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Ever the jovial fellow, Phineas extended his hand in a gesture of peace. “Good evening, Your Grace.” Nicholas took his time before accepting the proffered hand, clasping it tightly and making Phineas frown.
Just what does Nicholas think he is doing?
“I believe this dance is mine,” he said to her, his tone possessive. Jenny did not like that but she allowed him to take her arm and lead her to the dance floor. “I made sure to claim a waltz.”
“I did not appreciate your behavior just now, Your Grace,” she said, trying to keep the expression on her face placid. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were on them.
Nicholas did not respond until they began to dance. “I don’t believe I understand your meaning.”
She rolled her eyes and glanced at the couple that swiveled past them. “You can feign innocence all you want, Your Grace.”
“You should not find any fault in my behavior. That dandy was flirting, very publicly if I might add, with an engaged woman. A woman that is engaged tome.”
“Thatdandyis myfriend!” she almost snapped. “He was not flirting. He was conversing with me in the same manner he was conversing with Daphne.”
“He converses with everything in a skirt in the same manner, Jenny. Are you not wary of the eyes around you or how harshly the tongues would lash?”
An irritated laugh pushed past her lips. “For a man that courts scandal every day, you certainly seem concerned about it today. I do not recall having a problem with your public display of familiarity toward the trio of blushing women we encountered at the park earlier.”
Jenny had been jealous and had demanded he take her home, but that was not the point right now. She had not confronted him about it as he was confronting her about her interaction with Phineas.
Nicholas scoffed as though what she’d said was ridiculous. “What have they to do with this?”
“I see you are allowed to have friends but I am not,” she murmured.
His hand tightened at her waist and he drew her closer. “I never said that.”
That small movement was enough to awaken her senses once more and they defied every order she gave them to not respond to him. She was annoyed with him and her body ought to be, too.
“You don’t have to say it.”
The tension between them grew through the dance and she was filled with relief when the dance was concluded. She dropped into a courteous curtsy without a word before walking away from him.
