Page 28 of Dubious about the Duke (Second Sons of London 5)

He rose and came toward her, taking a chair near hers. “I didn’t wish to disturb you as you played. I am sorry if I upset you. Your playing... it was... as if it told a story. I can’t quite explain my reaction.”

Her radiant smile lit both her face and the room. “That is a lovely compliment, Your Grace. Music does tell a story. Different ones for different people. That is what I love about it. You can hear a piece and create images in your mind. Write your own story. Feel a multitude of emotions. Another person will interpret it entirely different.”

“Win,” he reminded her. “His Grace is for others. Not family and close friends.”

She blushed at his words, making her look like a rose he wished to pluck.

“I know you asked me to do so, Your Grace, but I am not truly family. Besides, men and women are never close friends.”

“I beg to differ,” he said, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his thighs. “Though I haven’t known my friends’ wives for long, I already look upon them as sisters. I believe over the years, friendship between us will grow. The same will be true with us, Sera.”

He deliberately used her first name, liking the sound of it on his lips.

“Only in private, however,” he continued. “Polite Society would be scandalized if we addressed one another in an intimate fashion at one of their gatherings.”

Her blush deepened and he yearned to place his palm against her cheek and feel its heat.

She lowered her gaze. “I understand.”

He didn’t want her to turn shy and hoped she might open up as they talked. She had done so in the carriage, reminding him of how Percy would relax around those he was comfortable with and his shyness would disappear.

“Tell me about how you learned to play,” he urged.

Sera glanced back up and then stood, taking her instrument to a case which was opened on a nearby table. She placed the violin and bow inside and closed it.

“Mama started Minta and me at pianoforte lessons when we were six. I fell in love with music then. Our teacher told our parents that while Minta was an excellent student and would make for a wonderful player, he saw I had a true gift. He urged them to allow me to try an instrument beyond the pianoforte.”

Returning to her seat, she said, “Papa’s government salary was stretched enough by our taking pianoforte lessons, making it impossible for me to have additional ones. Uncle West heard me play and when Mama told him what our instructor had shared, he volunteered to pay for any other lessons.”

“That was quite generous of him.”

“I refused,” she said, surprising him. “I did not want Papa to feel bad about it. After a year of lessons on the pianoforte, I already knew enough to continue to teach myself on the instrument and I did so. Minta continued her lessons, while Uncle West helped find a violin instructor for me.”

She smiled wistfully. “I feel in love with the violin. How it could sound almost human at times. How it felt as if I had magic in my fingers when I took up my bow. I decided to keep to it.”

“You are remarkably talented, Sera.”

“Thank you,” she said softly. “It is something I turn to often. When I am sad, playing can cheer me. When I am excited, it can calm me. When I am lonely, my violin is my friend.” She paused. “I played quite a bit after receiving news of Captain Marsh’s death and again when Minta left for England and I remained in Canada.”

Win’s gut twisted. He didn’t like hearing how the army captain’s death had affected her. It made him angry. Then he realized he was jealous—of a dead man. That was utterly ridiculous. Sera had already told Win she did not love Marsh. That she merely wondered what might have been between them if he had lived and returned to her. Still, it troubled Win.

And that worried him.

He felt too much for this woman when he didn’t want to feel anything for her. He feared if he attended his friends’ house party, it would throw them together too often and his feelings for her would magnify. He couldn’t allow that. He couldn’t marry Sera Nicholls. He didn’t want to marry Sera Nicholls. Win wanted to continue to divorce his feelings from himself and be neutral regarding his future wife.

It would be impossible to attend. For if he did, he would kiss her. Do more than kiss her.

And that would be disastrous.

But how could he tell her he wouldn’t be in attendance? He assumed the party was being given for her as much as for him. With her retiring nature, it would be difficult to throw her into a London Season and ask her to find a husband. A house party would give her the opportunity to find a gentleman in a much different atmosphere. The small, intimate nature of the gathering would be conducive in showing all of Sera’s good qualities. Why, if she merely played her violin once, she would probably have offers of marriage.

Suddenly, he realized he couldn’t be at this house party with her and see her with other men. Watch as flirtation—and even romance—unfolded between her and others. The thought of someone besides him kissing Sera made his blood boil.

That was reason enough to skip the festivities.

He couldn’t tell her now, though. She couldn’t learn in advance of his withdrawal because she would do the same, ruining her opportunity. Win would have to wait and send word to Owen and Louisa the day of the party. Between now and then, surely he could come up with some complicated, acceptable excuse as to why he would have to absent himself from the affair.

Clearing his throat, he said, “I am glad music provided such comfort to you.”

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