Page 26 of The Duke's Indecent Match
She placed her gloved fingers in his.No tingle.No sudden fluttering in her belly.She smiled back at him, stepping down from the carriage and letting her hand drop away from his.
“Thank you for a lovely drive, Your Grace.”
“Please, call me Christian.”
“Then I must be Kalina to you.”She tried not to show her surprise.Other than Gregory, who she knew had done so at Tiffany’s behest, she had not been invited to use any of the other dukes’ given names until now.Had she done something on the drive to prompt his invitation?If so, what?
Did this mean he was truly courting her?
“Kalina is a lovely name.Does it mean anything?”Rather than taking care of the horses, Christian gave the Duke of Ormonde a nod and turned away, treating the other duke like a stableboy.Though he rolled his eyes, Ormonde turned to lead the horses and curricle away until it was time to return to Blackstone Manor.Christian held out his arm for Kalina to take as she answered him.
“I do not know,” she admitted.“It was my father’s great-grandmother’s name.He said she was his favorite relative, so he wanted to name his eldest daughter after her.”
“I was named after my father’s grandfather, though I think he regretted that.”Christian chuckled.
She frowned at him, turning her head to look up at him as he began to lead her toward the stone ruins.Despite her interest in the sights, she was far more curious about his odd comment.
“Why would he regret naming you after his grandfather?”
“According to him, my grandfather was a paragon of virtues.Obviously, I failed to live up to his great legacy.”Tilting his head toward her, Christian wiggled his eyebrows in a manner that prompted her to smile, though she did not feel that what he was saying was particularly funny.“I am quite sure my father often thought he should have named me after his least admired relative, whoever that may have been.”
Kalina’s chest felt oddly tight.She did not know what to say to him.Clearly, he believed that he was a great disappointment to his father, though she could not imagine how that could be the case.
“I think you are a paragon of virtues,” she replied stubbornly.“Unless… are you fishing for compliments again?”
That startled a laugh out of him, drawing the attention of some of the others.Kalina kept her focus determinedly on the man at her side and not looking around to see what the other ladies might think and certainly not where the Duke of Hereford and Lady Astrid had gone.They were probably out of earshot anyway, and it did not matter what he thought.
“Trust me, my father would have disagreed with you.Vehemently.”He patted her hand where it rested on her arm.“Though I appreciate your defense, I must admit, he had good reason to feel the way he did.”
“As far as I can see, your only true failing is in the way you view yourself.”Kalina sniffed.She had never thought to scold a duke, but the way he was so needlessly self-deprecating, so cruel to himself, was starting to get under her skin.“If you were someone else talking about you in this manner, I would have to take them to task for speaking so meanly about you—and I would tell them they must see you with clouded vision for some unknown reason because that is not the man I have come to know.”
“Oh… well… you do not know me very well, you see…” But the duke looked much struck, and his smile was weaker than before.He seemed almost embarrassed.As if he did not know how to receive praise.Which she had noticed before, the last time she’d chided him for not seeing himself clearly.
“Sometimes, it takes an outsider’s eye to see the clearest,” she responded tartly.“And I would appreciate it if you would stop speaking so disrespectfully of my new friend, Christian.”Raising her eyebrow at him, she gave him a stern look.
The way he looked back at her was almost fearful, and she could barely keep herself from giggling.He did not seem to know how to feel about her statement.
Slowly, he let out a long breath.
“Let us explore the ruins,” he said finally.“Before I say anything else you need to scold me for.”
“That sounds perfect.”
10
Nathanial
“What did you and Miss Little speak of?”Nathanial asked, attempting to keep the question from sounding like a demand as he faced Christian across the billiards table.Upon returning from the ruins, the ladies retired to their rooms to rest, leaving the gentlemen to entertain themselves.Nathanial had been rather relieved, as it meant a reprieve from watching Miss Little hanging on Christian’s every word.
It had been painful to witness.
The notion that it washisarm she should be walking on was not easy to dismiss.
His jealousy was reaching new heights with every moment spent in her presence.
Hopefully, the matchmaker would arrive soon and give him a clear path forward with an appropriate young lady to make his bride.Then he would not be so distracted by the one who would not suit his needs.
“Oh, this and that.”Christian bent over the table, expertly taking aim to send the balls on its surface crashing into each other.One of them dropped into a netted pocket on the side farthest from him.“She was very curious about the ruins.I am not sure if it was the history or the architecture that intrigued her, but she had a myriad of questions about both.”
