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Richard confidently walked through the throng of people, forcing everyone to step back and give him room.
Miss Claremont, noticing the thinning crowd, raised her head. She smiled as she saw his approach.
Richard bowed. “Miss Claremont.”
“I do not believe we were formally introduced,” she replied.
“Viscount Gage,” he said. Then he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “A long-time admirer of your work.”
She raised her brow. “Is that so?”
“Yes, I rather enjoyed how you made me a butt of your joke earlier today.”
She laughed, a beautiful musical sound, and fanned herself as she studied him from beneath her lashes. “I thought you genuinely enjoyed indulging your niece’s whim.”
Richard leaned closer, and whispered, “Not quite as much as I shall enjoy indulging all your whims.” And then in a slightly raised voice, “Starting with this dance.”
Miss Claremont didn’t take her eyes off him. “Are we still talking about my whims or yours?”
Richard shrugged. “Does it matter? A waltz is the least that you owe me.”
“I owe you?” She raised a brow. “So it has nothing to do with indulging me?”
Richard pursed his lips. “Perhaps after,” he said in a low voice and had the satisfaction of seeing her skin covered with gooseflesh. “But first, you wouldn’t mind taking pity on me, would you? After all, you did humiliate me in front of my peers today.”
“Humiliate?” she scoffed.
Richard gave a sharp nod. “Wouldn’t you say?”
“I would say that I shattered your reputation as an old boor. But I’d think you’d be grateful. Besides, you might not know it, but many ladies find gentlemen who are playful with children quite charming.”
“Yes?” Richard smiled slowly. “Are you one of those ladies?”
She leaned forward, a playful twinkle in her eyes. “I am afraid I am one of the ladies who knows that you were not inclined to be playful until I forced you.”
Richard barked a laugh. “No one can force me to do anything I don’t want.”
“Ah, so by that reasoning, I did not humiliate you. You did it yourself because you wanted to.”
Richard chuckled and shook his head. “You are quite sly, Miss Claremont.”
She bit her lip. “I have to be,my lord.”
Richard inclined his head, recognizing that Miss Claremont had won that round. But he wasn’t about to relent. “Then how about you grant me a dance to soothe my wounded ego?”
Miss Claremont pursed her lips as she studied him curiously. “Very well,” she finally agreed. “One waltz.”
Richard grinned widely.One waltz.
