Page 51 of A Chance to Dance with the Duke
Her heart melted in her chest. “You have nothing to prove, you know. Not to me.”
“Oh, I know.” He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm as he nodded to his cousin. When they were further away, nearly to the veranda doors, he leaned down close. “Showing this crowd how much I adore you…That’s all for me. I want the world to know how lucky I am.”
Her laugh was whipped away by a strong breeze as he opened the door for her. “In that case…lead the way, my charming Duke.”
EPILOGUE
“Look, they’re dancing again!” Felicity sat on the edge of her seat, watching from their table in the corner as the music started up once more. “I’ve never seen Meg so happy.”
Jane craned her neck, but the fern still blocked her from view.
This was the downfall of hiding in corners. But, what Jane lacked in views, she made up for in evading attention.
There was an odd comfort that came with being invisible, and as it was one of the rare comforts Jane was allotted at events such as this one—she had no intention of giving it up anytime soon.
Of course, once she was married…
She shoved the thought out of her mind. She had no idea what to expect once she was married. The man she was to wed had never once spoken to her about his expectations in that regard.
She had to assume that as he’d not gone into this engagement blindly, he was not expecting her to be some charismatic, outgoing hostess.
Was he?
She nibbled on her lower lip. She supposed that was a question she ought to ask next time he visited.
And despite what everyone believed…he did visit her. He didn’t entirely ignore her existence. Once a month he dutifully called upon her.
But Jane far preferred to be ignored. His visits were painful. They were brutal, really. He glared at her. Not in anger. It just seemed to be his default expression.
He’d ask some terse questions about something tedious….
How she was enjoying the weather, perhaps. Or what progress she’d made on her embroidery.
A shudder of apprehension rippled through her at the realization that one of these horrid visits was fast approaching.
Which was easier to bear than the realization that one day in the not-too-distant-future she’d be forced to share a home with the man. Interact with him on a regular basis, not just once a month.
Her stomach turned abruptly.
“Jane?” Ann leaned forward, her red hair dangling in front of Jane’s distant gaze. “Are you all right?”
Jane blinked herself back to the present, and sighed with relief. She wasn’t married yet. And it would be days before the Earl came for another visit.
She was safe amongst friends…for now.
“I didn’t sleep well last night,” she said.
This was true. She rarely slept well in the nights leading up to a visit. She spent too many hours staring at the ceiling fretting over what he’d ask, what she’d say….
“Do you see the way the others are staring?” Felicity’s voice was laced with laughter, and Jane found herself smiling without even knowing the cause.
“Who is staring?” Ann asked.
Both Jane and Ann shifted to follow Felicity’s gaze. Ann let out a loud laugh. Jane’s giggle was far quieter, but she shared a look of amusement with Felicity.
The same ladies who’d sneered and laughed when Carver had hurt Meg’s feelings at that first ball of the season were watching in ill-disguised jealousy as he danced with Meg now.
Their dancing was a bit chaotic. Some missed steps. And Meg stumbled now and again. But no one was laughing. Because the way they were gazing into one another’s eyes was something to swoon over, not laugh at.
