Page 46 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

“Everyone needs to clear his head once in a while, don’t you?” William answered her.

Joane smiled a little. William knew she could tell that his answer wasn’t as plain as it should be.

“So do you like fencing?” William asked her.

Joane’s eyebrows moved up in reaction to his question.

“What made you ask that? Have I ever made you feel like I do?”

William shook his head and smiled.

“No, you haven’t. I just assumed because you were complimenting me on my fencing then …”

He didn’t complete his statement as Joane was already shaking her head in disagreement with his assumption. She slapped his hand playfully before replying.

“I love your fighting. Your skill is undeniable. But duels and fencing could involve spilling of blood, it’s not possible that I take a liking to something like that,” she answered.

William nodded his head and looked back to the centre of the room. Some students were already at the fighting circle.

I guess some people just love fencing.

“I heard your father owns this place,” Joane said.

William saw her tuck a yellow strand of hair behind her ear as she asked. He watched finger move out from behind her hair to rest on her lower lip. William could not take his eyes off her lip. William knew Joane was looking at him, waiting for him to respond to her. But his concentration was gone; he felt a stirring in his loins. He saw Joane’s lips open before she spoke. He didn’t hear the words; he only saw the way her lips turned and straightened, joining and separating midsentence.

If I could kiss those lips.

William saw her hands raise to touch him and that was what broke his spell.

“Mr. William, Mr. William, what are you thinking about?” Joane shouted.

William snapped back to attention. He held her hand and apologized.

“I am sorry for that. My mind roamed somewhere else,” he replied.

He saw Joane shake her head. She still held hands with him.

“You really need to clear your head,” Joane told him.

A man walked towards them from the side. William had not seen him coming. Joane must have known him because he was looking directly at her. He was a man of small build, slight and unremarkable.

He must be the driver.

“Hello ma’am, should I still wait outside for you? If you are going to spend much longer, it would make better sense to drive the coach inside the compound and leave it with their stable boy,” the man said.

Joane looked at William as before she replied.

“That would depend on Mr. William here, do you need your privacy to ruminate over your thoughts?” she asked him.

William was surprised at her question. He looked quickly from her back to the driver and back to her.

“Of course I want you to stay,” he replied.

Joane turned back to her driver.

“I’d be staying here for long, Mr.Bruce. So maybe you should keep the carriage with the stable boy.”

The driver bowed stiffly and turned back.