Page 50 of Seduced By the Rakish Duke

She tried dropping her shoulders to give off a more casual appearance. She lightly chuckled at Dovegrove’s mention of Lord Banefield while she let her finger trace the rim of her teacup. She watched as his eyes tracked the movement.

“Yes, I was very lucky where Lord Banefield is concerned.” She kept her voice light and airy like David taught her. Her heart lurched at the thought of him.

Pushing her pain aside, she watched Dovegrove’s cravat bob as he swallowed.

She tilted her head. “Tell me, Your Grace, do you enjoy… dancing.”

She felt like a complete dolt spacing out her words. But believe it or not, the Duke was watching her lips form every word she spoke.

They really are simple fools.

Dovegrove put his cup down on the table next to him and rubbed the palms of his hands on his trousers—a sign that he was nervous. “If the occasion calls for it, I have been known to be an adequate dance partner.”

Oh, adequate? How exciting.

Jenny had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from rolling her eyes. Maybe Frannie was onto something. Maybe she did enjoy the more scandalous side of life.

“Well then, I hope one day I will get the chance to have an adequate dance partner.” She smiled and lowered her eyes.

After hearing the words leave her mouth, she crossed her fingers, hoping the gesture came across as inviting and not sarcastic.

Dovegrove’s low chuckle had her looking back up.

“It would be my honor to dance with you, Miss Bennett. I will make sure that mine is the first name on your dance card at the next ball. Well before Lord Banefield’s,” he added with a wink.

Jenny smiled, knowing it didn’t reach her eyes. However, Dovegrove didn’t seem to notice.

David would have.

Jenny shook the intrusive thought away. She cleared her throat. “I would like that, Your Grace.”

At that, the Duke stood up. “I fear I must get going, Miss Bennett. I have some business to attend to.”

Jenny set her teacup down on the table to walk him to the door of the drawing room.

He took her hand and kissed the back of it once more. “Thank you for seeing me today. I look forward to calling on you again.”

She could only offer a slight nod of acknowledgment before he turned and walked out of the house.

Jenny leaned against the doorframe, closing her eyes. Tears stung the back of her eyes, but she was determined to hold them back.

“He seems like a good man, Miss,” Martha offered, her voice soft.

Jenny sighed. “He does.”

She made her way to her room. After closing the door behind her, she expected the tears to fall, but none came.

She sat on her bed, looking out over the garden. Her mind replayed her times with David. The darkness of the library, the glow of the ballroom. She could still feel his touch lingering on her neck and the way his whisper sent shivers down her spine.

She only met the Duke of Dovegrove this one time, but she couldn’t see him eliciting such reactions from her. The first time she met David in that darkened library, something changed within her, and she knew on some level that something was happening between them.

She looked down at her fingers, tracing the spot Dovegrove kissed. There was no visceral reaction to the kiss, nothing branded into her skin to remind her of his actions. Yet, all David had to do was look into her eyes and she would be completely and utterly lost to him.

She lay back on her bed and let out a small laugh. All she ever wanted was to find a good match and live a happy little life with a man who loved her. That future could be within her grasp, only it would most likely be with a man like Dovegrove. Not David.

Was that something she could live with?

She rubbed her eyes. It had to be. Right then and there, she became determined to finally put David behind her. She was moving on. She will find her match, and she will be happy.

---