Jane felt her cheeks redden.
How closely has he been watching me?
“You walk into a room, and when you are fully yourself, you bring such joy and laughter that it is infectious. It is as though you are a flame, and happiness is a moth.” Blake shook his head in wonder. “You are never content to settle, your mind constantly craves something—anything different.”
“That is not true.” Jane took a step away from him, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Isn’t it?” Blake took a step towards her. “You yourself have told me of the myriad of hobbies you have had over the years.”
“Foolish pastimes,” Jane said, shaking her head. “All they have done is stand in my way.”
“I think they have made you feel alive.” Blake looked at her, his eyes full of some feverish intensity Jane could not fathom. “I think that you have a love of knowledge and of sharing that knowledge. Not in some prim, schoolteacher way, but because you truly want people to do better.”
Jane was still shaking her head, but she could not make her mouth form words. Her mind was playing all of their encounters over the last few weeks, all the moments they had been together. Where she had felt his eyes on her. Where she had watched him.
She felt herself begin to shake, but she forced herself not to. She took a deep breath.
All this is pretty words—it proves nothing.
“You are fiercely loyal and would do almost anything for your family,” Blake continued.
“That is hardly something of note,” Jane managed to reply.
“It is when you would sacrifice your own happiness for them,” Blake explained.
“Who would not do that for the people they love?” Jane countered.
“You truly believe that people are that honorable, don’t you?” He shook his head, a wry smile on his face.
“Most people,” Jane could not help but retort.
“You are too much to be contained in a lifetime of lovelessness.” Blake took a step towards her.
Lovelessness.Something in Jane snapped at that moment, and she refused to back away from the Duke. Instead, she glared up at him, confusion and anger coursing through her like a tidal wave.
“I am too much for anyone to want to be with.” Jane drew strength from her emotions. “You stand there, making me sound as though I am some marvelous thing, as though I have any other choice. I do not. I am unmarriable. I am unlovable.”
“You are neither of those things,” Blake said, his eyes fierce.
“That is easy for you to say,” Jane spat.
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Blake frowned.
“Do not be coy with me. For weeks you have been flirting with me, going out of your way to make me uncomfortable, to challenge me or whatever it is you want to call it.” Jane felt herself shaking with fury and balled her hands into fists. “But it is just a game to you. All of this, it is just some game.”
She did not give Blake a chance to say anything, did not want to hear whatever lies he wanted to tell her. “All that you have said is pretty, lovely words to make me feel good about myself. It does not mean you know me. It does not mean anything.”
“It does. I am not feeding you false compliments. I am telling you the truth.” Blake moved towards her. “Why are you so determined to believe that this is a lie?”
“What else could it be?” Jane shot back. “You tell me that I am not unmarriable or unlovable, yet what proof do I have of this? I am standing here with no hope or prospects.”
“You do not have to do this.” Blake grabbed her arm, his grip firm but somehow soft.
She felt the warmth of his hand through the fabric of her dress. Her breath caught, and she looked up at him. Her brown eyes met his blue ones, so full of emotion that they seemed somehow ethereal. She swallowed.
“I do. And I will not let you stop me.” Jane did not move, did not pull her arm from his hand. “All your words are… just words. All they prove is that you watch me.”
“You need to be challenged. You will never be happy without it,” Blake insisted, his eyes searching her face.
