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She frowned but took his hand nonetheless. Her aunt Martha’s glare was scalding even from across the room.

“I can see you do not care much for the attention you have been getting,” Peter noted as he led her through the steps.

“I do not,” she admitted, feeling that she could trust him not to use that information in a cynical manner. “It is all so…”

“Overwhelming?” he supplied.

She nodded.

“It is the same for me. I would never have come had it not been for my mother’s constant pestering to find myself a wife.” He sighed. “But I believe my search will end soon, and I will be spared the effort.”

“You won’t be allowed to shun the Season even though you are married,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but I can at least use spending time with my bride as an excuse for the first few years,” he answered, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

She couldn’t help but giggle conspiratorially at the impropriety of his words. It seemed that she tended to attract men who were so thoroughly improper. Not that she minded.

She had never really liked the stiff conversations with prim and proper gentlemen and their archaic views of society’s value system.

Selina wasn’t ignorant of the double meaning behind Peter’s earlier words and hoped he did not intend to propose too quickly.

She hated the fact that even though he seemed like the best possible match she could ever hope to make—considering his pedigree and how well they got on—he did not bore her and press her to conform to the ideals of Society. Rather, he shared her opinions, and she liked his company, but after having experienced everything that she had with the Duke, it just wasn’t enough.

There was no inkling of desire in her blood. Not even Peter’s touch had made her crave more. His presence did not cause her to lose her train of thought or spark anything more than the warmth of seeing a good friend.

Friendship wasn’t enough to start a marriage.

She would not be able to fulfill her wifely duties when even the thought of him kissing her had her cringing inwardly. The idea of him seeing her or touching her the way the Duke had was entirely inconceivable.

She finally understood why the scriptures said that it was better not to stir up love until it was time.

The appetites she had developed as a result of her dalliances with the Duke had her searching for something she might never experience again. For all she knew, he was one of few gentlemen willing to be so improper with a woman, and she would be stuck with a subpar marriage bed.

She should never have indulged the way she had.

“It will only be permissible for the first year.” She smiled despite the feelings raging inside her.

“I highly doubt that. Everyone knows that it takes much longer for a man to grow bored with his bride. I do not intend to be that sort.” He added the last part quickly, which made her laugh.

“It still wouldn’t be an excuse to miss so many balls.”

“Shall we put a wager on it then?” he asked with a wink. “I really want to test that theory.”

His eyes were bright and happy, and she saw the feelings in them quite clearly. He was smitten with her. She wasn’t so blind that she couldn’t see it, and it scared her how obvious his feelings were.

“I must warn you, Peter,” she cautioned. “I never lose, and I am truly tempted to see whether you are right on this matter.”

“We shall see then.”

He bowed to her while she curtsied as the dance came to an end. He led her by the hand to her aunt, bowing over it and placing a kiss that lingered long enough to show his affection before he left.

Martha smiled proudly as she watched him retreat. “I hear wedding bells,” she crooned, linking her arm with Selina’s. “You have done well, dear girl. That man is taken with you.”

Selina smiled as her aunt expected her to, but there was no mirth or joy behind her smile. Those words did not please her as much as they would have a week ago, when she hadn’t felt the things she did for the Duke.

“Good evening, Lady Riddington,” his familiar voice said from behind her.

She shivered at his proximity, incensed that he could still elicit such a reaction from her when he had hurt her so badly. She turned around, putting some distance between them, but it still wasn’t enough to quell the annoying flutter in her chest.