Page 14 of Her Heartless Duke

His eyes narrowed as he recalled the delighted gazes of the men who beheld her earlier. They might act like gentlemen most of the time, but when presented with a beautiful young woman as Olivia Bennet undoubtedly was, they would unerringly show their much baser natures.

It certainly did not help things that she had worn such a gown as to enhance her creamy skin, the deep blue only bringing out the brilliance of her sapphire eyes. Her hair, although it had been done in a plain chignon without much adornment, only served to highlight the graceful curve of her neck.

He had been very,verysurprised when he first laid eyes on her tonight, and not for the reasons she might have been thinking.

He leaned back in his seat as he watched her graceful fingers push the curtain aside slightly before peeking out into the streets, her eyes aglow with the light from the streetlamps.

“Where are we headed?” she asked, turning to him with a confused furrow on her brow. “You… you’re not taking me back to Bennet House, are you?”

He shook his head. “Contrary to what you are probably thinking right now, Iama man of my word and I intend to honor my promise to you.”

“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “And I suppose you now recall what it was that you promised me?”

The corner of his lips tilted in a half smile. “Of course. I promised to teach you how to dance.”

“No,” she corrected him with a jaunty smile. “You promised to teach me how to win a dance competition. I already know how to dance.”

The sheer confidence in her voice made him chuckle. She truly was an audacious little thing, and one could only marvel at how she had not driven Daniel mad with her antics already.

“I never expected to see you at White’s tonight,” he told her huskily. “Pray tell, how did you ever end up there?”

She gave him a look of confusion. “You… you told me you would be there.”

He stiffened. “I most certainly did not.”

“If not you, then—” She checked herself and then sighed. “It was probably your butler, then.”

“Why would my butler know where I am?”

“Well, whyever not?”

The expression on her face—one of utmost confusion—was so adorable that for a moment, he was tempted to tap her nose. He caught himself just before he raised his hand and clenched it into a fist instead.

“Lady Olivia, as much as it might come to your surprise, I do not truly reside in my townhouse. Or at Anderleigh Hall.”

“Oh.” Her lips were rounded in a most delectable manner, before a sheepish smile spread across her face. “I had thought to send a message to confirm where we would be meeting tonight. Perhaps your butler assumed you would be at White’s and responded accordingly on your behalf.”

Or perhaps I need to have a word with said butler.

“What could that fool have been thinking sending you off to White’s?” he muttered.

“Well, to his credit, he did not send me there,” Olivia reminded him. “He only pointed me in the direction you would most likely be found. As it turned out, he was correct, so there was really no harm done.”

“I do not want to imagine what would have happened if I hadnotbeen there at all.”

The memory of the looks on those men’s faces when they saw Lady Olivia in their midst still made him want to hit something with his fists. They had no business looking at her like that.

They should keep their eyes to themselves if they still want to have eyes.

As his nails dug into his palms once more, he reminded himself that just like those men, he had no business admiring the physical attributes of the young lady before him. For one, she was the beloved younger sister of one of his oldest friends.Thatalone should deter such thoughts from making their way into his brain.

“But youwerethere,” she shrugged, exasperation seeping into her tone. “And that is that. Must we quibble over mere trifles, Your Grace?”

He smiled reluctantly at her. “Alright. Let us put the matter to rest.”

“Wonderful.” She sat back in her seat and crossed her arms in front of her chest defiantly, a smug smile on her face.

The coach slowed down to a stop, and he watched in some amusement as she peered out of the coach again, the curiosity shining clear in her blue eyes.