Page 11 of Wedded to the Forbidden Duke
She looked up. Immediately she could not keep the scowl from her face. “Ah. You again.”
“Dance with me,” he said suddenly. There was something new in his tone; an urgency she had not yet heard. Then he cleared his throat. “Now that you have fulfilled your obligations to the previous gentleman who asked, I imagine you are available for the next dance.”
Cecilia was taken aback. “It is…very kind of you to ask, Your Grace. But I am afraid I must decline.”
“Are you looking for Lord Wetherbury again? Do not tell me you are so eager to sacrifice a foot. Of course, if you refuse to dance with me, I shall have no choice but to find another partner myself.”
“A most welcome proposition,” she said coolly.
“I see.” He nodded. “Then surely you would not mind at all if I were to go to Miss Banfield and ask her for a dance or two.”
She gave him a fake smile. “I am afraid Miss Banfield is quite occupied at the moment. Speaking with my brother, in fact.”
“You are mistaken, Lady Cecilia.” Cecilia looked over immediately, and found that indeed, Nancy was now standing alone. “Your brother has gone—to fetch her some lemonade, no doubt—which, though chivalrous an action it may be, has left your friend quite open for another gentleman to make an entrance.” He studied her face. When she did not give him any further reaction, he shrugged, and gave her a bow, before making to leave. “Very well. If you’ll excuse me, then?—”
“Wait!” Cecilia stepped in front of him, brows furrowed, then let out a strained exhale. “Very well. One dance, Your Grace. Butonlythis once.”
“One dance would be plenty.” He offered her his elbow, noting how she squeezed it much more forcefully than needed, though he chose not to comment on it. As he led her to the floor, she released her grip on his elbow, allowing him to circle around in front of her. Stiffly, she placed her hand on his shoulder, leaving nearly a full person’s worth of space between them.
He placed a hand on her waist, and pressed gently; without resistance, she took a half step in, looking up at him.
The music began. The duke was an excellent dancer, at least, loath as Cecilia was to pay him any compliment. Instead of commenting upon this fact, she merely quipped, “You do realize that blackmail is not considered the most proper way to ask a lady to dance? Some might even go so far as to call it impolite.”
A smile rose to his face, brightening those darkly handsome features into something charming, almost boyishly so. “I should hardly think that would surprise you, my lady. Particularly given how vocal you have been about your assumptions of me. I was under the impression you viewed me as someone incapable of even nominal politeness.”
“I suppose you are right.” His hand was firm and warm against the small of her back, even through the fabric of her dress.
She had never been so close to him before, she realized. Even more frightening was the feeling that pooled in her stomach, in her cheeks, her lips—the desire to be even closer.
She struggled to keep her voice even as they continued their path across the floor, weaving in between other dancing couples. “My opinion of you has been none too high ever since our first acquaintance, and yet somehow you continue to find new and thrilling ways to sink it lower and lower. Well done, Your Grace.”
He laughed. “I can hardly take credit for it,” he replied. “You seem most determined to think the worst of me no matter what I do.”
“It is through no effort of mine, Your Grace,” said Cecilia. “I have no great dislike of humanity; far from it. My father and mother raised me to think the best of everyone’s character until otherwise proven.”
He tilted his head in interest. “Is that so?”
She nodded, looking still just as firm and cold as before. “It is. And, furthermore, I will have you know that they raised Zachary in much the same way. I can only assume it is this generosity of spirit which has allowed him to fall victim to your libertine example.”
Ian sighed. “Your brother has done very little falling, Lady Cecilia, I assure you,” he said. “Any misadventures he may have had in my company were not under duress. Far from it.”
“And yet he is already back to his honorable ways.” Her gaze drifted to the side of the dance floor, where her brother had returned to Nancy, speaking with her over a glass of lemonade. She smiled as she watched her brother make her best friendlaugh. “It is quite a clear declaration of interest, asking a lady for a dance.”
“Is it?”
Realizing the implications of what she had just said, her eyes snapped back to the duke’s. “For most men, that is.” She cleared her throat. “Rest assured, Your Grace, I have no such assumptions when it comes to this dance.”
He scoffed. “How kind of you.”
She pursed her lips. “Though I must say I cannot imagine what drove you to ask me so insistently to begin with.”
“Is a man not allowed to enjoy a dance with a lady?” The edges of his mouth curled. “Particularly one who is so unceasingly entertaining.”
“Entertaining?” Her brows lifted. “Should I be insulted?”
“You have never once been shy of speaking your mind, Lady Cecilia. You cannot deny that.”
“Only when the situation calls for it—as it always seems to, with you.”
