Page 2 of Beguiling the Duke

Lizzie placed her hand on his sleeve and nodded goodbye to the elderly couple.

When they were far enough away, Teversham spoke in a low voice. “Thank heavens you came along. Wentworth raises fighting dogs, and if I had to hear another word about his dogs, I would have offered myself as bait.”

Shuddering, Lizzie said, “How awful! If he mentions them to me, I’m likely to faint. No wonder Mrs. Wentworth was so happy to see me. Now I feel guilty for leaving her alone.”

“Don’t worry. Men his age never talk to their wives. She’s heard it all long ago.” Teversham steered them toward a table at the rear of the room. “There’s Dainsfield. We can join his table. He doesn’t appear to be enjoying himself with that old woman.”

Recognizing one of the owners of Sutcliffe’s, the club in London where she spent too much time and money, Lizzie happily joined the table after Teversham asked permission. Dainsfield appeared rather disinterested in the game he played, casting frequent glances at the door as though contemplating an escape.

On her right sat Mrs. Greenburg, she learned, a lively gray-haired neighbor who chattered away amiably, providing a welcome contrast to the duke’s sullen demeanor.

Dainsfield gathered the cards, shuffled, and dealt for a round of Whist.

Lizzie did her best not to stare, fawnlike, at the handsome man sitting opposite her. There was something about him that pulled her attention away from all the activity happening around her in the large room. She was used to playing in noisy settings like Sutcliffe’s, and she almost always arranged to have a handsome young partner in cards—who would later join her in the private room she kept upstairs. She wanted to know everything about Teversham.

“Your turn, Lady Elborough,” prompted Mrs. Greenburg, her voice pulling Lizzie back to the present moment.

“Ah, yes, thank you,” she replied, quickly selecting a card from her own hand and laying it upon the table. As she did so, her eyes met Teversham’s for a brief instant, and she felt a flutter of excitement. What a nonsensical ninny she was!

However, Teversham appeared intent on maintaining a certain distance between them. When their gazes met, his eyes held a guarded quality, as if wary of allowing too much of himself to be revealed. Lizzie found this both intriguing and disappointing, for she had hoped that their shared interest in cards might foster a deeper connection between them. It also went against what Verity had said about his charm. Was there something about her that didn’t appeal to him?

“Quite the interesting play, Lady Elborough,” Teversham remarked, his voice cool and measured. “I must admit, I didn’t expect that.”

“Expectations can often prove misleading, Your Grace,” Lizzie replied with a smile. “One should always be prepared for surprises.”

“Indeed,” he said, his lips quirking upward ever so slightly.

As the game continued, Lizzie found herself increasingly drawn to Teversham’s quiet charm and keen intellect. Yet, it seemed as though the more she attempted to engage him in conversation, the more he retreated behind a wall of polite detachment. Frustrated by his reticence but undeterred in her pursuit, Lizzie resolved to find some way of breaching his defenses before the week came to an end.

Their opponents said little, too, but that was normal for Dainsfield. She imagined Mrs. Greenburg might feel a bit awed to be in the presence of the two dukes, and was holding her tongue because of that.

“Teversham,” Lizzie ventured, desperate to break the silence that had settled between them since their last exchange. “I cannot help but wonder what thoughts occupy your mind at present.”

“Merely contemplating which card to play next, Lady Elborough,” he replied smoothly, not looking up from his hand.

“Ah,” Lizzie smiled. “A man of strategy, I see.”

“Strategy is often the key to victory, my lady.”

“True,” she conceded, her gaze never leaving his face. “But sometimes it is the unexpected that wins the day.”

“Oh?” Teversham raised an eyebrow, finally meeting her eyes. “Such as?”

“Such as...” Lizzie paused, weighing her words. “Taking a chance on something—or someone—that others might overlook.”

Teversham studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a small nod, he played a card, his lips curving into a hint of a smile. “Well said, Lady Elborough. Perhaps we could all stand to take a few more risks.”

Dainsfield grunted. “Most people could stand to take a few less risks, honestly, but then I’d be out of business.” As the owner of a gaming hell, he needed risk-takers, as many as possible.

As the game progressed, Lizzie found herself making bolder moves, both in her plays and her conversation with Teversham. Their exchanges grew increasingly playful, the banter light and teasing, as they discovered shared interests and opinions that served to strengthen their connection. Meanwhile, Dainsfield frowned at his cards hand after hand, and scowled every time he and his partner lost. Lizzie wondered why he’d come to St. Ervan’s home when she knew him to be very unsocial.

“Tell me, Dainsfield,” she said softly. “What brings you here this week?”

Dainsfield sighed, his lips pursing as he played a card. “Merely the obligation to attend such gatherings as these. My partners are both here and insisted I join them.”

Turning her gaze on Teversham, she asked him the same question.

“Why, the hope of spending time in the company of such beautiful ladies as yourselves,” he said, winking at her.