Page 18 of The Duke's Indecent Match

Far too aware of Tiffany’s discerning gaze taking in every minute change in his expression, Nathanial cleared his throat.

“If you must know, I find Miss Little’s company enjoyable, but as I have already determined that she is not what I am seeking for a bride, it seems prudent to keep her at a distance.I would not want to stymy her efforts to find a duke nor my own to find the wife I require.”He knew he sounded priggish, haughty even, but he could not help it.

Tiffany’s eyes narrowed.

“Why is she not what you are seeking for a bride?”There was a warning note in her voice that made him think there was a correct answer and a wrong answer, and a misstep would result in her extreme displeasure.

But he could not be anything but honest, even with that risk.

“I need a wife who can guide my sisters through their Seasons.One with a faultless reputation and place among Society to help diminish the damage my father did to our family.”He raised his eyebrow at Tiffany.“As delightful as she is, you cannot tell me that Miss Little’s place in Society is of such quality.”

“Through no fault of her own.”

“Through no fault of her own,” he conceded.“But nonetheless.”

Appearing for a moment as though she would argue, Tiffany turned her head away from him and sighed.Sapphires, surrounded by tiny diamonds, shimmered against her ears.The kind of jewels he hoped to one day be able to buy for his own wife.

But pink instead of blue.

He shook his head, shaking away the whisper that slithered through his mind.He would buy whatever jewels his wife desired.Pink was only on his mind because they were speaking of Miss Little.

Tiffany huffed.

“Well, there are other dukes,” she said.“Though I thought you and Kalina made a nice pair.”

Had Miss Little said something to her?

Had she asked Tiffany to intercede?

Nathanial barely managed to bite his lip against asking.

It doesn’t matter.

Thankfully, the dance was ending, taking the temptation to ask her away from him.

Instead, he spent the next few dances in distracted hell as Miss Little danced with Gregory next, then Sebastian, then Drake, who had abandoned his spot at the piano when Lady Kari replaced Lady Astrid to give her a turn on the dance floor.He saw Christian turn and started heading back Miss Little’s way as Drake bowed over her hand.

If he did not dance with her at all, surely that would cause more comment than dancing with her.He had certainly waited an appropriate amount of time since Christian had the thought to claim a second dance with her.No one would think twice about her dancing with Nathanial first.

He barely managed to reach her before Christian did, bowing low in front of her startled gaze.

“Miss Little, may I have this dance?”

“I… yes, of course.”There was only a moment of hesitation before she accepted.“Oh…”

Her head turned to look at the piano as Lady Kari began to play the strains of a waltz.Nathanial straightened, frowning when she stepped back away from him.The idea of being denied his dance, or of her waltzing with another man, was not pleasant.

“Is something wrong?”

“I-I have not been given permission to waltz,” she stammered out.“We… Almack’s…” She wrung her hands helplessly in front of her, and Nathanial was hit with a sudden wave of rage.

Because of her family’s position and the Earl of Stilton’s refusal to acknowledge them, the high stickler patronesses at Almack’s must have denied them entry.Which meant she could not receive permission to waltz from any of them, either.

Fortunately for her, the patronesses only held sway over the social scene of London, not the country, where the rules were far more lax.

Stepping forward, Nathanial took her hand and put his other on her waist, pulling her toward him and sliding his hand up her back to the proper position.Her dark eyes widened with shock, bosom heaving upwards against the low neckline of her gown as she sucked in a breath, either from surprise or the sudden nearness of his body, he was not sure.

“You are in the country at a house party,” he said reassuringly.“There is no need for permission from Almack’s out here.The country is where young ladies learn to waltz.”