Page 20 of Denying a Rakish Duke
“My Lord, perhaps I should go and see if there are any updates?” Amanda asked softly, her eyes demurely downcast on the table as she spoke. “Check to see if Thomas needs assistance in any way, perhaps?”
“Hmm?” Tobias waved his hand dismissively, and Vanessa rose from her seat the same moment that Amanda did, intent on chaperoning her, but the sudden appearance of their mother in the doorway flanked by two large men brought them up short. Vanessa’s breath caught in her lungs. It seemed almost impossible that every time she set her eyes on the Duke, he seemed to become even more handsome. Each new color or style that he donned quickly became her favorite … and each time she thought such a terrible thing, she mentally kicked herself for it.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw Amanda sit up straighter in her seat. Joseph just looked so dashing, silhouetted by the warm lights in the entry. Their eyes met, guilt fluttering around her stomach for their miscommunication yesterday and a plethora of all new feelings that she could not hope to sort out.
Speaking to Amanda while working on the party last night had not been as insightful as she would have hoped. Amanda seemed overly reluctant to give her genuine opinion on the Duke or their possible marriage. Vanessa had impressed upon her the importance of finding a suitable husband being equally important as finding a husband whom she liked and was kind to her.
Each time Vanessa had attempted to ask if Amanda found the Duke attractive, Amanda changed the subject. Vanessa knew that her sister had a difficult time conveying her emotions out loud. She knew that she was the sort of woman who felt things so deeply that, often times, words were not enough to adequately describe the feeling.
All Amanda would say with conviction was that it was her duty to make the most advantageous match possible for the benefit of the family. No matter how hard Vanessa pressed the subject, not once would she admit to having a preference foranyof her suitors, only that she was pleased to have so many options for their Uncle Tobias to consider for her hand.
When she straightened like that, it gave Vanessa a glimmer of hope that perhaps she at least enjoyed the Duke’s company. Then something bitter reared its ugly head in her gut, and she was hoping that Amanda chose any other suitor over the Duke.
Joseph glanced from Vanessa to the open seat beside Amanda, and her hopes plummeted. She silently cursed herself for thinking that, perhaps, for whatever reason, he might choose to sit beside her instead. Why? Perhaps she was simply foolish. She had only assisted in planning this event with the intentions of getting the man alone for a moment so that she could apologize properly. She had only put in genuine effort so that they could discuss the number of wrong things that had happened between them in a way that would ensure that they would never happen again. No matter if she wanted them to or not.
There was only a moment before others started to file in behind them. Petunia gestured to places and open spots while Thomas squeezed himself around Petunia and in front of Joseph to the open seat beside Amanda.How curious,Vanessa thought, watching the way that her cousin and sister pointedly didnotlook at one another. Timid glances from one to the other, so subtle that, had Vanessa not naturally been so perceptive about her youngest sister, she might not have caught them.
“Thomas!” Petunia protested, gesturing to another seat. “You cannot sit by your cousin, not when the Duke is supposed to—”
“Oh, I do not mind in the slightest, Lady Farbridge.” Vanessa was startled from how close the Duke stood to her, his voice washing over her neck, leaving gooseflesh in its wake.
“Besides, I can admire your lovely daughter far better from here.”
Joseph’s shoulder brushed against Vanessa’s as he took his place in front of his seat. He nodded at Amanda, who returned the gesture while Thomas pulled out her seat for her, and as Tobias sat at the end of the table, so too did everyone else.
Around her, the setting seemed to warp and sway as Vanessa could not properly focus on anything other than the plate in front of her. Her food was tasteless as she toiled over the possible things that she might say and how to best approach the situation that she presently found herself in. She could hardly blurt out for a second time that it had been a mistake to kiss him or apologize that she had never intended for him to fall into the lake, but strangely, she did not feel his eyes on her once.
In fact, he did everything but look at her. He stroked Uncle Tobias’ ego, “I must thank you for the lovely meal, Earl Evans; everything that you have told me about your cook is true and then some. I had my reservations, but as usual, you have been proven right!”
He conversed politely with Thomas. “Did you have the fortunate opportunity to tour the university in Greece? I seem to recall hearing something about your vast academic accomplishments. Tell me, I have been looking for a few new tomes to add to my personal library; what do you recommend?”
He flirted with Amanda. “That shade of lavender makes you more lovely than any of the beautifully arranged flowers in your home. You always look resplendent, but tonight you are especially so.”
He listened politely whenever somebody else was speaking, he ate at a proper pace, and he was courteous to the staff. Somehow, in such a short span of time, it appeared that the Duke of Willow had managed to transform himself into the perfect example of a gentleman.
It made Vanessa wonder if this was the truth of him or if the version of him from his reputation was in fact the true one. It was practically impossible to determine one way or another. Vanessa’s heel bounced a nervous hymn into the carpet under the table. Petunia kept glaring at her from a distance, silently commanding her daughter with her eyes to join in the conversation, but Vanessa could not force words out of her mouth.
“After dinner, I require an audience with you,” Joseph whispered. Vanessa cut her eyes to him as he cut a bite of his food, looking for all of those who admired his handsomeness like he was merely enjoying his meal.
Thementionof being alone in a room with him again had her stomach twisting in knots. She delicately pushed the food on her plate around and shook her head in a motion so small she was not even certain that she had done it. “That is not possible, Your Grace; we should have nothing more to say to one another.”
The Duke swallowed his bite of food in too large of a piece and cleared his throat. “Is that so?”
Vanessa did not answer, despite every part of her wanting to give the man a piece of her mind right here at the table surrounded by people, but after the tongue lashing that Petunia had given her, she knew that her reputation was already at stake, and she should not push it any further.
Joseph shifted in his seat, adjusting his thighs into a wider position that resulted in his knee pressing into hers, and her attention was drawn to the hand that held his fork. Strong, nimble fingers pressed into the silver utensil firmly enough that white pressure marks formed around the point of contact. Perhaps there was a good deal that he wished to say as well? She had to imagine how cross he was after having fallen into the lake.
She had yet to examine the fact that she had been perfectly willing to throw herself in the lake beside him if it would have helped him recover more quickly, or why she should care about his well-being whatsoever.
“We did not get to finish our conversation from the other day, and as I was forced to forfeit the race, I feel as if you owe me a conversation at the very least,” Joseph added from the side of his mouth.
Vanessa placed down her silverware carefully and let her hands drop to her lap. “I will not stand in your way, Your Grace. My sister and I had a rather lengthy conversation this afternoon, and if it is your will to court one another, I shall trust in her judgment.”
“That hardly sounds like you.” Joseph actually turned to look at Vanessa but could only tolerate a moment of her stare before forcing his head back to center quickly. Could he not stand the sight of her now?
“I never said I liked it, nor did I say that I approved. I said that I would not stand in your way.”
Joseph’s finger twitched, his elbows tucked into his sides as he placed his silverware down on the plate by Vanessa’s hand. For a moment, only a moment, she thought that perhaps he was going to put his hands under the table and reach for her as well. What a silly, girlish notion.
