Meanwhile, the duke had leaned back against the sideboard, his brandy glass held out to Trevor. “À votre santé,” he said gravely.
Trevor raised his own glass in salute. “To your health as well.”
The duke flashed a broad grin at his wife who groaned. “Yes, yes, you said it right. But it loses its effect if you grin like that.” She settled on the settee next to Mellie. “He just learned that phrase from Eleanor and thinks he’s the cat’s cream whenever he says it.”
His Grace chuckled. “It’s French, you know. Never had the chance to learn the Frog’s lingo. And I refuse to even try Latin or Greek. But I’ve got Spanish well enough, plus a smattering of Egyptian and Arabic. I’m not bad as languages go, but I knew a ship’s mate who only had to hear something once before he could spit it back like a native. Terrible navigator though, and that more than anything hurt his chances aboard ship.”
Mellie nodded as if his words made complete sense. Oh, his meaning was clear enough, but his general manner and casual speech didn’t fit with her idea of a duke. Didn’t they all speak Latin and converse about politics?
As if sensing her confusion, Trevor gave her a hasty explanation. “His Grace is the newest sensation in London. A seaman elevated to a duke.”
“Gracious,” Mellie breathed. So this really was the man she’d read about in the papers. “That must have been overwhelming.”
The duke chuckled. “Most would say exciting.”
A woman’s dry voice cut through the air, the words coming from the doorway. “Or tragic.”
The duchess’s expression turned wry. “Good evening, Eleanor. Pray join us.”
A statuesque blonde entered the room. Her gown was of the finest cut and fabric—a blue silk that shimmered as she walked and emphasized the pure color of her crystalline eyes. Her hair was expertly coiled in a design that made Mellie’s eyes hurt as she tried to trace the locks. And the expression on her flawless skin was polite, if not especially warm.
“Seelye mentioned that I had visitors.” Her gaze stumbled for a moment on Melinda who was suddenly aware of the stains on her travel dress and the uneven texture of her skin. But then Trevor stepped forward, executing a deep bow.
“Lady Eleanor, it has been too long.”
Her face suddenly shifted. Her eyes widened, and a polished smile curved her perfect lips. “Trevor! My goodness, when did you get back in town? And what has happened to your face?”
“Just today, as you can see.” He made an expansive gesture at his creased clothing. “And I came directly here to speak with you.”
“To see me?” She pressed a hand to her lips, a gesture that brought even more attention to the flawless color of her skin below those blue, blue eyes.
He reached forward, gently tugging at her hand until he could press a kiss to her knuckles. Mellie watched the whole exchange as she would an opera sung in a foreign language. They were actors on a stage performing perfect roles in their dance. Beautiful in a way, but so distant that she felt no connection to them, or even to the world around her.
“Sweet Eleanor, I have come to beg a boon from you. You did promise me one long ago.”
“I did not. I would never.”
“I believe I rescued your kitten from a tree.”
She frowned a moment then huffed out a breath. “That was years ago.”
“Nevertheless,” he said as he straightened. “I should like to collect on that promise.”
“I was seven!”
He arched a brow, and she tilted her head, exposing the long column of her white neck.
“You always were a scapegrace, Trevor. Very well, what is it that you’d like?”
His grin broadened, and suddenly Melinda became part of the opera. He swept his arm toward her in a perfect arc. “First, may I introduce you to Miss Melinda Smithson, my fiancée.”
Mellie rose to her feet, knowing at least this part of the performance. She dipped her chin and bent her knees, dropping into a curtsy, such as would be expected when greeting a lady.
But when she straightened, she didn’t see a cool greeting on the lady’s face. No, Lady Eleanor’s jaw was slack with horror. Then she turned to Trevor, her body trembling with the enormity of her revulsion.
“Stop this, you idiot. Stop it now!”
Seven