Page 7 of Denying a Rakish Duke
“Yes,” Vanessa agreed to herself. She wished now more than ever that she had more wine to make sitting here on the sidelines this evening more tolerable. “Handsome indeed.”
ChapterFive
“Imust thank you for the dance; it has been a very long time since I have had such a marvelous partner,” Joseph spoke with a soft, charming smile. To her credit, the woman in front of him demurely lowered her gaze to the floor between their feet as she shook her head. Everything that his grandmother would want in a future Duchess was no doubt embodied in the small frame in front of him.
“No, Your Grace, the pleasure was all mine.” Amanda’s voice was somehow heard easily over the vibrant music though she spoke very softly.She is the picture of feminine grace.It was the thought that played over and over again in his mind for the entire duration of their dance. She moved with fluidity as if she had been born to dance. She answered all questions that he posed to her brightly. She was submissive and sweet. Yes, Amanda Farbridge appeared to be everything that a gentleman could ever want in a wife.
Though, there was something missing. She smiled and dipped, she spoke with intelligence, and she had a lovely, proper, sense of humor. While they had not discussed any list of accomplishments that she might bring into their home, he was certain that she had a vast variety of talents and skills. Not to mention she was very beautiful, petite, and he could picture himself bedding her easily. Though, not once in the course of their dance did she hold his gaze for longer than a moment. She did not elaborate, and when he bordered on a slightly mischievous topic of conversation, she course-corrected. Perhaps it was because she had been warned of his reputation, or perhaps she simply was not interested in him.
If that was the case, he was certain that it was the very first time that a woman had not been taken with him from the moment that he turned on the charm that he was so well-known for. One does not become a rake of such epic proportions without the ability to sweep a damsel off of her feet.
Even more, thatsparkwas missing. She was almosttooagreeable. Perhaps it was only nerves associated with this being their very first meeting. Perhaps once he came to call on her a few times, got to know her a little bit better she would feel more comfortable opening up to him.
Perhaps she is just the sort of lady who wished to be courted and to let her affections show after a promise of return. Very well. He could play the long game; it would only serve to appease his grandmother even further. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he told himself to have one of his servants order a large bouquet of flowers. He had not managed to figure out her favorite bloom, but he would have an assortment selected for her. He could do this; he could court her. He could follow the rules, he supposed. It was not like it had to take a very long time. Yet another instance where he was perfectly content to allow his title to give him a leg up on the competition around him.
“Very well, you can have all the pleasure that you like, My Lady,” Joseph said, and took her hand in his, bowing deeply. If Amanda caught or understood his light innuendo, she made no show of it. “Promise me that you shall spare me another dance before the evening is over? I will not be able to sleep tonight if you do not.”
“I shall try my best, Your Grace, I must thank you again for both the dance and the lovely ball inside of your splendid home.”
“You shall have to thank Her Grace, the Dowager, for the ball, I am afraid. I never did have much sense for the planning of these things. I suppose my mind is better suited for droll things like numbers.”
The very tops of her cheeks colored with a faint dusky shade of pink. Did she perhaps wish to say that was not at all what he was rumored to be better suited to? He kept hoping that she might crack, to hint at the abundant rumors that surrounded him. Yet, she did no such thing. He had never seen a more innocent woman. For his marriage purposes, she would be perfect.
Amanda curtsied and left his side in search of her mother. Eyes followed her as she went. The raven-haired woman from before that had been watching them caught his eye once more. She was a curious woman. She linked her arm through Amanda’s as soon as they were in reach of one another, and she started to whisper to the young Lady Amanda. It felt as if he should know her from somewhere. Not at all because she looked familiar, but because he had never seen a woman look at him with such utter contempt when he had not done something to deserve it.
“However did you manage to secure a spot on young Lady Amanda’s dance card, you dastardly devil?” Lord Cardiff moved from the sidelines of the dance floor with something a good deal stronger than wine mixed into his goblet. At the sight of his old friend, the corner of Joseph’s lip upturned into the hint of a smile.
“I do not suppose that you have any more of what you are drinking? It smells deplorable, by the way, and I must have some.”
Lord Cardiff grinned and shook his head. “I am afraid that I shall have to disappoint you on that front my old friend, but it is the least that you deserve for managing to make yourself the target of jealousy of every other eligible man in this room. Is it not enough that you are titled above the rest of us?”
“Oh, but that has never gotten in the way of our friendship before, Cardiff,” Joseph teased.
“That is quite true, but that is only because I know that you are a scoundrel who could not care less about his title in any of the ways that matter. Besides, as you have yet to beat me at fencing, I still refuse to be threatened by you, old friend.” Brandon Cardiff laughed.
“Ah, I have greatly missed your company since our time at Oxford, Cardiff. I trust that your time abroad has suited you well? You appear to have enjoyed quite a bit of sun in your time away. Did you spend very much time at sea?” Joseph poked a finger into the side of his friend’s neck where the skin was reddened and irritated; the edges of a burn had started to peel. Such pain Joseph had endured once or twice before in his life, and it certainly explained why his friend was drinking so heavily.
“Not at all, I did not even make it far— it turns out that I have a rather violent opposition to the rocking and swaying of boats and yet, a strong fondness for beaches, Your Grace. Even still, my time traveling did not prove to be as ah— lucrative, as your time has been these last few years.”
“Yet, here we stand at the mercy of every advantageous Mama in theton.” Joseph grabbed a glass of wine for himself and pretended to toast the man.
“Yes, but only one of us has seemed to catch the attention of the debutant of the Season,” Lord Cardiff said as a compliment. Brandon Cardiff was one of the few people who had never felt the need to compete with Joseph, and thus their friendship was a highlight of many college memories. Joseph enjoyed his company very much; he would have to arrange to meet with him at the club sometime soon. Given that he held the man in such high esteem, the complement of his dance partner was not taken lightly.
Even better if Lady Amanda Farbridge is the coveted hand of the Season.
Joseph spun sharply, the heel of his shoe squeaking against the polished floors. “It seems that she too has a reputation then. Well deserved, she is perfectly lovely.”
“Far lovelier than her sister. The shrew seems to be determined to keep her sister an arm’s length away from any who wish to seriously court her. She is a force to be reckoned with, that one.”
“You seem to be speaking from personal experience,” Joseph laughed.
“I might be,” Brandon admitted.
“You must tell me what happened. I confess I have paid very little attention to the gossip that has been circulating this Season. I have been far too occupied withotheractivities,” Joseph admitted with heavy innuendo coloring his tone. Brandon laughed good-humoredly. He had a hearty laugh, the sort that made those around him wish to join in even if they did not know what was so amusing.
“You are still much the same I see, no matter how much time has passed.”
“Wrong again, I am far, far better,” Joseph commended himself.
