Jacintha knocked lightly on her father’s study door, hearing voices coming from within. She waited until she was called to enter, only to see none other than Lord Slate inside.

She stopped dead, staring at him.

“Jacintha,” her father said, warmly. “Lord Slate came to introduce himself to me only this afternoon.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Of course, I am entirely unaware as to what my daughters get up to when they are out and about within society, for I can very rarely find the energy to go to such things. Thankfully, their older married sister, Jessica, can chaperone them.”

“And a wonderful job she does too,” Lord Slate replied, with a slight bow. Coming towards Jacintha, he bowed deeply and smiled at her, his eyes bright and alive with happiness. “Might I call upon you tomorrow, Lady Jacintha?”

Jacintha could not quite think clearly, her mind working furiously to make sense of why Lord Slate was in her father’s study.

“Tomorrow, Jacintha?” her father repeated, a little loudly. “With Lord Slate?”

“Y-yes, of course,” Jacintha answered, closing her eyes and shaking her head just a little. “I do apologize, Lord Slate. I am just a little tired after last evening.”

Lord Slate chuckled and made to reach for her hand but Jacintha quickly put both hands behind her back, clasping them together. She did not want a repeat of what had occurred last evening.

“Then, I shall bid you a good day,” Lord Slate continued, after a slightly awkward pause. “Thank you for meeting me, Your Grace. I do hope to see you again.”

The Duke nodded and smiled, his eyes glancing towards Jacintha who managed to give Lord Slate an over bright smile as he left the room. She let out a long breath as the door closed behind him, making her father frown.

“Jacintha, you were a little rude there,” her father said quietly, gesturing for her to come to sit across from him. “Whatever is the matter?”

“Lord Slate came to see you?”

“Yes, of course he did,” her father replied, with a slight frown. “Why would he not? He thought it best to introduce himself, given that he has already called upon you once before when I was not at home.”

Jacintha sighed and sat down carefully in the chair, not quite sure how to explain herself. “What did he want?” she asked, worried that Lord Slate had asked her father whether or not he could court her. “Was it merely an introduction?”

“Yes, just that,” her father replied, looking more confused than ever.

“He did not ask you anything more than that?” Her heart began to pound, worried that Lord Slate had made more of his introduction than he ought, that he had not listened to her request to become a little better acquainted with him.

“Indeed not, Jacintha, it was merely an introduction,” her father reassured her, frowning a little. “I do not understand, however. I thought you liked the man.”

Now it came Jacintha’s turn to frown. “Where did you hear that?”

“Harmonia has spoken to me of him,” he said, with a small shrug. “She is very good at telling me all that is going on.”

Jacintha sighed and rolled her eyes, making her father laugh. “I suppose she is very good at keeping you informed, is she not?”

He shook his head, a wide smile on his face. “She has no suitors of her own, Jacintha, although I am sure she would tell me if she did. Harmonia is caught up in her own thoughts about love and matrimony, just as you are.”

“I have never wanted a marriage with love and affection, papa,” Jacintha said, slowly, “For I have only ever considered a marriage of convenience.”

“And you do not think that Lord Slate is a suitable gentleman?”

The bewilderment on her father’s face made Jacintha smile, aware that her own heart was just as conflicted. “I am aware of just how strange this must sound, papa, but I am not quite sure about Lord Slate. I wish to get to know him better before I consider anything more.”

Her father nodded slowly. “That is indeed wise, my dear. Your acquaintance is of short duration, is it not?”

“A sennight, papa.”

“Then I think your plan a wise one, although I would urge you to consider Lord Slate seriously. He is a good man, by all accounts, with wealth and holdings to keep you in comfort for the rest of your days.” Seeing Jacintha’s astonished look, the Duke laughed aloud. “My dear Jacintha, did you not think that I would look into the man the very moment Harmonia mentioned that he was eager in his pursuit of you? I may not be able to attend balls and the like with you, but I have always been determined to do everything I can to aid you in your search for a suitable husband.”

Jacintha felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes, blinking them away rapidly. Her father, she knew, cared for them all very deeply and this was his way of showing it.

“You are very dear to me, Jacintha, but I want you to ensure that this gentleman – or whichever gentleman you choose – is the right one. Marriage is not something that can simply be discarded whenever you wish it, so make sure you choose wisely.”

“Thank you, papa,” Jacintha murmured, getting to her feet and dropping a kiss to his cheek. “You are very good to me.”

He smiled and caught her hand. “You are a wonderful daughter, Jacintha, never doubt it. Whoever has you for their wife will be blessed indeed.”

