“You make it sound as though the two are mutually exclusive.” Charlotte canted her head towards him.
“I never said that. Just that if I had to choose, I would rather be liked than praised for my humility,” he replied, trying to read the expression on her face.
“I can see that,” Charlotte replied, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.
“And is this witty banter how you stole my cousin’s heart?” Cecily asked.
Charlotte turned to her. “I would not say I have stolen his heart.”
“And why is that?” Benjamin leaned forwards.
Dominic felt a stab of fear in his chest.Is she about to give the game away? What on Earth is she playing at?
“Because My Lady is no thief. Only a most honourable and virtuous woman,” Dominic replied, trying to sound nonchalant. “Besides she does not care for the chase; she would rather things simply grew naturally.”
“I was going to say it is because a heart cannot be stolen, only freely given,” Charlotte said, an odd look in her eyes.
Dominic was taken aback by the sentiment in her words. He looked at her quizzically, and as their gazes met, he saw something dangerous in her eyes.Why do I feel as though I am about to walk into a trap?
He swallowed, and more to diffuse some of the tension that had spread into the room, he said, “A sweet notion, but a rather naïve one, do you not think?”
He regretted the words as soon as he said them.
Chapter Ten
A TALE OF SENTIMENT
“It was actually something you wrote to me,” Charlotte said, smiling sweetly.
All evening, she had been irritated. Well, actually, she had been in a foul mood ever since she had seen Dominic flirting with three women as she arrived.Two. After all, one of the women was his cousin. This revelation had done nothing to warm her sentiment to him.
His charming and easy manner had not helped his cause. They had only reminded Charlotte exactly what kind of person she was dealing with. And now, he had the audacity to call her naïve? In front of people she had never met?Well, we shall see how he likes being embarrassed.
“My cousin wrote something so sentimental?” Cecily looked at Dominic.
“Oh yes, Dominic’s letters were nothing like I had expected,” Charlotte said, her voice sweet as honey. “It is so rare to see a man so willing to do away with manly bravado and instead talk of sweet things.”
“Such as?” Benjamin asked.
“Oh, I would not want to embarrass him…” Charlotte trailed off and then added, as though she could not help herself, “but there was one letter where he wrote that he missed me so much, he felt he would cry.”
“I do not think those were my exact words. Perhaps you are misremembering, my dear?” The Duke looked at her, and Charlotte was pleased to see that spots of colour had appeared in his cheeks.
“Oh no, I remember perfectly. After all, I was taken aback by how willing you were to admit something that most men would find deeply embarrassing,” Charlotte replied. “I thought it rather sweet though perhaps I am a little naïve in that way.”
Dominic’s eyes widened, and Charlotte felt a tiny thrill of triumph.Needle her in front of the guests, would he?“Naivety is not a bad thing.”
“I did not say it was, just that it is perhaps why I found your letters so wonderfully endearing,” Charlotte replied.
“Perhaps we should change the subject; I am sure the others do not want to hear about our letters to each other.” Dominic gestured around them. “Right, darling?” Dominic all but said that last part through gritted teeth.
“Oh, do not be ridiculous. You know I live for this kind of thing. Tell me, what else did he write to you?” Cecily leaned forwards.
Charlotte glanced at Dominic, and as their eyes met, she saw a hint of apprehension in them.I told you that I would not be made a fool of, dear Duke.
“Just the normal things. You know, told her that she was beautiful and that her mind was beyond compare.” Dominic waved a hand airily.
“Oh, you are being modest. Your letters were far sweeter than that.”
