Page 9 of Married to the Icy Duke
“Did the child say anything else?” the duke said abruptly, before she could voice her complaints. “Even a single word, a single syllable could be important.”
Charlotte shook her head. “No, not another word. I made him laugh a few times, however. He’s a quiet child, but an exceptionally sweet one.”
“You made him laugh? That isn’t easily done. You must have a knack for children.”
Charlotte shrugged. “No more than anybody else. I do sometimes feel that children make better company than adults.”
He gave a grim smile. “Do you mean that, Lady Charlotte?”
She eyed him, baffled.
Whenever I think I understand this wretched fellow, he says or does something that confuses me once again.
“Of course I meant it,” she shot back peevishly. “I said it, didn’t I?”
He grinned, revealing canine teeth that were a little too pointed.
“I am glad to hear that, Lady Charlotte, since you will be staying with us from now on.”
Charlotte choked. Was she going mad? She must be. Perhaps she’d knocked her head on the underside of that table and was currently lying insensible in the middle of the ballroom, with everybody laughing at her.
“Ibegyour pardon?”
CHAPTER 4
“Ibelieve you heard me perfectly well,” the duke shot back, flashing a mirthless smile.
Charlotte took a careful step forward, fists clenched by her sides.
“I did hear you, but my question was out of outrage and shock. I wassureI had misheard, and was giving you a chance to amend what you said.”
The duke gave a harsh laugh. “Gracious, what a spitting cat you are!”
“If you call me a cat, you’d best beware my claws, don’t you think?”
He laughed again, sounding as if he meant it this time.
“Well, I shall reiterate my statement. You’ll stay here with me, Lady Charlotte.”
She folded her arms tight across her chest. “I will not. What proper lady would evenhearsuch a shocking proposal?”
At that moment, she was not entirely sure what his proposalwas. The first thing that came to her mind was that he sought to … what was the word? Ravishing didn’t seem quite correct. To seduce her?
That idea seemed ridiculous. There was an arm’s length of space between her and the duke, and he was currently staring down at her, not with desire, but with amusement.
And yet Charlotte’s chest tightened. She found that her mouth was dry and swallowed hard to regain her composure. There was an odd, sparking sensation inside her chest when she looked the duke full in her face, and the sensation appeared to be spreading.
“No proper lady would consider whatever your proposal will be,” she stated quietly.
He smiled grimly. “Ah, but you are not a proper lady, are you? Your reputation goes before you, madam.”
She flinched. “That is not kind.”
“I am not a kind man. I am a practical one. I do not waste my words on follies and nonsense. I don’t add frills to my sentences, any more than I would add them to my cravat. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say.”
He took a step closer, which somewhat took Charlotte by surprise. There were rules, after all, regarding how close a man and woman should stand by each other. The scandalous waltz, barely just considered proper in good Society, managed to keep a couple further away from each other than Charlotte and the duke were now.
The tip of his nose was inches from hers. If she tilted her head forward, even a little, herlipswould touchhis. The idea was so strange, so shocking, and so alluring that Charlotte forced herself to take half a step backwards. If the duke noticed her small retreat, he did not mention it.
