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"I didnot!" He defended before making a quacking sound to which they both burst out laughing.
Jenny's governess had read many stories to them before he had left for Eton and they had enacted many of them. She loved reminiscing with him. It assured her that she was not with a complete stranger.
They had also made a truce although she did not know for how long it would last. The pain of his rejection was still there despite her efforts to forget. “You have suddenly grown serious. A penny for your thoughts?”
She smiled. “My thoughts cost much more than a penny.”
“How much?” He leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest, a daring look in his eyes.
“You cannot afford it.”
“That is cheating. Give me a price and I shall pay.”
“A cat,” she said and his brows shot up in surprise.
“A cat?”
She nodded. “A cat is an excellent companion and it is rather peaceful.”
“Why would you want a cat, Jenny?”
She might never have children and Nicholas had his life to live. A cat might just be the companion she required, but she did not tell him that. “They are lovely.”
Their carriage rolled to a halt in front of the opera house and Nicholas alighted before helping her down. They were shown to the tiny salon attached to their private box. The dowager had not arrived.
“Sheallows herself the liberty to be tardy but no one else can escape her acerbic tongue when they are late,” Nicholas complained.
“Perhaps there is a good reason for her being late,” Jenny said.
At that moment, a messenger walked in with a note. “The Duke and Duchess of Seaton?” he asked. At their nod of confirmation, he presented them the note. “This is from the Dowager Duchess of Seaton.”
Nicholas collected it and broke the seal, scanning the contents. He muttered something under his breath before announcing, "It says here that she is sick and will not be able to attend."
"Oh!" Jenny suddenly recalled her deal with her grandmother-in-law and she wondered if this was all a part of the plan.
"May I see the note?" She stood and walked toward him to collect the note only to trip on the leg of a nearby table and fall straight into his lap. He caught her in his strong arms. Her mouth dried and she ducked in her breath.
“You should watch where you set your foot,” he murmured, gazing at her lips.
"Sorry,” she mumbled and shifted to get off his lap but her shoe slipped against the satin hem of her evening dress.
Nicholas grunted and she gasped. “Don’t move,” he said, wincing.
“Did I hurt you?” she asked, alarmed.
He shook his head. “No, but you are on top of…” he trailed off, shaking his head again.
His arms that had earlier shot out to steady her tightened about her waist and he drew her against him. “Are we going to stay like this all evening?” she asked. She wished to take advantage of this moment but she wanted him towanther first.
"We have the box to ourselves," he tilted her chin with his finger, “and we can do as we wish.”
The desire she had been looking for began to swirl in his eyes. She stroked his jaw and tilted her head to one side, hoping he would kiss her. There was a war being fought inside her. He could kiss her now, arouse her, and then abandon her. The likelihood of this occurring, based on prior happenings, was very high.
“The show is starting soon,” she whispered. Daphne's advice rang anew in her ears, squashing the rational voice that was urging her to put an end to this before it began.
"This play is performed several times a week. We will not be missing much if we don’t see it." He lightly traces his thumb over her bottom lip, sending shivers of delight all over her body.
"I suppose a different sort of entertainment is acceptable." Jenny swallowed before lowering her lips onto her husband's while her hands played with his cravat.
