Page 48 of The Duke Meets His Match

He had not allowed himself to see her properly before now, having formed his opinion of her last year and having clung to that opinion.

Her full lips were drawn down into a pensive frown. He had kissed those lips. He had tasted their softness and had felt her sweet response to him. He had kissed her because he had felt something stir between them and had thought it might work in his favor.

It had worked—and it hadn’t. She’d recognized his ploy and then, on her own terms, had agreed to his marriage proposal, making clear that her decision had not been made based on his kisses. He realized he wanted to kiss her again,merely for the pleasure of kissing her this time. If he were to kiss her now,however, she would surely consider it another ploy to sway her.

Since he judged it unwise to do so, he allowed her more silence and studied her further—beyond her physical attributes. He knew she was exceedingly cleverand that she had even studied with her brothers as a young girl. George hadconsidered her to be a spinster and harpy. What could he see now that might give him more insight into her person?

Andwhywas it thather namehad sprung to mind when Prinny had cornered him?

“Which of your concerns would you care to address first?” he asked her at last.

He waited for her reply.

She sighed, and George thought it a sorrowful sound. “It is much more preferable, I believe, to be alone with oneself than to feel alone in a crowd,” she said at length. “I have felt very much alone these past days.”

“What of Lady Walmsley?” he asked quietly.

Miss Jennings offered a tiny smile. “Lady Walmsley is a dear, and I have already grown to love her. But she is so elated at the prospect of this union that I cannot express my feelings about any of this to her.”

“She would not hear them.”

Miss Jennings nodded. “Exactly. There are others who have been gracious and amiable. Lady Bledsoe, for one.” She glanced at George, but then, of course she knew of his mother’s friendship with Lady Bledsoe.

“I know we put together a busy schedule for this week,” he said. “Perhaps wecan send our regrets for some of them—or even all of them, if you would like. I think we have created enough of a stir for the present. I myself can get ratherannoyed by the fawning I receive from certain members of theton, so I should haveexpected that to happen. As to the staring eyes, one simply learns to ignore them.

“I am confident that once the nuptials take place, thetonwill move on to new gossip. The end of the war and the celebrations being planned should suffice, I think—victory over Emperor Napoleon surely outranks the marriage of a mere duke to his duchess.”

She turned her gaze on him once more. She was holding something back from him, but it was there to be read in her expression, if only he could interpret it. What was he missing?

“A respite from some of the social engagements would be welcome,” she said. “Thank you for understanding.”

“I should have recognized the problem sooner, and for that I apologize,” he said. “But I suspect you have more concerns than just those. Come, let us address those now as well.”

Her expression grew soulful, and George watched as a pinkish tint bloomed in her cheeks, making her look younger than her thirty years. It intrigued him.And then he watched as the person he recognized as the harpy took over hercountenance. “Very well,” she said. “Tell me everything you know about me.”

***

The Duke of Aylesham’s face went blank.

“I can see by your expression that you have no idea even where to begin with that question, so I shall go first. I know that you are the Duke of Aylesham. I know that both of your parents died when you were very young. I know that you are friends with my brother James, and the two of you have worked together—in what capacity I do not know, although I intend for you to remedy that lack of information.

“I gather you have been ill lately, and that as a result, you are leaner than usual. I know you are tall; your hair is dark but gleams with burgundy hues when in the light, and you have the darkest, most piercing eyes I have ever seen. I know you are handsome and that many would call you attractive. I know that—”

“Wouldyou?” he asked, interrupting her.

“Would I what?” she asked cautiously.

“Call me attractive.”

“It is not gentlemanly of you to ask me that question.”

“I agree,” he said. His black eyes glinted.

Susan refused to react to his unnerving question and proceeded onward. “I know that you are well regarded by your peers and by Society in general, if the way they interact with you is any indication.” A sudden thought hit her—he’d been Lord Kerridge before becoming the Duke of Aylesham. He’d mentioned it previously, but she’d been so overwhelmed by his offer of marriage that it had slipped her mind until just now. There had been gossip about a Lord Kerridge during her last Season, eight years earlier. A Lord Kerridge who had become briefly betrothed, although not formally announced. The rumors had claimed the young lady had cried off—

“Oh, good heavens,” she murmured. “You’re Kerridge.ThatKerridge.”

“I was Kerridge, yes,” the Duke of Aylesham said matter-of-factly. “Do you know something of my past, then? Do you not have a past too, Miss Jennings?”

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