Page 34 of The Heiress Gets a Duke
“Two if she brings a friend,” said Thorne, folding himself into the sofa.
Evan shook his head. If only a woman would cure the deep well of frustration lodged within him. Ironically, one woman could. His arms ached, but the irritation persisted, so he moved to the next sandbag hanging from the ceiling, catching Leigh eyeing his current attire skeptically. Evan had shrugged out of his coat, waistcoat, and tie when he had walked in but still wore the rest of his clothing from theball. He knew the questions would come, but he could not help but wince when Leigh spoke.
“You blocked the door.”
Evan gritted his teeth and gave the sandbag a series of one-two punches. “I did.”
Leigh waited, and when it was evident an explanation was not forthcoming, he sighed and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “Did you even kiss her?”
Glaring at his friend, Evan stopped to pull the cloying linen of his shirt away from his neck. When that failed to ease it clinging to his shoulders and back, he cursed and ripped away the first couple of buttons. Pulling the offending garment over his head, he used it to wipe the sweat from his chest and neck and then tossed it aside.
“I did.” Oddly, he was reluctant to elaborate. The kiss had been far more heated and exciting than he had expected. August was attractive, and he had never considered kissing her to be a hardship, but he had not expected the strength of her response. Nor had he anticipated the intensity of the passion it would ignite so quickly. It was a singular experience that he did not want to ruin by talking about it.
Leigh waited again, as if expecting more. Evan went back to pounding the sandbag. His thoughts of August were so convoluted, he knew that talking about her would not help.
“I assume it was enjoyable?” prompted Leigh, clearly amused.
Evan remembered the soft little moan she had made in the back of her throat when he touched her nipple and gritted his teeth as blood started to flow to his cock.
From his place on the sofa, Thorne added, “You were kissing your heiress in a room alone and barred the door when you could have been discovered?”
“Correct,” Leigh answered for him. “He refused to give us entry to discover them.”
“Had you already gained her agreement to marry you?” asked Thorne.
“No.” Evan paused and gave voice to the idea that had been taking shape all this time. “If the past year has taught me anything, it is how to be a good negotiator. I shall findout what she wants, what she finds important, and give it to her if she agrees to my terms.”
The room was silent as the men pondered this. No one asked why his change of heart, which was for the best, because he did not want to discuss it.
“What do you think she wants?” Leigh looked thoughtful as he straightened.
“Freedom. To be treated as an equal. I need to figure out how that translates to marriage.”
Thorne rifled through the newspapers and periodicals scattered on the table before him. The papers crinkled and fluttered until he found the one he was looking for and pulled out the long sheet. Walking over to Evan, he handed it to him and said, “Middle of the page.”
Evan’s gaze quickly went to the illustration of a disgruntled and unattractive woman wearing a top hat bearing stars and stripes reminiscent of the American flag.Suffrage dealt a blowwas typed in bold lettering beneath it. A quick skim of the article informed him that the Supreme Court of the United States recently had cause to decide a case that had been brought before them. They had found that the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution did not guarantee citizens, including women, the right to vote.
“What is this?” asked Evan.
Thorne shrugged. “Figured your bluestocking might be on the side of women’s suffrage.”
Was she? Evan was dismayed to find that he did not know. It was a fair assumption, but it only emphasized how little he knew of the woman he was planning to make his wife. If she were an ordinary aristocrat and this an ordinary marriage, it would not matter. He doubted his own father had known or even given a damn about his mother’s political thoughts when they had married. He likely had been unaware that she might possess any. But this was a new world, and August was a different type of woman. Evan was not in any way guaranteed her hand.
He had been going about this all wrong.
Thorne stared at him. “Have you never once courted a woman?”
Evan laughed. “No. Have you?” He had spent his life avoiding the matrimony trap.
“No, not courting for marriage at any rate, but it is very simple.”
Leigh ran a hand over his hair in exasperation and said to his brother, “You forget that as a son of a duke, he has never had to use charm.”
It was true. Most people went out of their way to court his favor.
To Evan, Thorne said, “You have to find out what she likes and pretend to like it, too. Talk with her about this.” He pointed toward the paper. “Express your deep sorrow for the ruling.”
Evan was skeptical, so his voice was laced with sarcasm when he asked, “And then she will fall down on her knees and agree to marry me?”
