Lady Eleanor Mary Cantwell, daughter of the Marquess of Salford, is a proper young lady. With her golden complexion, raven-black hair, and manners befitting a princess, Lady Eleanor has always been deemed a belle. There is just one problem.
Lady Ele...
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'I am very glad you could make it, Your Grace,' Lord Gresham said with a huge grin on his face, on Thursday. 'I was not sure if you would accept, were I to be honest.'
Eleanor forced a smile and placed down the cup of tea in her hand. She could not believe her best friend was marrying this man. She could not fathom what Gabby or the Earl saw in him. The man, upon greeting Eleanor on her arrival, had kissed her hand, lingering his lips over her gloves much longer than she - or any woman having morals for that matter - would like and proceeded to lead her into a private chamber sans attendants for tea. The impropriety! No gentleman would dare go to the lengths that Gresham went to and to think that her most dearest friend, the closest she had to a sister, would have to marry the man if all wasn't right...she could not imagine it!
Gabby could not marry him.
'I am glad I could make it as well,' Eleanor replied stiffly, pasting a grin on her face. However much she was revolted by the man's behaviour - which contradicted much with his behaviour when she had first met him - she had to keep up the demeanour of someone who enjoyed his company.
Gresham took a long sip of his tea before he placed his tea down and faced Eleanor with a severe look, something which unnerved her very much. 'Your Grace, I'm afraid I have not been quite honest with you.'
Well, of course, that is no surprise.
'The reason I invited you here today was to ask you for a favour,' he said in severity.
'A favour?' Eleanor asked with quiet exclaim. 'Kind sir, I do not think I will be able to fulfil whatever it is you want me to.'
Gresham laughed. 'Yes, well, you cannot directly help me, Your Grace. The favour, however, can be fulfilled by the Duke if His Grace permits but I think it would be best if it came from you.'
Eleanor internally seethed. The audacity of the man! She was sure any woman would have either slapped the loathsome man by now and left or been a silly chit and give into his whims. Of course the latter would imply that she was just as stupid as almost every woman in the ton nowadays, as someone she would have been had her father not sold her off.
Deciding to gather more information, she smiled coldly and sat back in her chair, looking at Gresham with cool indifference. 'What are you playing at Gresham?' she asked, tilting her chin up. 'You are a gentleman. You know as well as every other well-bred gentleman that one mustn't invite a lady, certainly not a married one, to their home sans husband when said gentleman is also unmarried and without a wife or other female companion.'
The smile on Gresham's face didn't stir in the slightest as he sat back and crossed his leg, regarding Eleanor as coolly as she did him. 'Well, then, why did you accept my invitation, Your Grace?'
'Curiosity,' she replied.
'Then, I presume, His Grace does not know of your visit?'
Eleanor laughed. 'What makes you think I conduct myself privately without my husband's knowledge?'
