She sounded calm, yet Simon saw the wariness in her eyes. “Whatever the reason, it was important enough that you had no one accompany you and had disguised yourself in old clothes. Were you collecting something or meeting someone?”
“What I do is of no concern to you, my lord, nor do I care for your line of questioning.”
She was trying to remain in control. Her hands were not clenched, nor did she betray how she was feeling in gestures, but she was scared and he didn’t like that, because to his knowledge, nothing scared her. But most of all, he didn’t like to think she was ill or suffering in any way. He had thought long and hard about what might have put her in that lane today and none of his ideas had been pleasant. “Are you sick, Claire?”
“Please, Simon, just leave this alone.”
The use of his name surprised him. She was never informal with him or anyone besides Daniel and Eva. Claire kept people at a distance and behaved at all times in the correct manner. She was the woman most mothers held up to their daughters as the pinnacle of excellence. Miss Belmont has such impeccable manners, Simon had heard mothers say to their offspring. You should try to emulate her. “I could help you if you would just tell me what’s wrong, Claire.”
She sucked in a breath at his words, which told Simon the matter was an important one to her. He touched her chin, lifting it until their eyes met. He saw the pallor of her skin in the moonlight. There were dark smudges beneath her eyes that she had tried to hide with whatever women used. He cupped her cheek, running his thumb down the satin skin, enjoying the warmth of her. “Talk to me, Claire.”
To his surprise, she briefly leaned in to him, closing her eyes on a gentle sigh.
“You look tired.”
She wrapped her fingers around his wrist. “Please, Simon, do not pursue this matter, I beg of you.”
“Claire,” he whispered. “Please tell me why you were in that lane.”
“There is nothing to tell, my lord. I was with my maid and you startled me.”
“I saw no maid.” Simon knew the moment of weakness had gone when she pushed his hand aside.
“She was in a shop,” she snapped. “Furthermore, I would be grateful if you did not continue with this line of questioning now or in the future.”
Without physically restraining her, Simon could not stop her from stepping around him, so instead, he watched her walk away and disappear back through the doors. Following a few minutes later, he saw her beside Daniel and Eva.
“Hello, Simon.”
“Daniel,” Simon said, stopping beside Claire, standing as close as propriety allowed and close enough to unnerve her.
“Good evening, Duchess.” He bowed deeply. “May I say how beautiful you are in that dress? The color is really quite something on you.”
“She may believe your compliments, were they not delivered with such a ferocious frown on your face, Kelkirk.”
Simon glared at his friend, who, in turn, lifted one eyebrow and smiled back.
“I was not scowling–I was squinting,” Simon said, wondering what had come over him. He didn’t squint. Actually, he rarely scowled either. It was Claire. She was addling his wits.
“Ah, I believe for some, loss of sight comes with age.”
“You’re older than me,” Simon snapped.
“And surprisingly, I have perfect eyesight. Perhaps I’m just aging better than you.”
They were longstanding friends, he and the Duke of Stratton, and for many years they had lived the single lives of consummate rakes. However Daniel had married Eva, and after a tumultuous beginning, they had grown to love each other very much. Watching his friend look at his wife now, his eyes full of love and devotion, Simon felt an arrow of jealousy. He’d never wanted wedded bliss, or even the companionship of marriage, yet seeing the love Daniel and Eva shared, he wondered if he’d been wrong.
“Is that a paunch?” Simon felt marginally better when the duke looked down at his stomach. Of course it was flat, yet the taunt had produced a reaction, as he’d wanted.
“And they say women are vain.”
Claire’s words gave Simon the opportunity to look at her, and he noted she had recovered fully from the momentary weakness she had shown him just minutes ago. In fact, she had that complacent smile firmly in place and was once again the impeccable Miss Belmont, and he wanted to shake her.
“Are you suggesting I’m vain, Miss Belmont?”
“Of course I am. In fact, I would go so far as saying you spend as much time on your appearance as I.”
“Daniel’s the same, Claire–he spends a ridiculous amount of time in front of the mirror tying and retying his neckcloth,” Eva said.