Page 20 of A Duke Of Her Own
“Finally,” Alexander said.
“What?”
“There are no more shadows in your eyes.
A lump grew in her throat. “I love you so.”
Their dance ended, and he escorted her over to her mother’s side.
“Lady Blade, your daughter has made me the happiest man by consenting to be my duchess. I wanted to importune on the marchioness to make an announcement of our recent engagement; however, Lady Francie would much prefer a public show of wooing. I shall call upon her brother tomorrow to make the necessary arrangements.”
Her mother’s lips parted in shock, and no words emerged. A light, airy laugh escaped Lizzie, and she winked at Francie, leaned close and whispered, “You must call upon me tomorrow and tell me how you both met.”
Biting back her smile, she nodded enthusiastically, wanting to scream her happiness.
The orchestra began the opening strains of another waltz. Taking Alexander’s proffered hand, she stepped onto the dance floor, her eyes lifting to meet his. What she found there mirrored the depth of her own feelings—tenderness and deep love. They began to move, and it was as though Francie was floating. Their connection did not go unnoticed. An unmistakable murmur spread across the ballroom. Eyes widened, eyebrows lifted, and several fans fluttered faster in the hands of astonished ladies. Even without a formal declaration, the room seemed to grasp a startling but increasingly obvious reality—the elusive Duke of Merrick, long considered one of society’s most elusive catches, had found his match.
Francie was acutely aware of the stir they had caused, yet she found that she cared very little for the speculation and the gossip. For once, public opinion held no sway over her happiness. All that mattered was the man whose arms were securely around her, whose eyes spoke volumes, and whose presence filled her world. As the final chords of the waltz filled the air, she felt a sense of completeness she had never thought possible, knowing deep down that her life had just turned an irrevocably wonderful corner.
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