Page 64 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
“Jasmine, are you all right?” Rose asked, peering closely at her.
“An insect must have flown into my eyes,” Jasmine replied as her eyes watered even more. However, the more she wiped at her eyes, the more the tears came, and when she realized that the tears would not stop anytime soon, she decided to leave the table.
“Excuse me for a moment,” she said, “I am not feeling so well.”
She half-ran from the table before anyone could ask her what the problem was as she did not trust herself not to burst into tears if she was questioned.
ChapterTwenty-One
Jasmine broke into tears as soon as she got into the powder room. However, she had not spent a moment in the powder room when the door opened. Jasmine quickly wiped the tears off her face as Rose entered.
“You do not have to hide your tears,” Rose said.
“I am sorry. Something flew into my eyes, and I have been having difficulty getting it out,” Jasmine muttered as she dabbed at her eyes again.
“Jasmine, you do not have to lie to me,” Rose said to her.
Jasmine gasped as she regarded her sister.
Have I been so obvious at the table? Does everyone in the Ton now know that Axel and I have been spending more time together than was proper?
“You do not have to panic, Jasmine,” Rose soothed. “I do not believe anyone else at the table noticed what I noticed.”
“And what did you notice, Rose?” Jasmine asked her sister.
“I saw how you glanced at him at every turn. I noticed how you hung on every word that came out of his mouth. I noticed how your face fell, and your eyes watered when he announced that he would be leaving London for Norway,” Rose explained.
Jasmine was shocked at how much her sister seemed to have noticed.
“And you do not have to worry. No one else at the table has the kind of observation skills I possess,” Rose said.
Jasmine laughed amidst her tears.
“I can see why you like him. For someone who has been bullied by the Ton, he seems to be a brilliant man who knows how to hold his own,” Rose complimented.
Jasmine nodded even as she wiped the tears off.
“Jasmine, I think you should follow your heart,” Rose suggested suddenly.
“But I do not know how to do that,” Jasmine said.
“You know what you want, don’t you?” Rose asked.
Jasmine nodded. “I want him. I do not want him to leave, and I want to spend all my time around him…I love him,” Jasmine replied.
Even she was surprised at the words she had just uttered.
“Now, all you have to do is tell him,” Rose told her. Jasmine could not believe her ears. She did not believe that her sister would encourage her to do this.
“What have you done with my sister?” Jasmine asked, smiling.
Rose shrugged. “I have always been this way. I believe in going after what I want, and I believe more people should do that. Now, go ahead. Every moment is precious right now.”
Jasmine made to leave, but she was again discouraged by her thoughts.
“But Rose, what if he does not feel the same way for me?” she asked.
Rose sighed as she placed a hand on Jasmine’s shoulder.
