When the young man started to pour his wine, the duke growled, despite her directive.The footman stopped, spilling a few drops on the tablecloth.“I’m ever so sorry, Your Grace.Is the wine not to your liking?I can get something else.And I’ll clean that up right away.”
Xander was frowning.“I haven’t tasted the wine, but I’m sure ’tis fine.Serve the lady first, however.”
“Ah, no, sir.Duncan had it right.He serves you first as the highest ranked person at the table.”
“Not in my house.”
She rolled her eyes.“You’re going to have to let some of your principles go, you know, so when you host a party in London, it isn’t a complete scandal.”
“My plebeian sensibilities have no place in a ducal drawing room—or dining room, is that it?I don’t care.And I don’t plan to host people who do care enough that it would be called a scandal.”He gestured.“Now, go ahead, Duncan.Sorry to startle you, and please give my apologies to Jenny.”
Again, Evie was shocked he knew who washed laundry for the household.
He caught her expression.“I like to know who is handling my smallclothes, don’t you?”
She snorted.Next to her as he poured her wine, Duncan’s hand shook, and she heard his stuttered breath as he fought laughter as well.
They reviewed another law as they dined.When she had one last swallow of wine, Evie cleared her throat, needing to tackle a sensitive subject.
“What is it?”Xander was watching her.
“As much as last night was quite enjoyable, you need to learn to dance.And I cannot afford to gain a reputation by you dismissing the musicians a second time.”
“They wouldn’t dare.”
“They wouldn’t dare about a duke.But about a young woman alone with him?”She gave a shrug and a wry smile.
He grunted again.She should probably encourage him to stop that, but she rather liked the honesty of his sounds of disgruntlement.There’d be time enough to accomplish the fine polishing.
He placed his serviette by his plate and stood.“I understand.Dancing it is.”
They danced, first the waltz, then a quadrille as best they could without other partners.By the end of the hour, she was breathless from exertion and longing.
Her fingers and thumb would not meet around his bulging arm.And that divot at the base of his neck had caused her to miss a step more than once when they were waltzing.She’d moved on from wanting to rest her fingertip there to wanting to suck it, having taken a page from his book from the prior evening.
Panting, she raised a hand at the end of the song.“Water, please.”
“How about an ale?”he asked.“I bought a barrel from the pub in town.”
“I’ve only ever had an ale once when I was young and stole my cousin’s.Ladies—girls,” she amended quickly, “are not encouraged to drink ale.”
He snorted.“You must be joking.They quaffed it with the best of ’em in the pub back home.”
Not having an answer, she shrugged.
“Come with me.”He grabbed her hand, thanked the musicians, and tugged her down the hall to the kitchen.He’d set the barrel on two thick planks of wood running alongside it so it wouldn’t roll off the counter.Now he grabbed two tankards and held them under the tap one at a time, passing her the first one.
Evie looked at the amount of beer in her cup warily.She enjoyed wine, but that was for sipping.She did not wish to lose her head around Xander, he was heady enough without alcohol in the mix.
Stepping to the kitchen door, he asked, “Shall we enjoy them by moonlight?”
“I’m not at all certain we’ll see the moon behind the clouds, but I’d love a stroll through the gardens.”Taking a tentative sip of her ale, Evie found it refreshing.It had an odd taste, perhaps from the way it fermented or the fact that it came from barley, but it wasn’t bad.Just something to become accustomed to.
They strolled and sipped without speaking for a few minutes before he gestured at a stone bench.
She sank down with a sigh, and he settled beside her, sitting between her and the house.Backlit, he was all shadows and outlines, his massive shoulders blocking much of the light.
He set his tankard on the bench next to him and turned to face her, further darkening his features.“What is that look for?”
