“You look well,” he said.
“Thank you. I was sorry to hear about your father.”
The edge of his mouth hitched because they both knew better. “Were you, really?”
“No. He was not a nice man. I daresay Hell is grateful to have him.”
Harrison chuckled. This was familiar territory, with bits of her old friend showing through in his amused expression, and the knot between her shoulder blades eased somewhat. “Pick up a racket. Let’s get started.”
The three of them soon stood on the court, with Maddie on one end and the men on the other. “You may serve first,” she told Kit. “I need to work on my return.”
Kit hit a slow serve that Maddie sent up the line for a winner. Harrison whistled. “Excellent shot, Mads.”
The forgotten nickname nearly caused her to trip. Only Harrison had ever called her Mads. She didn’t respond, and there was no more discussion for the next twenty minutes as play went back and forth. She focused on her swing, perfecting the spin and angles that made lawn tennis so exciting.
“So, Maddie,” Harrison said between points. “Tell me about this duke of yours.”
The question surprised her, and she bounced the tennis ball several times while considering a response.
To be precise, Lockwood wasn’t her duke—at least not yet. When the Duke of Lockwood took New York society by storm in March, Maddie’s mother reminded her of their agreement—that it was time for Maddie to choose a husband. After all, a fourth season was practically unheard of, even if the reason for not settling down was justified. Everyone knew that an English duke was the most powerful aristocrat save the queen, so Lockwood became the catch of the season. The challenge excited her, with the title of duchess as the final prize. She wasn’t alone, however; the matchmakers went into a tizzy to get their daughters near the duke.
Maddie angled to attend several dinners where the handsome Duke of Lockwood was a guest, and the two of them got on well together right from the start based on a shared love of the outdoors and sporting pursuits. Since then, their relationship had blossomed and they now went driving in the park every Monday at four o’clock. Rumors of a betrothal raced through Fifth Avenue receiving rooms, and Maddie had every confidence she would soon receive Lockwood’s ring.
When that happened, she would become a duchess and go on her own grand adventure across the pond. What more could a girl in her position possibly ask for?
Still, she and Harrison had never discussed other women or men in a romantic sense. The topic had been avoided, though she’d always assumed he chased bosoms and bustles, as had every other young man of her acquaintance back then.
He left and slept with half of Paris. Why should you feel the least bit awkward in discussing your future husband?
“He’s a bit of a bore,” Kit said, sotto voce, when Maddie didn’t speak up.
“He is nothing of the sort.” Maddie lifted her chin as she readied to serve the ball. “His Grace is kind and intelligent, a good conversationalist. We share many of the same interests.”
“He’s a hunting and fishing sort of chap,” Kit said to Harrison. “Probably has hounds that chase foxes.”
He did, actually. Lockwood had explained the practice to her one afternoon. She served the ball, starting the point.
“Sounds awful,” Harrison remarked and hit a return to the left side of the court.
Maddie’s skin prickled with irritation and anger. No one had the right to disparage Lockwood, least of all Harrison, a former friend who’d dropped her like a roll straight from the oven when he left town.
Before she could stop herself, she sent the ball whizzing toward his head.
He dove for cover and hit the ground, his chest flat on the grass, as the ball sailed over. “Good God, Maddie. What on earth was that for?”
An apology burned on her tongue but she swallowed it. “You have no right to criticize me.”
“I am not criticizing you.” Harrison rose and put his palms out. “I was criticizing the duke.”
“Whom you’ve never even met.”
“That never stopped us from criticizing your mother’s guests during her garden parties.”
Though she tried to stop it, her lips twitched as she fought off a smile. That had been one of their favorite games, to hide in the bushes just off the lawn and watch the guests, then invent names and backstories for each of them. “Remember the time she caught us and made us come out so she could introduce us?”
He grinned while he brushed dirt and grass off his white suit. “You were the color of a tomato.”
“As were you, Harrison Archer.”
He laughed, and Maddie suddenly realized how much she’d missed the sound. How much she’d missed him. She started to tell him as much, but quickly closed her mouth.
He didn’t miss you. He never even wrote. Stop thinking you matter to him.
The only reason he’d reached out to her now was for a favor. Perhaps it was time to get to the point of the morning’s reunion. “Your note mentioned you needed something.”
“Yes, I need your help.” Harrison ambled to the net. “I realize it is an imposition, but I am desperate.”
“Then I promise to keep an open mind.”
“Good. I need you to help me find a wife.”
Her jaw fell open. Out of everything he could have asked, she hadn’t expected that.
Questions whirled in her mind like a spinning ball, yet she fought to keep her voice even as she drew closer. “A wife?”
“Yes—and fast.”
“Wait a minute.” Kit joined them at the net and frowned at Harrison. “Why on earth would you need to marry?”
“Mother says she’ll cut me off otherwise.”
“Dash it,” Kit muttered.
“Precisely.” Harrison’s expression sobered as he turned to her. “Will you help me? You’re friends with everyone in town.”
“I can give you a few names to call upon.” Heiresses were like hansom cabs in New York City; there was one on nearly every corner.
He shook his head. “That will take too long. I need this to happen quickly. I want to return to Paris before the end of the summer.”
“End of the summer?” She blinked, stunned at this news. The man she remembered had been impetuous, prone to acting rashly, but this was shocking, even for him. Had he thought this through? “Finding a wife is not something you should do off-the-cuff, Harrison, and courtships take time.”
“Let me worry about that. Besides, it’s not like I have a choice.”
“Regardless, this is a busy time for me. I have an important tennis tournament at the end of June.”
“Yes, the Nationals. Congratulations on that, by the way.”
“Thank you. So you can see I haven’t time to squire you around town and introduce you to my friends. I’m leaving to practice in Newport soon.” It was cooler there, with fewer distractions than the city.
“That’s perfect,” Harrison said. “What about a house party over a long weekend? You could invite some friends.”
“Good idea,” Kit put in. “Beach, sun and champagne. You’ll find a wife in no time.”
“Exactly. What do you think, Maddie?”