Page 29 of The Lady Was Lying
He took a step to follow and then hesitated.
Why had she fled when he’d been so close to kissing her?
He was confused.
Both by himself and by her. Whatever was happening between them didn’t seem like courtship, but what else could it be?
“Wake up,” a cheery voice boomed, invading Belinda’s sleep.
When she’d returned home the previous afternoon, she’d retreated to her room and taken to her bed early. Sleeping surprisingly well didn’t mean she wanted to be woken up, and even though she didn’t think it would deter her sister, she rolled over and buried her face in her pillow.
“Wake up,” was repeated loudly with the same annoying level of joyfulness.
Belinda groaned. When she didn’t move, she felt her sister’s weight against her back, and then, a moment later, hot breath tickled her neck.
“I know you’re awake,” Jane whispered in her ear.
“Ugh.” Belinda rolled over and flung her arm over her eyes. “What time is it?”
“Late enough to wake up.”
“Why are you here?”
“To gossip, of course.”
“I don’t want to gossip.”
“Yes, you do,” Jane practically sang.
“I really don’t,” Belinda grumbled.
“Your words say one thing, but your actions say another.”
Belinda pulled her arm off her face and narrowed her eyes at her sister. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Liar.” Jane grinned. “The duke. You were too curious to stay away when he came for dinner. And then you conversed with him yesterday. Alone.”
Belinda’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know that?”
“Emmeline mentioned it.”
How did Emmeline even know? She hadn’t been in the hallway with them. “We barely spoke,” she defended.
“Why didn’t you tell me you saw him?” Jane poked her finger into Belinda’s side. “Admit that the duke interests you.”
Belinda groaned again. She did not want to discuss the duke. Nor did she want to spend another second thinking about the way he’d dared her to seduce him. Or the way that she had nearly succeeded. Why had she allowed herself to try to provoke him into kissing her where anyone could see? And why had she run away before she’d succeeded?
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she repeated.
“If you say so.” Jane rose to her feet. “He’s rather nice, isn’t he? Polite and well-mannered. He’ll make an excellent husband.”
Belinda jolted upright. “You cannot marry him,” she said, with far more force than necessary.
Jane smiled, completely ignoring Belinda’s tone.
“It’s too soon to say whether he’ll be my husband or someone else’s. Just because I could see myself married to him doesn’t mean that I will be. Although, I have to say, after dinner the other night, it seems as if he might be interested in furthering our acquaintance. He made a concerted effort to converse with me once you left.” Jane’s grin stretched a bit wider. “We discussed the theatre at length. Would you believe he’s never been?”
“He’s new to London,” Belinda responded far more calmly than she had before. Not that she was calmer, just that she had regained a modicum of control and was able to affect a composed demeanor.
