ripe plum in front of
Edenham’s face and looked completely outraged by the prospect.
Poor girl. She clearly didn’t have a particle of charm to fi ght with.
Of course, he was watching her and she could have turned some
effort upon him, but she was clearly too simpleminded to know
any better.
“By either age or alphabet, I shall not be first,” Iveston said.
“Shall it be a simple test of bravery then? Shall I not prove my
courage and stout heart by declaring that I, for one, want to
marry?”
Miss Prestwick looked struck dumb. It was a look which
suited her.
“Do you, Lord Iveston? How charming of you,” Sophia ex
claimed. He felt the distinct urge to preen under her praise. He
did not, however. “And when did the urge to mate fi rst come
upon you?”
“I believe the subject was marriage, Lady
problems of marriage, as he saw it.
Of course, he knew he would marry. It was his duty. He must
marry. And he would. One day. There was certainly no rush
about it, was there? He had years left to him. What he would do
with those years left to him of freedom he wasn’t entirely certain.
He clearly hadn’t done much by way of excitement with his un
married years so far, but the future looked as bright as it ever had
done and he was prepared to enjoy himself, in whatever fashion
suited him.
How to Daz zle a Duke
77
At some point, he did realize, he had to find something which
suited him.
And, surely reduced to being a habit by now, he glanced again
at Miss Prestwick.
“Convinced of what, I should very much like to know,” Sophia
asked of her brother, smiling at George Grey.
“Convinced that having a London Season,” George said, “is
good fun. You’ve convinced me, Sophia, and I convinced my
father of the same. Why not stay?”
“Why not stay?” Miss Prestwick said abruptly, which was most
peculiar as no one was speaking to her. “Why not go? I can’t think
what you would gain by a London Season, Mr. Grey.”
“A wife, Miss Prestwick?” George Grey countered, smiling at
her. A girl would have to be very unusual not to be disarmed by
that single, deep dimple. Iveston watched Miss Prestwick. She
did not look disarmed in the slightest, no, nor charmed. It was
slightly gratifying, though he could not think why. “A man, just
as a woman, wants to marry.”
“Not all men, Mr. Grey,” Lord Tannington said.
“You do not intend to marry, Lord Tannington?” Sophia
asked.
“I will marry when I can avoid it no longer,” Lord Tannington
said, “but the point I believe your nephew was making is that all
men want to marry. I would say that while all men may marry,
very few of them actually want to.”
“That sounds very nearly tragic,” Sophia said, looking not at
all tragic, but rather flagrantly amused. “I think a poll must settle
it. Now, do answer honestly, which I know is very difficult for a
man to do.”
It was at this juncture that Miss Prestwick snorted in what had
to be assumed was suppressed laughter.
“Now, how shall we organize it? Just around the room then?”
Sophia mused.
78 CLAUDIA DAIN
“Alphabetically?” Edenham said pleasantly, his brown eyes
shining with mirth.
“Far too difficult for me to manage,” Sophia answered, smil
ing at Edenham.
“By age? Oldest to youngest?” Miss Prestwick blurted out.
“Oh, I think not,” Sophia said. “Someone could well fi nd him
self insulted.” And she looked at Edenham again and chuckled.
Was Edenham the oldest man in the room? Perhaps Ruan
and certainly John Grey were of the same approximate age.
Ruan didn’t look insulted in the slightest, in fact, he was watch
ing Sophia fl irt with Edenham with a very nearly bored expres
sion. Very nearly bored. He was watching, after all. And John Grey,
well, his expression was impossible to read. He simply had no
expression whatsoever.
The same could not be said of Miss Prestwick. She was watch
ing Sophia dangle charm and gaiety like a ripe plum in front of
Edenham’s face and looked completely outraged by the prospect.
Poor girl. She clearly didn’t have a particle of charm to fi ght with.
Of course, he was watching her and she could have turned some
effort upon him, but she was clearly too simpleminded to know
any better.
“By either age or alphabet, I shall not be first,” Iveston said.
“Shall it be a simple test of bravery then? Shall I not prove my
courage and stout heart by declaring that I, for one, want to
marry?”
Miss Prestwick looked struck dumb. It was a look which
suited her.
“Do you, Lord Iveston? How charming of you,” Sophia ex
claimed. He felt the distinct urge to preen under her praise. He
did not, however. “And when did the urge to mate fi rst come
upon you?”
“I believe the subject was marriage, Lady
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