Page 63 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

That is true. She is a smart lady.

William drew out of the embrace with the smile still on his face. He was impressed that she had even thought about that. He looked at her face and saw the familiar prettiness he had discovered the other time. She didn’t have Joane’s blatant beauty, that caused him to drink in her every feature and imagine how he could pleasure them, but she had a salient attractiveness of her own. Her cheeks were pink, almost as pink as her dress.

“Are you blushing my dear?” William asked her.

The pink bloomed even more now, spreading past the center of her cheeks into all the sides. Esther dropped her gaze. She turned around and walked into the house with William, holding his hand in her right hand.

“You have a penetrative way of looking at a woman that makes her feel shy and attractive. That was why I had that look on my face,” Esther replied as they sat down on a cushion in the sitting room.

William grinned.

“I have a look that takes your breath away?” he suggested.

“Don’t humour yourself,” she replied playfully.

William laughed. She was starting to show a sharp tongue.

She is getting loose around me.

William looked around the sitting room again. It hadn’t changed much, the animal skin and paintings were still on the wall. But William noticed a fire place now; it was small and oval, barely affecting the look of the room. It was unlike the fireplaces most people had in their homes which was imposing and played a big role in the way the room looked. Theirs was built as if to be hidden in the plainness of the room.

Would I notice it was there if there was no fire in it right now?

William turned back to face Esther who had said nothing since they sat.

“How have you been since I left last week?”

“I have fared well. I’m preparing for the ball on Saturday. You will be there right?” Esther asked.

William thought about the coming ball. He had told Joane he would be there. He was still confused on what to do. His agreement with Esther might enforce him to share a dance with her that day, if just to fan the bellows of the rumours of their romance.

How would Joane take it seeing me dance with another woman?

He looked at Esther.

“Yes, I will be there. Why do you ask?” William said.

“What better way to legitimize our budding relationship than to share a very romantic dance that day. The faster the rumours spread, the shorter we have to be with each other,” she replied.

William nodded his head. He was yet to be certain that was something to celebrate.

“What of Andrew? How is he?” William asked.

Esther smiled again, that radiant look that appeared anytime William mentioned Andrew.

“He is fine. He showed up her yesterday, to have a small discussion with my father,” she replied. “We spoke at length and in private after that.”

“Does he know of our arrangement?” William asked.

“No, he doesn’t. I decided not to tell him,” Esther replied.

William was surprised. He had assumed she would have told him about the arrangement.

“Why?” he said in a small shout. He noticed his voice was louder than necessary and reduced the volume, looking around first to detect any person who could be listening in to their conversation.

“Why didn’t you tell him?” William asked.

Esther shook her head before she spoke. Her hair was still in a bun, just like that last time.