“Yes, you know it’s also the wedding of Lord Worthington, and Lord Kendall,” David was quick to point out.
“Oh, yes. Yes, of course,” Murdock replied, waving a hand in the air as if the name Worthington held no significance to him.
“Well.” David forced himself to keep a smile plastered to his face. “What did you answer, Murdock? Are you coming to the wedding?”
Murdock’s smile grew even more obsequious if that were possible. “Why, I wouldn’t miss it. Things may not have worked out the way I’d hoped between Lady Julianna and myself, but I wish her nothing but the best.” There. Murdock had ground out that last bit through clenched teeth. He wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended to be.
Was it David’s imagination or did Annabelle bite her lip at that pronouncement?
“So, you were invited?” David asked. Behind Murdock, Annabelle’s eyes widened, and she gave David a look that clearly indicated he should not have asked such a thing.
The marquess’s eyes narrowed. “My invitation was no doubt lost in the post,” he clipped. “But no matter, Lady Annabelle here has agreed to allow me to escort her to the wedding. I will come as her guest.” Murdock finished that pronouncement with a thin smile.
Annabelle’s gaze quickly dropped to her boots.
“Is that so?” David clarified.
“Excellent,” came Lady Elspeth’s bright voice from beside him. “Mother and I have been invited as well. Haven’t we, Mother?” Lady Elspeth glanced back toward her mother, who gave her a nod and a doting look. “We’ll see you both there,” Lady Elspeth finished, turning her attention back to Lord Murdock.
David didn’t quite like how she referred to the two of them as ‘we,’ but he was hardly in a position to correct her when apparently Annabelle had invited Murdock, of all people, to the weddings.
Annabelle cleared her throat. “Yes, well, we should be going.” She placed a gloved hand on Murdock’s coat sleeve.
“Of course, my lady,” Murdock replied, nodding and shaking the reins. He tipped his hat to David and Lady Elspeth.
As the carriage line started up again, David didn’t hear a word Lady Elspeth was saying. The sight of Annabelle’s gloved hand touching Murdock’s sleeve was burned into David’s brain, making him want to punch something.
Damn. If there had ever been any doubt, there was none now. He was definitely jealous of Murdock.
Chapter Twenty-Two
David strode into the salon at Bell’s town house the next morning, completely resolute. Today would be his last lesson. He didn’t care how much more he needed to learn. Spending more time with Annabelle was a bad idea for several reasons.
If he was smitten with her, it certainly wouldn’t help things to continue to spend more time with her. And if he wasn’t smitten with her… Well, all signs currently pointed to his being smitten and he certainly didn’t want to make more of an arse out of himself than he already had.
Additionally, after yesterday’s meeting in the park, David couldn’t bear to listen to her deny the fact that she was allowing Murdock to court her. It was none of David’s business, true, but he also didn’t need to continue to expose himself to the harsh reality that if Annabelle was interested in being courted, it was clearly by the Marquess of Murdock and not him.
Regardless, the less time David spent with Annabelle in future, the better. Starting with an end to the lessons.
Besides, Annabelle had said a few things recently that made him think the lessons were already coming to an end soon. They’d planned to finish before the weddings, and the weddings were in only a few days’ time. Whatever else he needed to learn, perhaps she could include in this last day’s lesson. Speed things up. Regardless, he’d rather take his chances on being uneducated in Society than to spend another excruciating day in Annabelle’s company, wanting to kiss her again but knowing he could not.
He stepped into the salon and stopped short. Marianne was there, pacing in front of the fireplace. She had a worried look on her face.
“David,” came Annabelle’s startled voice. His gaze swung toward the window where Annabelle was sitting on the settee, fidgeting with a handkerchief.
He frowned. “My apologies for interrupting, ladies. Were you not expecting me?”
“Oh, er, yes, of course,” Annabelle hastened to say, standing. “It’s just that…I didn’t realize it was already ten.”
Marianne turned toward David and he could read the worry in her bright blue eyes. “How do you think I should handle it, David?”
David frowned. “Handle what?” He had no earthly idea what they were talking about.
Annabelle stood and made her way over to Marianne. She wrapped an arm across Marianne’s shoulders. “I’m certain your brother isn’t interested in such inane details.”
“Inane?” Marianne replied, clearly still upset. “But I have no idea how I’m going to tell Julianna that you’ve invited Lord Murdock to her wedding. She won’t be pleased.”
David frowned. “Lady Julianna and Lord Murdock breaking off their wedding was done so with animosity, I take it.”
“Yes,” Marianne replied. “Awful animosity. I remembered Julianna telling me at Christmastide that Lord Murdock hadn’t taken it well, but to be honest, I’d forgotten the details. When I spoke to Julianna yesterday, thinking our dear Annabelle here might be developing an affection for Lord Murdock, Julianna reminded me of all the awful things—”
“Now, now, Marianne,” Annabelle said, patting Marianne on the back and ushering her toward the salon door. “I told you. I’ll handle it. In fact, I’ll pay a call to Lady Julianna this afternoon and explain everything. If you’ll excuse us, your brother and I must begin our lesson. Mama will be here any moment. I’ll walk you to the front door.”
David’s brows shot up, but he watched in fascinated silence as Annabelle ushered his sister out of the salon. Clearly Annabelle didn’t want him to hear any more of Marianne’s concerns. That was curious.
Marianne nodded and dutifully made her way to the door. David waved to his sister, and she waved back, but the look of apprehension remained on her face as she and Annabelle slipped into the foyer.
Several minutes later, Annabelle came hurrying back into the room. She seemed slightly flustered but cleared her throat and smoothed a hand down her bright yellow skirts.
“Marianne seemed upset,” David offered, wondering how much Annabelle would give away.
“No, no. She’s fine. It will be fine,” Annabelle replied, in a voice that was too loud and too bright. “I’ll speak to Lady Julianna myself. Nothing to worry about. Now, shall we begin?” She glanced around as if looking for something.
David arched a brow and leaned back against the nearby wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why do I have the distinct impression you don’t want to discuss this subject with me?”
Annabelle pushed a lock of blond hair behind her ear. She did not meet his gaze. “I’m glad to hear your impression is distinct, because that’s precisely the case. I don’t want to discuss the subject with you.”