Page 41 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

“Why not?” he grinned, “Oh! Because when you finally met him, you realized just how accurate my impression of Steepwharf was, didn’t you?”

“That’s beside the point!” She shook her head. “I thought you wanted me to take my lessons seriously?”

“I am being serious!” Duncan exclaimed, seizing this opportunity to reach for another biscuit. “This is exactly how Lord Direpeak sounds, I’m telling you.”

“Your Grace…” she groaned, “Please!”

Yielding to her wishes, Duncan repeated himself but in his normal voice. “Why yes, Lady Penelope, I often advise parents of unruly boys to send them for fencing lessons. I truly believe it is good for the soul.”

She tucked her hair behind her ears. “If you ever need a new sparring partner…”

Now it was Duncan’s turn to interrupt.

“That’s enough!” he guffawed, throwing his head back in laughter. “While I appreciate the direction you were attempting to take, I don’t know if it would have produced the results you were looking for.”

She laughed along. “In isolation, I’ll admit that it is a rather jarring jump to make, but that’s only because we dove right into it instead of letting the conversation flow naturally,” she huffed.

“It was a valiant attempt, Lady Pen,” he concurred. “And while you are an excellent conversationalist, flirting is a different sport entirely. For flirting, focus less on making the conversation pleasant, and more on making it intoxicating.”

His companion blinked at him. “But how exactly does one do that?” she asked, refilling her teacup.

“It’s all about the details,” he explained. “Take your mention of fencing for example. You noted that it requires a partner, that’s a good start. But did you note what else is involved in the sport that you could have drawn attention to instead? Like the exertion, the sweat, the intensit-”

“Your Grace!” she exclaimed in horror, “I couldn’t possibly employ such obscene language!”

“Certainly not while my mother is chaperoning you.” He shuddered, “But I’m sure Lord Direpeak or another gentleman wouldn’t object at all if similar sentiments were conveyed through a letter or-”

“Absolutely not!” She shuddered, jumping up from her seat.

“I’m not saying you have to use those exact terms.” He waved both hands gently in an attempt to calm her down. “That was just one possibility. There are far less extreme ones for you to take, of course.”

“For example?” she asked, both hands on her hips.

“For example…” He cleared his throat, looking around the room for anything he could use.

His eyes landed on the pianoforte. “Do you play, Lady Penelope?” He gestured towards the instrument.

“Yes, I do, Lord Direpeak.”

Duncan stood up. “Then may I see your hands?”

She obliged, allowing him to take both of her hands in his. “Are you inspecting my fingers to see whether I’m lying?”

“Admittedly, I don’t know how to do that at all.” He smiled, meeting her gaze. “I just wanted an excuse to hold your hands.”

Lady Penelope laughed once again—it was a sound he found himself appreciating every time he heard it. And was he imagining it or were her cheeks slightly pinker as well?

“See? A far less extreme example.” He straightened up, gently releasing her hands. “But the principles remained the same, through humor and a focus on the right details involving her interest—that is, her hands and the pianoforte—I engaged my listener and endeared her to me. Now you try.”

His student sucked in a deep breath to steel herself—which Duncan already found endearing in itself.

After a brief pause, she began her attempt.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Lord Direpeak, what literature have you been reading lately?”

Duncan paused to consider how the earl himself would have probably answered, “I’ve been working my way through a number of botanical treatises given my interest in the subject, but I wouldn’t want to bore you with the details, Lady Penelope.”

“Ah, so you enjoy gardening, then?” she beamed. “So that means you’re a man who knows how to cherish and nurture, then?” she teased.

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