Page 13 of Winning Her Duke

“We should prepare for dinner.”

“Already?” Gia turned toward the window to see the sun had left them at some point. “Oh.”

The duke seemed startled as well. Clearly, he hadn’t noticed they’d spent the entire day talking in the drawing room alone. Not only was their being alone improper, but the length of his visit was much too long. If anyone noticed, they would think he was courting her. Or worse.

“I’m afraid I must take my leave. I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time.”

“Please don’t apologize. I had a lovely time. Much preferred to talking of the weather or books. Not that I’m not interested in books. Except…” She tapped her chin. “While I’m in London, I’d love to get a copy of The General Stud Book.”

His brows went up in surprise. Gia wasn’t sure if it was because he knew of the book or was surprised to hear a woman utter the word “stud.” He should have gotten used to her unladylike ways after spending the larger part of the afternoon with her.

As Lydia left again, Gia let out a deep breath.

“Poor Lydia.”

“What is the matter?” he asked.

“She had been so excited for me to have a caller. I’m afraid I have disappointed her yet again.”

“I might point out I was a caller,” he said with what she knew was only mock offense.

“Yes, but she hopes to find me a husband.” Gia barely refrained from huffing, but the eye-roll was inevitable.

“And you do not want a husband?” he asked. She couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction.

“I believe I’ve shocked you.” She chuckled. “I am five and twenty, Your Grace, and of a scandalous birth as I’m sure you are aware. The only men who seek me out do not have marriage on their mind.”

He winced.

“You have me at a loss. It’s true, I dinna know your name before I arrived, but I’ve heard of no scandal attached to you.”

“Perhaps I’m not as notorious as I thought.” She shook her head. “My mother was an opera singer who married my father, the viscount, mere weeks after he saw her singing in London. As such, I am expected to be as hot-blooded and impulsive as my mother, you see. Filled with lustful, Italian desires.”

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes again. Proper or not, the idea of her being lustful was utterly ridiculous. She was as chaste as the next unmarried spinster and had no plans to change her status despite Lydia’s attempts.

Other than a few bumbling kisses as a young woman, she hadn’t even had the opportunity to entertain such thoughts.

“And are you?” he asked, his voice dropping low. “Filled with desires?”

For a moment she felt… something. An unknown warmth worked its way from her stomach past her spine and out to the tips of her fingers and toes. She’d never experienced such a thing and was glad when it was chased away by a shiver.

She worried this would be the moment he would transform from a friend to a deplorable rake. Would he suggest himself capable of seeing to her needs? Or perhaps he would say nothing and just thrust himself at her. When neither thing happened, she tilted her head and offered a dramatic sigh.

“I’m a spinster who spends her days with horses and paints. What do you think?”

“Hmm.” His grin could only be described as wicked. “We shall see.”

*

Hale caught himself smiling on three separate occasions as he made his way back to his home from Gia’s house. Make that Lady Tomison’s house, though he’d hardly seen the countess after the misunderstanding was revealed. It still baffled him how she willingly left her charge alone with a known rake.

Still, it had turned out for the best.

He couldn’t remember a more enjoyable time spent with a woman. At least a fully clothed woman.

Perhaps it was because he’d seen more of her than he had ever noticed of other women. She’d opened up and abandoned her attempts to remain proper in exchange for laughter, shrugs, and eye-rolls.

He wondered at what she’d said about her mother. Desires…