Chapitre 16: Suitors

The rest of the ball was a blur. I must have danced with at least two dozen different prospective suitors.

None of them asked me any interesting questions. All were complimentary of my beauty. Most seemed to think that I was nothing more than a pretty, empty-headed doll.

Not the frightening duke though. He complimented my intelligence. And that weird guy, Al. He seemed more like someone from my world than anyone else I had met here. Maybe that was why I had fun with him.

The next day our house was flooded with bouquets and calling cards from potential suitors but the one that stood out to me most was the bag of cream puffs from Carmine's Bakery. The calling card simply had an A on it. I'm pretty sure it was from Al. So he still wanted to hide his full name, huh?

Father had a book of nobility lineage in his library that I read when I first got here so I would know who was who. I mentally went through the list of all the names that included 'Al.'

Baron Albert Jondein. Viscount Alexei Milkovich. Marquis Alton Brunner. Baronet Graham Aldernash. And of course, Prince Alpheus, but that was ridiculous because he had surely already met Marcy at this point. A bookworm like me couldn't compare to her radiance.

I couldn't put a face to any of those names though. And what if he was somebody's son? Only the current and past titleholders were in that book.

The curiosity was eating me alive. I had no interest in any of these other suitors. Not that I was THAT kind of interested in Al.

I had no desire to marry any of these stuffy noblemen. I wanted love and that would only happen with an average Joe of this world who would like me for me, not my father's title or my ridiculously made up face.

I needed to spend more time in the sun. If I had freckles like Edmund people would be less obsessed with this face. But that blasted countess insists I wear a bonnet if I am outside for more than thirty seconds to prevent that very thing.

Curse her meddling! I want to be normal! NORMAL! Not a porcelain doll!

A stream of suitors paraded in and out of our house during tea time over the following week. Some of them I recognized. Some I did not. I assumed that I danced with all of these hopeless fools or else why would they be here?

One particularly terrible day five of them were there at once all trying to fawn on me. Including that duke. The countess was banking on that duke.

He was the highest ranked and most impressive out of all my suitors. He was even the closest to Catherine's age. The rest were in their twenties.

"Lady du Pont, may I request the honor of taking a turn around the garden with Lady Catherine?" Duke Orla asked flatly while ignoring the swarm of men in the sitting room.

She responded as expected. "Absolutely, Your Grace! I will continue entertaining the rest of the guests. Please take dear Catherine out for a bit of fresh air."

I shot her a look indicating she was a traitor that she pretended not to see. The countess wanted this match more than anything. Her daughter, marrying two ranks above her station? That is every noblewoman's dream!

The duke practically had to drag me out the door. The fresh air was nice but the company was not. He was oddly reminiscent of a little black rain cloud.

Aside from when we first met and that one smile at the ball I have never seen a single expression on his face. And I don't want to go against the main characters by siding with him! I'm not a part of this novel.

"Dearest Lady Catherine, what exactly is it you dislike about me?"

Gee, how did he know? "I don't know what you mean, Your Grace. I have treated you with utmost politeness."

"Politeness, yes, but also coldness. I do not believe that you are a cold person."

"I suppose it takes one to know one," I couldn't resist saying.

He looked at me with his usual blank expression.

"Ah, so that is the issue. You think I have no emotions to spare for you? I assure you, that is not the case. You are by far the most intriguing woman I have ever met. I quite like you."

Ugh, I knew it! He was trying to get me to be his duchess so he could get my political mind on the crown prince's side. I wouldn't do it.

"I'm afraid the feeling is not mutual, Your Grace. I…have someone else in mind."

That was a lie, obviously, but guys like him only back down when they know there isn't a chance.

His blank expression darkened briefly. "And who could that be? Almost none rank higher than I do. I can offer you more than whoever he is."

"I'm afraid you can't," I said stiffly. "He makes me laugh."

Why did that strange guy Al pop into my head? I only chose that attribute because I knew this iceberg couldn't make someone laugh if he tried.

"…I could hire someone to do that for me."

Unbelievable!

"Are you even listening to yourself? I want a husband that I enjoy spending time with. That isn't such an unfathomable thing—you should be able to understand it. Now if you'll excuse me, I feel unwell and must take my leave. My apologies, Your Grace."

With that, I turned on my heel and stomped up to my room without so much as looking at the curious horde still gathered around my mother in hopes of winning my favor.

All this just for a pretty face? Seriously? Had I even spoken more than a sentence to any of those idiots?

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