The Bachelor Earl - Darcy Burke Page 0,2

to mother him, and for that, she was grateful. He’d taken his father’s death perhaps even harder than Genie. He’d certainly spent the last two years proving he would be as excellent a duke as his father had been.

“Right. I like to dance too. Hopefully, I’m still as spry as I was in my youth.” Sterling chuckled. He looked to be around the same age as Genie, with some gray streaking his dark hair. He was attractive in a distinguished, mature way. What did that even mean? It meant she hadn’t considered anyone attractive since she’d met Jerome almost twenty years ago. “I hope you’ll save me one this evening?”

“Certainly.” Genie’s stomach made another desperate sound, much to her horror.

Sterling chuckled again. “Shall we move to the refreshments?”

“Yes, please.” Genie continued toward the table, and from the corner of her eye caught Lord Satterfield watching her.

You find him attractive.

Yes, she did. Fine. So she hadn’t found anyone attractive except Lord Satterfield since Jerome.

Heat jumped through her again as she picked up a plate and selected a few items to eat. Glancing about for somewhere safe to partake, her gaze landed on a small, and thankfully empty, seating area on the opposite side of the room.

Genie strode there with purpose, eager to satisfy her hunger and be on her way to her room to fortify herself for the evening ahead. Fortify herself? Was she going into battle?

She was being quite absurd. This was a harmless house party, meant to help her transition from mourning back to life. But what life was that exactly?

Reaching the seating area, Genie sank into a chair and took a bite of a small sandwich. The ham was deliciously smoked. She briefly closed her eyes in delight.

“Good sandwich?” The masculine voice nearly made her choke. She opened her eyes, swallowing, as she looked up.

Lord Satterfield sat down beside her. His dark eyes perused her with warm appreciation. He was broad shouldered and fit, with a handsome visage marked by a small but distinctive cleft in his chin and the sort of angular cheekbones that made them look as if they’d been sculpted. His dark hair was thinning, resulting in a wide, masculine forehead. His dearth of hair did not detract from his good looks in the slightest.

He held a glass of something, brandy perhaps, and raised it to his lips for a sip. Genie fixated on his mouth before realizing—much to her horror—that she was staring. Dropping her gaze to her plate, she finished the last of her ham sandwich.

“My brandy is delicious,” he said, perhaps prompting her that she’d failed to answer his question. Because she’d been too busy staring.

Genie picked up another sandwich. “The ham is quite good. You should try it.” It was a thinly veiled attempt to get him to leave. Why was she so eager for him to go? Wasn’t the point of coming to the party to reestablish social connections?

Taking a deep breath, Genie summoned a smile. Then she took another bite of sandwich. This one was fowl—pheasant, she thought. It wasn’t as good as the ham.

“I’m not terribly hungry,” Satterfield said. “I am thirsty, however.” His eyes sparked with mischief before he took another sip. “I’m trying to think if we’ve met before. I knew your husband, of course. We worked together in the Lords.”

“Did you? Kendal was quite dedicated to reform. Are you?”

“I am indeed. Sometimes it makes me unpopular, but I don’t mind. Kendal didn’t either.”

It felt strange to be discussing her husband, in part because “Kendal” now meant her stepson. In her mind, Titus was still Ravenglass, which had been his courtesy title, but to everyone else, he was now the duke. Genie’s husband—and their time as duke and duchess—was gone.

“Is this difficult?” Satterfield asked softly.

“No.” It shouldn’t be. Quite enough time had passed. “It’s actually nice to speak of him, especially with someone who knew him.”

“I admired him very much, actually. He offered guidance to me when I first came to the Lords—fifteen years ago or so.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. I often called him the Shepherd, for he was fond of guiding everyone who would allow it.” Genie didn’t have to summon the smile that rose to her lips this time.

Satterfield smiled with her. “What an excellent name for him. I wish I’d known to call him that.”

For the first time since her arrival, Genie began to relax. Perhaps this would be just what she needed.

Satterfield studied her a moment. “I was surprised to see you