Page 21 of It's In The Duke's Kiss
Her eyes widened. “You do?”
“Yes. Now, tell me, what would your mother like to change about you?”
She couldn’t have resisted telling him, even if she wanted to. She felt languid and warm staring into his eyes, as if someone had given her a dose of laudanum. “For one thing, she’d much prefer I not speak my mind so freely. And she’d love for me to be more accomplished in feminine endeavors.”
“Such as?”
“Oh, pianoforte and embroidery, to begin with.”
He nodded. “But you don’t care for those things?”
“I like gardening, racing horses, and painting. But Mother says a lady isn’t supposed to get her hands dirty, nor should a lady care to compete. Unless it’s for a gentleman, of course.” She rolled her eyes.
The duke roared with laugher. It was a deep belly laugh, and she found she could not help but join him. Soon, they were laughing so hard they both had tears in their eyes, and when she finally got herself under control, she realized her sister’s singing had stopped and Lady Francine had ceased playing the pianoforte. A quick survey of the room confirmed her worry that everyone was looking at them.
Emma tried to discretely nudge the duke’s leg to get him to stop laughing. When he didn’t respond, she hissed, “Your Grace!”
He swiped at his eyes as his laughter died, and when she tilted her head toward the room at large, his gaze darted around at the faces turned in their direction. All traces of merriment slipped away, replaced by a blank facade.
“Do you care to tell us all what’s so amusing?” Nathan asked from across the room, his tone churlish.
“Not particularly,” Blackbourne replied and abruptly stood. “Why don’t we stroll in the gardens?” he suggested, as if to everyone but turned his gaze to her once more. And this time a shiver of anticipation stole through her. So far, he was not at all as she had thought, and the idea of walking with him thrilled her.
When he proffered his arm to her, she stood and started to take it, but his great-uncle spoke. “Blackbourne, let your brother stroll with the ladies. I need to speak with you for a moment in the library.”
The duke looked as if he was going to refute his great-uncle, but he finally nodded and offered her a quick bow. “Perhaps another time,” he said, and she could have sworn she heard regret in his voice.
She nodded. “I hope so.”
“Then we shall make it so,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips before he followed his great-uncle from the room.
