Page 62 of Seduced By the Rakish Duke

Harry sighed and held her shoulders with his hands, looking into her eyes. “I don’t expect you to be the disciplinarian, my sweet. I just expect you to back upmydiscipline.”

“Oh.” Jenny resumed walking with the now-skipping Elizabeth. But then she stopped again. “Wait. Am I to have no say in how we raise Elizabeth?” She cocked her head.

Harry once again sighed. “I’m not saying that… Well, not exactly. Elizabeth is a special child who needs a firm hand. As her father, I can do that. But as you can see…” He pointed to Elizabeth, who was trying to kick a stone at a duck. “She needs more attention than I alone can give her.”

Jenny processed his words. They didn’t sit right with her. However, he never showed any signs of aggression or ill behavior towards her or anyone else. It was not like he was saying that he beat the poor child. Some discipline was good for children.

For instance, if Jenny wasn’t concerning herself over their differing parenting styles, she would most likely be disciplining Elizabeth on successfully hitting the duck with the stone.

If she truly looked at the situation, Harry was acting like his peers did where their children were concerned. Maybe more so.

Jenny decided to drop the conversation. Maybe all Elizabeth needed was a mother figure in her life. After all, she had Frances to help her become accustomed to high society. Jenny could do that for Elizabeth.

“Miss Jenny, are you going to marry my papa?”

Harry sputtered in front of them. His face turned bright red as his eyes bulged at his daughter’s question.

Jenny did her best to cover her giggle, but his expression was too comical not to laugh. “Well, not one to beat around the bush, are you?” she asked while swinging Elizabeth’s hand as they continued past Harry, who was now trying to regain his composure.

The little girl tilted her head to the side and looked around. “I’m not by a bush?”

Jenny laughed. “No, sweetheart, that’s not what I meant. It’s a saying. It means you say what’s on your mind. I like that about you.”

Elizabeth beamed up at her. “Papa and Mrs. Winslow say I need to…” She paused, screwing up her face in concentration. “Stop… before… I speak.”

Jenny looked over at Harry, who was now walking alongside them. “Well, yes. There is an appropriate time and place for all conversations, and you must stop and think if this is the correct place to say what you’re thinking.”

Elizabeth looked up at her father. “Is this the appropriate time for me to ask if she’s going to marry you?”

Harry opened his mouth and closed it, only to open it once more. And close it again.

Jenny took pity on the man. He seemed to really struggle with the precocious child.

“No, Elizabeth. This is not the appropriate time or place.”

“Actually,” Harry interjected, surprising her, “why not?”

It was Jenny’s turn to stare, her mouth hanging open. “Excuse me?”

“Why not here? It’s a beautiful day. I was going to ask you when we returned to the parlor anyway. Why not discuss it here?” His voice held no pretenses or emotion.

Discuss it here.

As if they were negotiating a business deal and not the rest of their lives.

Jenny felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She felt as if everything was happening too fast, even though she’d known for a month this was inevitable. Still, at this moment, she felt completely unprepared for the question.

“Because it is not proper.”

She knew he was one for propriety. Surely, he wouldn’t profess his love for her out in the open in front of strangers and cause a scene.

Harry’s expression turned nervous. He looked around, taking in the couples and groups walking nearby, giving them odd looks as they passed.

She sighed a breath of relief.

Ah. That worked.

Harry shrugged. “I guess it’s a bit uncouth. However, I’ve already talked to your brother about an agreement, so whether it’s in a parlor or this lovely park, I say we make it official.”

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