Page 43 of Second Duke's the Charm
“It hasn’t happened yet.”
His gaze never left her face, and Tess couldn’t help but be warmed and flattered by his attention. Men had looked at her admiringly before, but Thornton stirred something inside her, a desire to lookback, just as closely. He was a fascinating creature; a mysterious, beckoning unknown. She wanted to know everything about him.
He blinked, and she realized she’d been staring deeply into his eyes. Flustered, she cast around for another topic of conversation.
“So, what’s it like being the duke?”
His lips quirked. “Expensive. The prince regent’s been trying to convince me to buy one of his racehorses, a stallion called Fool For Love.”
“Did you buy it?”
“God, no. I might not know much about horses, but I know a bad investment when I see one. I watched the creature race at Newmarket yesterday. It might have been a good horse once, but it’s long past its prime.”
“Considering the rumor you just started, it’s rather perfectly named. If you bought it, it would add fuel to the fire. People would be speculating about the significance for weeks.”
“That’s true.”
“Maybe you should buy it just to get in the prince regent’s good graces?”
“And be stuck with a horse that would be better off going to the knacker’s yard?”
“Oh, be kind. You can put the poor thing out to pasture. Or use it for stud.”
Tess blushed. A lady shouldn’t be speaking of horse breeding on the dance floor. Or anywhere else, for that matter. And speaking of copulation while being held in Thornton’s arms was an evenworseidea.
He noticed her embarrassment and laughed. “I’ll think about it.”
She was immensely relieved when the dance came to an end. “If you’ll excuse me, there are a few other people I wish to speak with tonight.”
He relinquished his hold on her with every evidence of reluctance. “Very well. I think we’ve done enough to sow the seeds of gossip for tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow. When I announce our surprise engagement.”
Tess nodded and took her leave.
She found Daisy in the room next to the cardroom and forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand, rather than remembering the sensual promise in Thornton’s eyes whenever he looked at her.
“Have you found Richard Case?”
Daisy inclined her head toward the open doorway. “Yes. He’s in there, playing vingt-et-un with Lord Greenwood. Ellie and I have been plying him with brandy, so he’s already bleary-eyed. We’ve primed him for you, Tess.”
Tess took a quick glance at herself in the mirror to the left of the door and realized she looked even more glowing than usual. Flirting with Thornton had brought a sparkle to her eyes and a rosy flush to her cheeks.
“You’re irresistible,” Daisy assured her wryly. “As usual. Case doesn’t stand a chance.” She turned Tess’s shoulders and gave her a gentle shove toward the cardroom. “He’s the blond in the green coat. Go bedazzle him into telling you everything.”
Chapter Fifteen
Richard Case was not unattractive, but not to Tess’s taste. His straw-colored curls and ruddy complexion made him look almost cherubic, but there was nothing childlike about his stocky frame. He looked like a country farmer. She vastly preferred Thornton’s dark elegance.
Case’s inebriation was evident in the way he slouched, and the careless way he disposed of his cards. As Tess approached, the game came to an end, and Lord Greenwood vacated his seat. Tess took his place, sliding into the empty chair opposite Case as he scowled at the small pile of winnings in front of him. When he glanced up and noticed her, however, his sullen expression changed to one of lecherous interest.
Tess sent him her widest smile, and leaned forward with her elbows on the table to give him a teasing hint of cleavage. It was a cheap trick, but it never failed. Thankfully, the table was tucked in the very corner of the room, partly shielded by a large potted fern.
“Good evening, handsome,” she purred. “Are the cards not falling your way tonight?”
Case’s answering smile oozed confidence. “Not particularly, but you know what they say. Unlucky at cards, lucky in love.”
Tess almost rolled her eyes at such an unoriginal line, but she pretended it was the wittiest thing she’d ever heard. She gave a breathy little laugh.
“I’m Tess.”