The Duke Jokingly Asked Her to Find Him a Wife — “You May Be Looking at Her, Your Grace!”
Chapter 3
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"Well, Miss Bennett," he said, "if you have such remarkable success in arranging happy marriages, perhaps I ought to engage your services.""For what purpose, Your Grace?""To find me a wife, naturally."Florence pressed her lips together; Samuel looked delighted.Cecily tilted her head, considering him with exaggerated seriousness. "A wife for a duke. If the assignment is not too demanding...""Oh, I imagine it would be exceedingly demanding.""Do you?""Certainly. A gentleman who possesses a title, an estate, and presumably a great many opinions would require a wife of unusual patience."Samuel made a choking sound. Maximilian's eyes brightened."You have already formed a rather unfavorable opinion of me.""Not at all, Your Grace. I am merely considering the requirements of the position.""And have you identified any suitable candidates?"Cecily allowed a brief pause. Then, with perfect composure, she answered, "You may be looking at her, Your Grace."For one glorious second, nobody spoke. Florence covered her mouth, Samuel burst into laughter, and Maximilian Ashcombe, Duke of Westhaven, stared at Cecily Bennett as though she had presented him with a particularly delightful puzzle.Then he bowed his head slightly. "Quite possibly, my lady," he replied, his smile deepening. "Quite possibly indeed."The four of them laughed together. It was a harmless exchange, a little wedding-day nonsense—the sort of conversation that would ordinarily be forgotten before the musicians began their next piece. Except that Maximilian did not forget it, and neither, although she would have denied it if asked, did Cecily.For the remainder of the afternoon, Maximilian found himself unexpectedly attentive to the movements of a young woman he had met for less than five minutes. It was not a habit of his. He was not a gentleman who pursued every attractive lady he encountered, nor did he confuse a lively conversation with an invitation to romance. But there was something unusually refreshing about Miss Bennett: she had not appeared impressed by his title, neither had she made a performance of being unimpressed; she had simply spoken to him as though he were a man capable of appreciating a joke. It was a surprisingly rare experience."Do stop looking in that direction," Samuel said beside him.Maximilian turned. "What direction?""The one in which Miss Bennett is standing.""I was observing the musicians.""The musicians are behind you.""Then I must be listening to them."Samuel grinned. "I see marriage has already improved my powers of observation.""It has certainly increased your confidence.""Marriage is an excellent institution, Max.""So you have been telling everyone for the past three hours.""And I intend to continue telling them."Maximilian accepted a glass of wine from a passing servant. "How long have you known Miss Bennett?""Several years. Her father, Edmund Bennett, keeps the district records office. I first met him when I needed copies of some old land documents. Cecily was helping him that day, and she still assists him. She does rather more than assist: Edmund will tell you that half the office would cease to function without her, although she will insist he is exaggerating.""What sort of work?"