Page 71 of When a Duke Loves a Woman
“You’re a beautiful woman, Gillie. I’m not certain you know that, but I intend to prove it to you.”
He loved the way the blush crept over her face whenever he complimented her. As he sat watching her work, he found it difficult to believe she’d gone her entire life without a man appreciating all that she was. Compliments were foreign to her. He suspected no one had ever given her flowers. He wanted to lavish praise, gifts, and kisses on her but suspected too many would make her suspicious.
He hadn’t planned to come here tonight, but had arrived at his club and been unable to motivate himself to go inside where all was staid and proper and people spoke in low voices. There was something addictive about this place, about the energy and the excitement, and the absolute joy of being here. Oh, a few blokes were moping about, but for the most part, everyone seemed cheerful.
She brought happiness out in people. He thought she should expand her properties, open another tavern in a different area of London. But if she wasn’t there, would it be lacking?
Her brothers weren’t here tonight, and to his surprise he found that to be a disappointment. He’d enjoyed his time with them, mostly because they’d been willing to tell tales about her. About the many scrapes she’d gotten into, the many times she’d gotten them out of a troubling situation. A dormouse she’d kept as a pet. She had such a gentle and giving heart he suspected she’d want to release all the animals from their enclosures on the morrow. He was very much looking forward to the outing.
Again, he stayed until closing and helped out where he could. She liked that he wasn’t the sort who did little more than sit around, waiting to be pampered. Of course, based upon the muscles she’d seen the first night, she’d assumed as much, but still it was somewhat satisfying to know she’d accurately judged him. And if she’d been right about that, perhaps she was correct in her other assessments. He wouldn’t take advantage of her, and if their relationship continued, while there might come a time when he would be forced to bruise her heart, he wouldn’t break it.
She could go into this situation knowing it would come with a cost, a cost she was willing to pay. She wondered if the woman who had given birth to her had once thought the same, if in the end she’d been left with regrets. So easy to make decisions without knowing precisely what the future held.
This time when he walked her up the steps, she didn’t have to ask him if he wanted to sit with her for a while. He merely took her hand, assisted her in sitting, and settled down beside her, hips, thighs, shoulders touching. Perhaps it was because she was so heartened by the flowers or the prospect of tomorrow’s outing, but she laid her head against his shoulder. Reaching over, he took her hand, threaded their fingers together, and placed their joined hands on his thigh.
She took a deep breath and released a long, slow sigh of contentment. “I was thinking we should make a greater effort to find your watch.”
“Are you searching for an excuse to keep me near, Gillie?” he asked quietly, his voice smooth and hushed, his breath ruffling her hair since his head was so near to hers.
Perhaps she was. He was certain to grow bored with simply sitting on the steps with her, and while he’d suggested an outing with horses and one to the zoological gardens, she wasn’t convinced he’d return once the latter was done. She wasn’t quite ready to give up her time with him, regardless of how reckless it might be to continue to keep him within easy reach. “I simply know it means a great deal to you and I hate that it was stolen, especially as the incident happened behind my tavern. I feel responsible.”
“Only that Charlie fellow and his cronies are responsible, and my solicitor assures me they will spend a good bit of time incarcerated due to their attack upon my person, especially after I speak out at their trial.”
“They were unwise to jump a duke.”
“Indeed. Especially one who had the good sense to be in an area where he could be rescued by a lovely damsel.”
Laughing low, she considered turning into the curve of his shoulder, to hide away from the sentiments she couldn’t quite believe were directed at her. “I’ve never been called that before.”
“You should be. Every day.”
Not knowing quite how to respond to that, she straightened and stared into the distant street, where the light was dim and the fog would begin rolling in. A comfortable silence wove around them.
“What if you’re mistaken? What if a man did find himself falling in love with you?” he asked quietly.
Was he referring to himself? That wasn’t possible. It was one thing to believe in unicorns, another entirely to think a man such as he could love her, although she couldn’t help but believe that he did fancy her a little. She certainly fancied him. “Why would he be silly enough to do that?”
“Gillie, half the men who come into your tavern are in love with you.”
A burst of laughter escaped with the absurdity of his statement. “They love the beer I keep in stock to pour for them.”
“They love the manner in which you make them feel special. You do it without even trying, without even being aware you’re doing it. It’s simply part of your nature. I’m flabbergasted you haven’t had an abundance of marriage proposals.”
Pressing her hands together, she put them between her knees, squeezed. “A proposal would be for naught, as I’d not accept it. I’m not giving my tavern to a gent. I’ve worked too hard and too long to make it what it is. The law would hand it over to my husband as soon as I said, ‘I do.’”
“You don’t think a man who loves you would take advantage, surely.”
“I’m not willing to risk it. Once he had possession of the property, he could sell it and I’d have no say in the matter. I won’t be dependent upon a man. My mum was, then her husband died and she had nothing. She took in by-blows for a while. People paid her pittance for that, not enough to keep us alive. She found ways to make do. They weren’t always pleasant. So marriage is not for me.”
“What of children?”
She’d long ago accepted they’d not grace her life. “I suppose I view the tavern as my child. I’m sorry if I sounded angry regarding the property laws. I don’t blame you for them.”
“I do have a bit of say. Just not a lot. However, I shall keep what I’ve learned tonight—and your passion for it—in mind when next Parliament is in session.”
“Get the law changed so women can keep their property and they’ll be falling at your feet. Although I suspect they do that anyway.”
“Hardly.”
