Page 116 of The Duke's Inconvenient Bride
She made her way gracefully down the stairs, and he met her at the bottom, automatically taking her arm. He inhaled, and the scent of vanilla tickled his nostrils.
Damn, she was tempting.
“You are beautiful,” he said.
She looked away.
He frowned. That wouldn’t do. Gently, he gripped her chin and tilted her face toward him.
“I mean it,” he said. “You’re the most captivating woman I’ve ever known.”
The skin beneath those freckles over her nose turned pink.
“You look very handsome too,” she said softly, finally raising her gaze to his. “I shall be the envy of every woman at the opera.”
“And I the envy of every man.”
Her lips curled in a way that said she didn’t quite believe him, so he’d just have to prove her wrong for doubting him.
He walked her out to where the carriage waited and helped her in, then followed her inside. The door closed, encapsulating them in the dim interior, the low light somehow making it seem more intimate.
As the carriage began to move, Vaughan took Emma’s hand.
“I wish I had done this right from the beginning,” he told her. “I should have taken you to balls and opera, and allowed the ton to see me courting you.”
Her breath stuttered between her lips. “Things were different then.”
“I know. But that doesn’t stop me from imagining how it could have been.”
He held her close until they arrived at the opera house. They joined the queue of carriages waiting outside. When it was their turn to disembark, Vaughan tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her through the ten-foot-high doorway and into the building.
He’d forgotten just how golden everything was. The walls were gilded, as were the painting frames, and he suspected they’d have used gold thread for the chairs if it had been within the budget.
People turned and stared. He was used to prolonged glances. It was part of being a duke. But tonight, there were even more than he was accustomed to. Perhaps because this was the first time he’d attended an evening event with his duchess.
Whispers started nearby and spread quickly. He couldn’t make out the words, nor did he care to. Hopefully Emma wouldn’t be distressed by the gossip.
She leaned closer to him. “Do you get the impression they are talking about us?”
His lips twitched. “I do.”
“What do you suppose they’re saying?” she asked.
He dipped his head and breathed her in. Delicious.
“I suspect they’re saying that I’m the luckiest fool in all of London to have taken you off the market,” he said.
She chuckled. “I think it’s more likely they’re wondering how I persuaded you to swap one sister for the other.”
“It doesn’t matter what they’re saying,” he told her. “All that matters is the fact that I’m with you.”
He puffed his chest as they passed through the foyer. This stunning woman was his duchess, and everyone here knew it. There were times when being the center of attention—especially in a crush such as this—would put him on edge, but for now, he couldn’t feel anything other than pride.
They took the stairs to Vaughan’s viewing box, where Longley was already waiting with his mother. The dowager countess’s eyes crinkled as she greeted Vaughan warmly. He’d always liked her more than his own parents.
“This must be the duchess,” the dowager countess said, sweeping into a curtsey. “It’s an honor to meet you properly, Your Grace.”
“The honor is all mine,” Emma said, looking charmed. “I beg your pardon for saying so, but you’re awfully young to have an adult son.”
