Page 37 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke

H al was beginning to think that if he never attended another At Home for some society hostess to show off her new conservatory, or her latest portrait, or the entire refurbishment of her reception rooms in the Egyptian style, as was the occasion for this one, then he would be a happy man.

On the other hand it did give him the opportunity to see Thea looking dazzling as she was that afternoon. When she saw him across the Templeton’s drawing room she blushed, just as she had the day before.

‘Walk with me,’ he said when he reached her side and found himself ridiculously pleased to see that colour in her cheeks. ‘I am sure there are many more couches with crocodile legs to admire.’

She laughed, but she slipped her hand under his elbow and allowed him to steer her through the rooms, further and further away from where their hostess was holding court.

Hal glanced around. They were alone in an empty parlour. Ideal.

‘I see we are quite alone,’ he said, ‘I would very much like to kiss you, Thea. If you permit.’

‘Permit?’ Thea seemed confused by the question. ‘We are to be married. I had assumed…’

‘That I would demand my marital rights? Or whatever a betrothed man might want? I would never demand anything of you, Thea.’

He turned her, gathered her close, close enough for him to feel the brush of her breasts against his chest.

Thea said, ‘I have been kissed before, you know.’

Of course she had. She was enchanting and she had already been out for one Season. No doubt any number of men, from young bucks to serious suitors, had claimed a kiss.

‘So have I,’ Hal said, straight-faced, and was rewarded by that smile again.

‘I guessed,’ she whispered and met his lips as he bent his head. He kept himself in check, did not demand or press, kept his hands still once he held her, but she tasted so sweet, even through closed lips, and he could not resist sliding his tongue between the swell of the upper and lower.

With a little gasp she opened to him and her tongue flickered out, as tentative as a mouse from a hole when it thought the cat might be about.

Hal knew he desired her, but that instinctively sensual response, the heady taste of her, all Champagne and woman and nerves, ran through him like a lightning strike.

Then he heard voices coming closer and broke his hold. ‘Quickly, sit down.’ He pushed her into the nearest chair, threw himself onto the sofa opposite it and crossed his legs, wishing he could dump one of the cushions into his lap. That had been exceedingly arousing…

Thea gave her hair a quick pat, smoothed her gown and said brightly, ‘I must disagree with you, Duke. I think Herr Mozart superior to Mr Handel, except for church music. I confess I find his oratorios very moving,’ she added as another couple strolled in, looked highly disconcerted at finding the room occupied and went out again.

Hal, who was finding the thought of oratorios as effective as thoughts of iced water for dampening the evidence of arousal, stood up and offered Thea his hand. ‘Perhaps we should return. And, I have to say, you handled that like a true duchess.’

‘The kiss?’ There was that demurely teasing tone again.

‘The interruption,’ he said mock-severely and inwardly sighed with relief. That kiss had been… Best not to think about it again, not here. But Thea’s teasing was almost better—he had his friend back again.

* * *

Hal desired her, Thea thought, still slightly dazed as she chatted about trivialities with a small group of acquaintances.

Somehow she was managing to maintain a facade of perfect normality, or at least she assumed she was, as no one was laughing at her or staring blankly at whatever it was she had just said.

Underneath she was in a turmoil of emotions she could not disentangle, not here.

Hal really seemed to want to marry her , not Lady Thea Campion.

Yesterday he seemed to understand why she was upset and doubtful and just now he had certainly wanted to kiss her, and more than kiss her.

She might be a virgin, but she knew, in theory, what happened between a man and a woman between the sheets and she had, for a few startling seconds, been pressed very closely to his body.

And, goodness, that kiss. She unfurled her fan and flapped it inelegantly. ‘So hot,’ she said brightly, then noticed that all her friends seemed perfectly comfortable.

‘Is it?’ Jane Fielding said, ‘I hadn’t noticed. Now, all of you, tell me what you plan to wear for the Duke of Leamington’s ball.’ She cut Thea a meaningful look. ‘I am sure you have your gown all planned, Thea.’

‘Oh, I…er… Amber with a gold net,’ Thea said.

It was enough to break down what remained of their polite reserve and the questions came thick and fast. Was she really betrothed to the Duke? Were they madly in love? When was the wedding to be? Where? Had he given her a ring yet?