As she left the study, Jacintha found herself almost on the verge of tears. She could not tell whether or not it was because of her father’s kindness or if it was to do with Lord Slate.

“Jacintha!” Harmonia exclaimed, as she came into the drawing room. “Did I see Lord Slate coming from father’s study?” Her eyes were wide, an excited smile on her lips but Jacintha waved her questions away, shaking her head.

“I am not engaged if that is what you are to ask me,” she said, quickly, seeing the smile fall from Harmonia’s lips. “And glad not to be, I confess.”

Harmonia frowned, sitting back down in her chair. “Oh.”

“Lord Slate was just coming to make himself known to papa.”

“Oh,” Harmonia said again, still frowning. “And here I thought that….”

Jacintha shook her head, letting out a long breath of relief. “No indeed, and I am glad for it. Only last evening Lord Slate asked if he might court me and I told him no.”

“You did?” Harmonia asked, sounding most surprised. “But I thought you liked him.”

“I do,” Jacintha admitted, sitting down beside her sister. “However, last evening I found him rather forward.” Briefly, she described what had occurred, missing out the part about Henry seeing them. “I told him that I wished to get to know him a little better first, and I am glad to have said such a thing. I think it is best before one commits to courtship.”

“Indeed it is,” Harmonia breathed, her eyes wide. “I am surprised he took such liberties in the middle of the ballroom.”

Jacintha sighed heavily and rested her head on the chair. “As am I,” she said, quietly.

There was silence for some moments. Jacintha was caught up in her thoughts, still confused over Henry’s anger and Lord Slate’s intentions. She had been surprised to see Lord Slate at her father’s door, for it felt as though he were staking his claim on her in some way. But, then again, she could not forget that he gave every appearance of a good nature, that he had good conversation and was handsome as well. There was no reason she should not seriously consider him.

But yet, she could not forget the emotions that had risen in her when Henry had taken her in his arms. They had danced the waltz and she had done all she could to try and persuade him that she did not care about him in the least – when the truth was quite the opposite. Her heart had quickened its pace, memories of the times they had spent together pouring into her mind. When he had pulled her a little closer, she had felt herself tremble. There had been no such emotion with Lord Slade.

Giving herself a slight shake, Jacintha gave herself a stern talking to. Lord Slate was quite a charming gentleman and her papa was quite right to say that she should take his proposal seriously. He had wealth, houses, status and a good family – all in all, everything a Duke’s daughter could ask for. And yet, there was still something holding her back.

“By the way, I received a note from Claudia inviting us for tea tomorrow,” Harmonia said, breaking into her thoughts. “It arrived earlier this afternoon, and I have not replied yet. I thought to ask you first.”

The thought of possibly running into Henry made Jacintha wince inwardly.

“She says that Henry has left home for a time,” Harmonia murmured, picking up the note and handing it to Jacintha. “She would like to introduce us to her betrothed, Lord Barker.”

“Henry has left home?”

Harmonia looked over at her sharply. “Yes, so she says. I do not know why.”

Jacintha frowned and tried to shrug, pretending that it did not matter. “Of course, it does not matter. I was just surprised to hear that he had gone when I only spoke to him last evening.”

“Mayhap it was a sudden decision,” Harmonia replied. “Anyway, should you like to go? I think I would like to meet Lord Barker. He has been away on business since we came to London but is back now. I am quite sure Claudia would be more than delighted if we agreed.”

Jacintha nodded and tried to smile. “Of course we shall go. I would very much like to meet her betrothed.”

“Very good, I shall write back at once,” Harmonia declared, with a wide smile. She made her way over to the writing desk by the window and sat to write immediately.

Jacintha let her gaze rove over the room, trying not to think on Henry. She ought not to even be thinking of him when there was so much else going on with Lord Slate, but the fact that he had suddenly left town dogged her mind. Where had he gone? Why had he left so suddenly? She hoped desperately that it was not because of what he had witnessed, although she could not think why that would make him quit London.

Shaking her head to herself, Jacintha sat up a little straighter and resolved to put Henry out of her mind. She would not ask Claudia about him, nor even mention his absence again. She had Lord Slate to think of, for he might very easily become her future, and that was what was most important. She had asked Lord Slate if they might get to know each other a little better and that was what she intended to do. There was no space for any other consideration. Her father thought Lord Slate was a good match and his desire was for her to marry and settle. She did not want love - more a marriage of convenience – and Lord Slate offered all of that.

So why was she still thinking about Henry?