Page 31 of Winning Her Duke

“I promise, I will.” It was an easy vow to make for if anything, she found it much too easy to care about the duke.

Chapter Nine

Gia was more than pleased when it was time for Hale to come lead her to the dance floor for the supper dance. She had yet to stay at an event long enough for supper, but she was happy to do so when she knew the man sitting next to her was her friend.

Except he didn’t seem overly friendly when he placed his hand on her side and took her hand in his.

“What has you out of sorts?” she asked when he remained silent.

“Nothing.”

She’d never heard a word sound more opposite of its meaning in her life.

“If you plan to spend the entire dance glowering at me because of nothing, then perhaps you won’t mind if I change the subject. What a pleasant day today was it not? The way the sun came up and warmed the air before setting which made it—”

“For Christ’s sake, all right. I was attempting to keep my anger in check, but if you wish to know the truth of it, I’m not at all happy about the men who have taken up space on your dance card. It may be hypocritical of me to say so, but they are entirely improper. You should not trust them.”

“Even your friends?”

“Especially my friends. They are the worst of the lot.” Hale was still frowning, but Gia knew he didn’t mean what he said. She could see how close the men were. It was clear they would all do whatever necessary to ensure each other’s happiness.

“You think me naïve? That I don’t know what those men want? You have heard what the gossips say about me, and I told you what happened. But I guess I neglected to tell you everything.”

“Then tell me now. Please, give me a reason to call the lot of them out.”

“You’ll do no such thing. You must promise. It is in the past and I am better for knowing. It was not pleasant, but I learned a lot about life and am stronger for it.”

“What happened?”

“When a woman is assumed to be of a certain nature, the women treat her like a pariah, turning their noses up as good society does. But the men… It is a different result. They smell blood and come running for easy prey.”

“They assumed the rumors were true and you would offer them favors.”

“Yes. Some feigned interest, while others, well… they got directly to the point when making their propositions.”

Hale’s blue eyes blazed as his brows turned down.

“And why did you not assume I was one of the ones feigning interest?”

“You stumbled into Lydia’s drawing room wanting to find the owner of a horse. If this has all been a ruse to lure me to your bed, it has been a most elaborate one. Besides, I’ve known you some time now, and I don’t think you have the patience for such schemes. You would have surely attempted to advance by now.”

His anger faded into surprise and perhaps even afront.

“You don’t think I could maintain a dastardly plot for more than a few days?”

She laughed.

“I’m sorry if I offended you, Your Grace, for suggesting you are an honorable man and a true friend. Do you wish me to think differently?”

He twisted his mouth to the side and shook his head.

“No. I have no designs on you short of you helping my horse win at Epsom. And I am a true friend. Of course, I do not wish for you to paint me with the same brush as those other bounders. Your judgement is sound however, I do not appreciate how it came to be. You shouldn’t have been treated like that. You are a lovely woman and I’m certain one day a man will see your true value and ask for your hand.”

His smile was back and she braced herself for whatever droll thing he said next.

“And you shall kick him in the shins and run away screaming. Or something else completely unexpected.”

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