‘Yes, it is true, we are betrothed. We will marry next month at Leaming Castle and, of course, you are all invited,’ Thea said, avoiding saying anything about feelings or rings.

The thought of invitations to such a wedding in the near future set the others chattering and gave her a moment to feel a pang about the ring.

Or the fact there was no ring. Thea stamped resolutely on the small hurt.

She must be careful or she would be back to feeling resentful over his neglect again.

She should think about the kiss instead and that was no hardship, except that it made disturbing pulses beat where, really, they had no business agitating her in polite company.

She had told Hal she had been kissed before, and she had. But those had been quite different. Some had been unwelcome, one or two disgusting and a few so respectfully polite that they might as well have been handshakes.

But this… She took a deep breath. All Hal had done was to hold her, perfectly respectfully, and press his lips to hers and then there had been the pressure of his tongue and something in her had answered, had opened to him, and there he had been, the taste of him, the heat of him, the desire in him for her.

Did she feel like this because she loved him? Partly, she told herself, determined to be honest. But also there had been what she realised was simple desire for an attractive man who made her yearn for his touch.

But that of course applied as much to him.

She had never thought herself a beauty, but she knew without vanity that she was considered attractive.

And men’s desires were far less complicated than women’s.

Show a man an attractive woman—show him an available woman—and they appeared to react instinctively.

That kiss had been nothing special for Hal, she realised with a sinking sensation in her midriff.

He’d had his arms full of a female who was shortly going to be his, that was all.

‘There you are, Thea.’ Her mother spared a smile and a gracious inclination of her head towards her friends. ‘It is time we should leave. The Duke is coming to dinner tonight.’

He is?

Thea said her goodbyes, thanked her hostess and followed her mother to their carriage.

‘He is? Hal coming to dinner, I mean?’

‘Yes, I encountered him just now and he said he would call tomorrow, so I invited him to dine tonight as we are en famille . But we must get back and warn Jean-Paul. I simply cannot recall what I ordered for this evening. It should be enough,’ she said, frowning, ‘but Jean-Paul can throw such tantrums.’

‘The food is worth it,’ Thea soothed.

Hal again. Tonight.

* * *

This time Hal did not have to ask permission to be left alone with her. No sooner had Drage announced him and he had greeted his hostess and host than Mama left, Papa in tow. ‘I simply must see how they are doing in the kitchen. Wiveton, do tell those wretched boys to hurry up.’

‘Alone at last,’ Hal remarked. He was still holding her hand from their initial greeting.

‘Yes,’ Thea said. She smiled, refusing to be flustered, which was easy as she was not expecting any heart-stopping moments of passion, not now she had realised how little a kiss meant. ‘Won’t you sit down?’ She did so herself, gesturing to the sofa opposite.

‘In a moment. First I have to remedy an omission.’ He went down on one knee by her chair and produced a green leather box from his pocket.

‘I should have given this to you before, but when I took it from the safe I found one of the stones was loose. So here, at last, is the ring I should have given you four days ago.’

He opened the box and she gasped.

‘Traditionally the Leamington bride’s ring is a sapphire, but I thought that the green of emeralds would suit you better.’ He took the ring from its case and lifted her left hand. ‘May I?’

Thea nodded, lost for words as she gazed at the deep shimmering colour. It slipped on her finger, a perfect fit. ‘So lovely. Thank you, Hal.’

‘The big stone is from a jewel Queen Elizabeth gave to the second Duke. The setting was massive, so the fourth Duke had it made into a lady’s ring. I was right, it does suit you.’

It looked as though it had always been on her finger, Thea thought, turning her hand so the candlelight sent green fire flashing deep inside the stone. It was lovely, and a thoughtful choice, when tradition should have sent him unthinkingly to the sapphire.

‘Thank you,’ she said again. ‘It is exactly what I would have chosen myself.’

He looked pleased, dipping his head to kiss her fingers before he rose and sat down.

Of course he is pleased. He is not uncaring, he simply does not love me.

And why did that matter now when she had never expected a love match?

Because I love him , Thea answered herself. And thoughtful, sensitive gestures like this defiance of family tradition did not help her subdue that emotion as she must do for her own sanity.

Her parents were delighted with the ring. At least, Mama declared herself in ecstasies over the beauty of it and Papa simply looked relieved that the betrothal was cemented by this very visible object.