Page 60 of The Lady Was Lying
As soon as she turned, she wished she hadn’t.
Jane was leaning so far forward she was in danger of tumbling straight into his arms, and he was completely focused on listening to whatever her sister was saying.
Suddenly, his gaze shifted, and he glanced toward her. She raised her eyebrow in challenge, and it was hard to tell, but she thought she saw him flush as he hastily returned his attention to her sister, stepping backward so they weren’t as close.
“Stop glaring,” Sebastian hissed, suddenly appearing at her elbow.
She slowly transferred her gaze from James to Sebastian. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He sighed. “What happened between you and the duke?”
“Nothing,” she hastily replied.
“You’re avoiding him.”
“Why would I do that?”
“I’m not certain, but I’ve spent the evening watching you flee any time he gets close, and I’m convinced something happened between you.”
“Nothing happened. I’m not avoiding him. I simply have no reason to interact with him.”
“You have no reason not to either.” He paused. “Was it the dance? Should I not have suggested it? Or was it something earlier? You acted peculiarly the first night he came to dine too.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she repeated.
“You have more control than you give yourself credit for, and you can be very disciplined when you want to be. Making sure you don’t have to speak to him takes constant focus.”
She didn’t roll her eyes.
Or sigh.
Or argue.
Unless she wanted to explain all her interactions with the duke, she had no choice but to continue to pretend that Sebastian was making incorrect assumptions.
“I believe I will retire for the evening.” It was moderately late, late enough that it wouldn’t be too odd for her to excuse herself.
Instead of wishing her a good evening, her brother laid his hand on her forearm. “If something happened, you can trust me to support you.”
“Nothing happened,” she replied stubbornly. “Nor will it. You do not need to concern yourself about the duke.”
“Are you sure?”
“I will see you in the morning.” She started to walk away and then, in a thoroughly unusual gesture, stopped and kissed her brother’s cheek. Afterward, pointedly not looking toward the duke again, she made her way out of the room.
Chapter Thirteen
The fact that Belinda had chosen not to go directly to her bedchamber—the one place in the house where James would never seek her out—and instead went to the library was not lost on her. She might not have given him any indication that he ought to follow, but she certainly wasn’t doing anything to stop him from finding her if he were so inclined.
Footsteps in the hallway spurred her to reach up, straining on her toes to pluck a thin volume at random from the tightly packed shelf that was almost out of reach.
“You’re avoiding me,” James said from behind her.
She pulled the book into her chest and pivoted, relieved that she was finally able to admit it. “Yes.”
“Why?” he asked. Curiosity and something she couldn’t name lurked in his steady brown eyes. Was it lust? Or could it be something deeper?
Always too focused on the role she’d assigned herself, she’d never been able to read him. Not correctly, at least. “It seemed the wisest course of action.”
