Page 69 of Taken By the Duke of Stone

He smiled at her but there was something cold about the smile. The Marquess was an attractive man, but he also made her uncomfortable. The Duke on the other hand put her at ease, perhaps too much at ease.

"I do not believe I am."

"Then this conversation is over. I hope you will not gossip about this to someone else."

"Who would I gossip to?" he asked. "Have you truly not noticed that I am something of a pariah in society?"

The question gave her pause, and she didn't know if it was because the words were rendered without inflection, like he couldn't be bothered with what everyone thought about him or because she was suddenly realizing that they had several eyes on them.

"Why?"

He chuckled, "I will allow you to find that out by yourself and then you can decide if you want to rescind your offer of marriage or not."

"I am desperate."

He took her hand and bowed over it. "Let me escort you back to your mother."

The marquess took his leave just as the first strings of the waltz sounded through the room. Lavinia felt his presence even before she heard his voice.

"Miss Proctor," the Duke's voice washed through her and made her knees weak. She almost fell to her knees at his feet but managed to lock her limbs together and smile up at him. By some cruel miracle, he managed to get even more beautiful each time she saw him and the slow, leisurely way his gaze dragged down her frame only made her remaining senses fly away with urgency.

"Your Grace," she and her aunt dropped into a deep curtsy.

At their side, Noah gave a shallow bow and watched the man with distrust.

"You promised me your first waltz," he smiled at her and offered her his arm. And then she was being swept away and to the dance floor with the rest of the couples there.

"How is your sister?"

He sighed, "she still believes I am the very devil. I am setting plans in place to find her a suitable match."

"Oh," she said carefully, but she wanted to roar at him about why he didn't trust his sister's judgement.

"Someone who is far too sensible to submit to something as ridiculous as love," he scoffed. "The best marriages are built on friendship, respect and an understanding. Like what we have for example."

They didn't have anything in her opinion. Nothing that she wanted any part in to be precise. It was then that she made up her mind about their doomed arrangement.

"I have to speak to you," she began but before she could say anything else, she looked over his shoulder and caught someone's eye.

"About what?" he asked.

Lavinia couldn't exactly blurt out that she wanted to end the arrangement here in the middle of the dance floor where anybody could hear. This discussion was far too important to have in a public place.

"Not here," she smiled. "It's not important. I will tell you later."

His hand around her tightened and she was pulled closer into him. "What is the matter? I saw you with Forsythe earlier."

She was only too glad when the music came to an end and she distracted him with irrelevant observations till she was back at her family's side. It was a cowardly move, but she didn't care. She was overdue some cowardice.

"You cannot continue to escape me, Lavinia," her aunt told her after the Duke had walked away. "There is something going on and sooner or later, I will find out."

"What is going on?" Noah asked, peering at her closely.

"Nothing is going on. Nothing at all."

"Has the Duke done something again?" he hissed.

Lady Hartfield gasped, "what did he do?"

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