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Should that matter? He had known her for just over a fortnight. That wasn’t enough time to know her or to love her. If he left, she would stay behind. And while that should not bother him, for some reason it did. He liked her companionship, even when she became waspish when he did something wrong.
He slid a glance over at her. She stared down at the stage, entranced by the performance. The opera did nothing for him. He found the music too shrill, and his mind continued to wander.
The emerald dress she’d worn tonight complemented her eyes. The lower cut bodice allowed him a perfect view of her rounded breasts, and he steeled himself against the sudden rush of desire. He wanted her again. Only this time, he wanted to strip off each piece of clothing and lay her nude body on his soft bed.
Far too quickly, intermission started and the door to their box opened as the footman announced their first guest.
“Lord Hampton, Your Grace.”
A young man with jet-black hair and blue eyes bowed to them all. “Your Grace, it is an honor to finally meet you.”
“Hampton, good to meet you.” Will watched as the man blatantly stared at Lucy. “This is my cousin, Lady Elizabeth,” he said, looking over at Elizabeth. “And my sisters, Ellie—”
“Eleanor and Lucia,” Elizabeth finished for him with a glare.
“You may call me Lucy,” Lucy said.
Elizabeth groaned softly. Her frustration at his sister’s manners was clear.
“Lady Lucia, it is a pleasure,” Hampton said, bowing over Lucy’s hand. “And yours also, Lady Eleanor.”
Ellie appeared rather put out by Hampton’s obvious favoritism of Lucy. Within five minutes, Ellie had nothing to be envious of, as the entire box filled with young men vying for her attention, as well.
Will noticed Elizabeth’s color and wondered why she looked so uncomfortable. He leaned over and asked her, “Are you well?”
“Yes, I am perfectly fine,” she snapped.
Oh, yes, any woman who answered like that was fine, he thought sarcastically. “Why are you uncomfortable?”
“I am not!” She stood and made her way through the crowd to the door.
Unable to leave his sisters alone with all the young bucks, he was forced to sit through another excruciating ten minutes without Elizabeth’s company.
Elizabeth stood against the wall trying to catch her breath. Inside that box she’d felt as if she were suffocating. She was a fraud. Ever since her father’s declaration that she wasn’t his daughter, she considered herself a sham. Tonight, watching all the men pour into the box to visit with Ellie and Lucy, all those painful sensations had returned.
She wanted to be Lady Elizabeth in truth.
The only way for that to happen was to marry Will and become the duchess. She couldn’t do that. If she had only wanted a title, there had been plenty of men during her first two Seasons who would have married her just to be associated with the duke’s name. She wanted more than just a title. She wanted love.
She had watched Jennette’s parents and had seen how much they loved each other, even with their huge difference in ages. That was Elizabeth’s aspiration. She wanted love, and to forge a union that would last, with no infidelity.
She was certain a love like that existed. Perhaps just not for her. Her stomach roiled. Why not for her? Her friends seemed to have such a love. What was wrong with her that she could not have that too?
“Are you unwell, Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth looked up to see her cousin, Richard, staring down at her with concern on his face. “I am all right. The box filled with young men looking for an introduction to the duke’s sisters. I needed a little air.”
“Queasy, then?” Richard asked, looking even more worried.
“Only slightly. I am perfectly all right now and will return to the box.”
Richard held out his arm for her. “Let me escort you back.”
“Thank you, Richard.” Perhaps now that Will was here, Richard had given up on his idea of being duke.
“You must take better care of yourself, Elizabeth. Have you thought about taking a husband?”
“A husband? You know I have a very small dowry, Richard. Who would want me?” Elizabeth hated how pathetic she sounded.
