“En garde,” Jane replied, taking up her starting position.
She lunged forward with her blade, but the Duke parried the blow with a grin. His blade swung towards her, but she blocked it, denying him the point.
“Were you going easy on the Marquess?” Jane asked, smiling as their foils clashed once more.
“Perhaps.” The Duke’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “I did say I needed a worthy opponent.”
Jane laughed and carefully stepped to the side, giving the Duke an opening. He took it, falling for her trap. Her foil darted forward, connecting with his chest.
That will teach you to underestimate me.
“That is a point to me,” Jane said as her eyes met the Duke’s.
“First to three?” He was panting slightly.
“Why not?” Jane agreed, and once more they took up their starting positions.
Once more, their foils clashed. Jane met the Duke’s strikes with her own, parrying them with skill. She felt sweat trickle down her back and was sure her hair was a mess, but she did not care.
I forgot how much I love this.
The Duke circled her, his foil held at the ready. He lunged, and she parried the blow, but he dodged the tip of her foil and denied her the point, carefully dancing out of her way. As he did so, Jane noticed another improvement he could make to his form.
“If you adjust your elbow—yes, like that—you will have better control.” Jane demonstrated as she parried his strikes, and he mimicked her movements, his foil connecting with her side. “Like so. That is one all, I believe. Two more, and I shall be the victor.”
The Duke laughed. “Do you give tips to all the people you fence with?”
“Only the ones who are in dire need of improvement.” Jane found herself laughing along with the Duke as she brushed the hair from her face.
“And am I improving?” The Duke asked as he swung his foil towards her.
“A little.” Jane dodged the Duke’s attack, though only just.
She pushed his blade away with her own, hoping to catch him on the back foot, but he was ready for her attack. His foil darted beneath her outstretched arm and connected with her stomach.
The Duke smiled—not his usual rakish grin, but one of genuine enjoyment. “Perhaps more than a little. That is a point to me.”
“Blazes!” Jane muttered under her breath, but clearly, Blake heard her.
“Oh my, who knew you had the mouth of a sailor!” Blake grinned. “And here I thought you were above such things.”
“I think you will find, dear Duke, that I am rather full of surprises,” Jane answered, preparing to duel again.
“So it would seem.” Blake’s foil hurtled towards her, and she blocked it. “And where exactly did a lady like you learn to fence?”
“My father taught us. He felt we should always be able to defend ourselves. I do not think he quite anticipated that I would enjoy it.” Jane swung her foil towards the Duke several times, forcing him to retreat.
“And when did you last fence?” His foil caught hers, and he pushed her away, clearly hoping to throw her off balance.
Jane found her footing quickly but then switched from offensive strikes to defensive moves. “I cannot remember. It has been a while since I have had a willing opponent.”
“Then you have had unwilling ones?” The Duke raised an eyebrow, narrowly avoiding the tip of her foil.
“Only insofar as an inanimate object can never truly be a willing participant,” Jane retorted, avoiding the Duke’s answering blow.
“Or a very interesting opponent,” the Duke pointed out, once more circling Jane, looking for an opening.
She matched his strides, holding her foil at the ready. “Indeed. There is nothing to anticipate when your opponent does not have arms to strike you.”
