Page 40 of Winning Her Duke

He watched Gia’s face to see her reaction, hoping she might seem bored. Would it be too much to wish for a yawn? But there was nothing there but a polite smile.

Until the man laughed.

Damn the man for finding Gia as humorous and enchanting as he did.

After watching her dance with a few other men, he found himself eager to speak with her even though it had only been an hour since he’d last heard her voice. When the supper dance was announced, he made his way to her side to find her biting her bottom lip, concern clear in her warm brown eyes.

“What is it?” he asked, wanting to protect her from anything that caused her a moment of unhappiness.

“It appears our reputations have shifted slightly through the course of the evening.”

He recalled the evening the gossips assumed he was seeking pleasures from Gia and that she was offering them freely.

“Oh? What is being said?”

“You may not want to stand too close or dance with me again.”

He had been counting down the minutes until he could dance with her again. Not so much the dancing, but the privilege of holding her in his arms. No lewd whispers by the old crows of the ton would stop him.

“And why is that?”

“It appears the ton has the idea you are courting me.”

It was not so surprising. His friends had warned him of such a possibility. For whatever reason, Hale had done nothing to dissuade such an insinuation. He wanted to tell himself it was because he was above caring about what these people thought. But the way his insides warmed by the misunderstanding that he was courting her, he was forced to look at another reason he hadn’t taken their advisement more seriously.

Gia went on while he picked at his motives.

“I didn’t think we were in danger of such a rumor, why would they think you would consider me for marriage?”

He turned to look at her more closely. She genuinely believed she was above or rather under the ton’s notice. Did this thinking come from her father’s perception of her, or her own?

She didn’t say it as if she should be pitied for not being considered for a duke, but rather as if it were merely fact. The sky is blue, and no one would ever think he would be interested in her as his duchess.

If he were forced to marry, he would not find a more pleasing candidate. She might not be suited for hosting grand balls or soirees, but she would fill his home with laughter. She might not hold interests that conformed to acceptable ton activities, but Hale would never be in danger of boredom a day in his life with her by his side.

He found himself in the peculiar position of being in defense of Gia against herself. How did someone proceed in this situation?

“We have danced on more than one occasion. We go riding in the mornings. Someone might have seen us. Not to mention at Tattersall’s or at Salisbury. Why do you think it is such a leap for them to assume we are courting?”

And more importantly, why did he suddenly wish they were?

Chapter Twelve

Gia blinked at Hale much in the same way her father had during his visit to Hale’s home.

Was Hale the only person who could see the beauty she was? No. He knew for certain every man in London with a working penis had noticed as well.

“But we’re not courting,” she said.

“But to the casual bystander, would it not look that way?”

Her eyes went wide. “I hadn’t considered. Please forgive me. I never meant for anyone to think that you would actually…” Her cheeks flushed and her eyes darted quickly around the room. “What should we do to put things right? I should leave you alone.”

“No. Please don’t leave me alone. You are the only thing keeping these events from being tedious.” He watched her for a few more seconds, hating how she was distressed by this. “In truth, if I were looking to actually court someone, I would be hard-pressed to find anyone more lovely than you.”

She looked back at him incredulously.

“Are you mad? Just against that wall alone are six young ladies who would be better suited for a duke. They’ve probably been training for such a thing since they slipped from their mother’s womb. And if you needed any further proof I am not of the same caliber as them, I can guarantee none of them would be so gauche as to speak of such a thing as wombs at a ball.”