Page 56 of Falling Into Bed with a Duke
There was that tightening in his gut again, that sense of jealousy he’d had earlier with Edward. “Who is he?” he heard himself asking, striving not to lock his back teeth together as he did.
She shook her head. “He’s not any one person, but more of an ideal. Kind, generous, charming. Unrealistic. His breath is never foul, his body never odorous. His feet never stink.”
Ashe chuckled. “Very much like the women in my dreams. They never nag, they’re never ill-tempered, and all they want to do is ... well, let’s just say they’re quite biddable.”
A deep pink blush crept up her face, and he made note of its journey. If he were to ever see her with a mask again, he would now know the hue that might appear beneath it, how quickly it traveled, how it disappeared into her hair.
“I can’t believe I told you all that,” she said. “Spinsters are cautioned against drawing attention to their spinsterhood.”
“You wear yours like a badge.”
“I’m realistic.” She gave him a gamine smile. “Well, except in my dreams.”
It was with a measure of regret that he realized the music was fading, their dance was coming to an end. He enjoyed talking with her. She didn’t bore him. “Take a turn about the garden with me.”
She studied him as though she were searching for something. Was he moving too quickly? Was she going to deduce his motives?
“Yes, all right,” she finally said. “I can see no harm in that.”
If she didn’t see the harm, then she didn’t know men very well at all.
Chapter 13
AS they wandered through her brother’s elaborate gardens with its maze of paths, Minerva couldn’t help but wonder if he’d figured her out. But if he had, wouldn’t he announce it? Wouldn’t he simply say, “Aha! I’ve deduced that you are Lady V!”
If he hadn’t figured her out, then why were they here? Rich, powerful, devilishly handsome men did not escort her through gardens.
She wasn’t accustomed to having a man’s attention like this. Oh, she’d certainly gone on her share of walks, but they’d always left her in low spirits when her partner unwittingly—or in some cases wittingly—remarked on her “fetching” dowry as though he were seeking to court it rather than her. She didn’t want that to happen here, didn’t want him to tarnish her memories of last night.
“At the Dragons you mentioned a marriage proposal,” he said. “Have you had many?”
“A few.”
“None were to your liking?”
“I liked one of them rather a lot until he informed me that I was to make sure that I got with child quickly and produced a son. He would not tolerate any daughters. After he had his spare, we would be done.”
“Done?”
Because she had liked him, his words had been particularly hard to hear. “Yes. After that, I was free to take a lover, as he intended to keep his mistress. He didn’t care for me or my feelings on the matter in the least.”
“He should have at least pretended.”
His words gave her pause. Washepretending? When they were at the Nightingale, what passed between them seemed more honest than what she usually encountered with men. “I prefer the honesty. I wrote my guide because some men are ever so good at pretending, but it’s very difficult to hold on to that pretense for a lifetime. When it fades away, a lady might find herself surprised by what she’s left with.”
“Well, I can certainly understand your caution.”
“I’m a spinster by choice because I refuse to be burdened with a man who doesn’t love me. I’m fortunate to be blessed with parents who don’t believe my singular purpose in life is to be a wife.”
“Is that why you seek out opportunities like cattle ventures?”
She laughed lightly, striving to play down her talents. “I have a head for business and numbers. Too many in the aristocracy fail to comprehend there is a change in the wind. The gents within my intimate circle do understand, and they appreciate my business acumen. Unfortunately, some men are threatened by it. And I fear it makes me a dreadfully dull strolling partner.”
“On the contrary. You fascinate me, Miss Dodger.”
She tamped down the joy his words brought. Other men had taught her to be vigilant, not to take compliments at face value. Yet she believed him, wanted to desperately. More than that, she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted the intimacy they’d shared, but how could she acquire that without revealing she was Lady V?
Perhaps he sensed her yearning. He began leading her off the path. A harsh clearing of a throat stopped him in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder. “Is that your brother and his wife walking toward us?”
