Devil in Duchess's clothing

Chapter 2

Garrett knocked on the ornate door of the Lady Emma's current residence and waited. His hand unconsciously went to his hair, combing through the shorn locks.

The door opened to reveal a very young man.

"My lord?"

"I wish to speak with Lady Gordon," Garrett replied, extending his calling card.

The butler appraised him once and opened the door further to allow him to enter. Garrett stepped in, taking in the surroundings as the butler lead him to a sitting room.

"I will let you know shortly if her grace is receiving , my lord," he bowed and left the room.

Garrett waited for all of two minutes before being greeted by the lady herself. He stood immediately, walking towards her. While the woman seemed to irk him immensely, he had to admire the fact that she never kept him waiting—unlike the other ladies of the ton. Even his mother usually waited fifteen minutes before giving him an audience, for God's sake.

Oh and she was pleasing to the eye. She didn't look as put together as she had the last two times he'd seen her.

She still wore her mourning clothes but hair was only held back with a tie.

It made her look very unduchess-like.

She looked young.

Garrett felt all of his irrational anger towards her leave him. And now he could see that it was indeed irrational. She'd just done what any person in her position would have done. Maybe she hadn't meant to provoke him, maybe she'd merely been—

"I see you're here to darken the doorstep of my home in London, as well," Lady Gordon said to him.

And just like that, all his good intentions flew out of the window.

She turned toward the butler who was waiting by the door. "Bring us a pot of tea and some sandwiches, will you Nicholas?" The butler bowed and left to do her bidding.

"I have no desire whatsoever to walk into a she-devil's lair either, I assure you, your grace," he replied, his hands clenched at his back.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Then I think it's best if you tell me why you're here, in said lair."

"The Queen's ball is tonight."

"I am aware."

"We must start gathering as much information about the anklet as possible. Without alerting anyone or raising any suspicions."

Emma nodded, momentarily forgetting about her hatred for the man before her.

"We will be working together."

"But why?"

"Because you're new to this and when you start asking questions, people will begin to wonder. And you've only just arrived in London—a fortnight after your husband's death. People are bound to get suspicious. So for now, I will ask all the questions and you will merely observe," Garrett said with a tilt of his head, fully expecting her to protest. But she didn't. And then she asked the question he'd been dreading all along.

"And us sticking together throughout the ball won't make people suspicious?"

"Not if we give them and another reason for us to stick together..."

She looked on in confusion. And then understanding dawned. He could see it in her eyes.

"I'm to behave like your paramour?!"

"Oh god no!"

"Then?"

"We are to pretend we're courting."

"How is that any better than being your paramour?!"

"Oh it isn't. Any of my paramours will be willing to attest to that," Garrett replied, straightening his cravat.

"While I have no doubt of that," she began, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "won't our courting merely a fortnight after my husband's death make people suspicious?"

"They will merely think you're fast."

That did it.

"I am not fast. I am the opposite of fast. I am slow. How do you think I ended up getting married to a seventy-five year old man when I was eighteen?" Emma practically growled. And the sight of Lord Waterford's fearful demeanour did little to calm her.

She took two deep breaths.

"Lady Gordon. I would not have suggested this had it not been important. Besides, this was the Queen's order. And we won't behave that way tonight. It will be more gradual. Also, for both of our sakes, I will try to the best of my ability to avoid this entirely...the supposed courtship will only come up if people begin to doubt us."

Emma deflated. And then sat up straighter, regaining her composure.

"I apologise for my outburst. I will do whatever is necessary to help her majesty."

Garrett nodded. He stood then. "I will see you in the evening then."

Emma said nothing as she tugged the bellpull.

"We won't be needing the tea, after all," Garrett said to the butler when he arrived.

"Nicholas will see you out," Lady Emma said.

"I will return in three hours to collect you," Garrett bowed smartly.

Emma wanted to tell him that she was perfectly capable to arriving at the Queen's ball by herself but he was already gone by then.

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"Your grace, would you like to eat the sandwiches?" Nicholas asked, sensing her distress.

"Oh yes. And be a dear and add a couple of pastries as well."

Nicholas bowed.

Emma groaned. She knew where this was going. She always ate like there was no tomorrow when she was stressed about something and regretted it later.

Then again, food was her only comfort at this time. There was simply no going around it.

Her lady's maid Gloria appeared. "Lady Emma, what are you wearing tonight? I must begin readying your gown."

"Oh anything black will do, Gloria."

And then it occurred to her. She was supposed to be courting Lord Waterford. And if she could court him, she could certainly wear a beautiful gown.

"Or, I will simply wear my violet silk."

Gloria looked askance.

"Yes, my dear. I'm wearing the violet silk. With my best pair of gloves."

Her maid simply nodded and left.

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Hey guys!
Hope everybody is taking as much care as possible to prevent themselves and others around them from getting infected. Stay safe and stay at home.
Yours,
Ashmita