Gideon shifted, acutely aware of his body’s reaction to her. He was conscious that if she dared to peek beneath the table, she would be privy to just how profoundly her appearance was affecting him.
“You… you wore the dress,” he remarked, his voice gruff.
“You seemed to desire it,” she answered simply, as if that was reason enough.
Gideon’s brows shot up in surprise. “And when have you ever taken my desires into consideration?
“Since I’ve learned that you will always find other ways to assert your dominance.” Her voice was sharp and icy. All that did was make him want her more. “I am merely acquiescing to you.”
“That takes the pleasure out of it,” he pouted. “However, I must admit, you do look absolutely ravishing.”
Amelia shot him a glare, but it seemed she was unable to stop her lips from quirking upwards for a fleeting moment. “I suppose it was too much to believe that your invitation was born out of a genuine concern for my well being.”
“I assure you, I did invite you out of genuine concern. I have no intention of letting you waste away while you’re here. If you start losing weight, it might give others the impression that I’m treating you poorly.
“And you only care about whatothersbelieve, don’t you?” she muttered under her breath.
“The opinion of others weighs heavily on my position, unfortunately. And I have no intention of being subject to improper rumors.”
Amelia regarded him with a frown, but Gideon made a point to avoid her gaze. When the first course of white soup was served, he discovered that his desire for food had significantly diminished. His cravings were directed elsewhere entirely.
“So, our little incident on the balcony must have really bothered you,” she said after a while.
“Wouldn’t it have bothered anyone?” he asked in return. “Not everyone is like you, Amelia, ready to gamble with their reputation to secure a marriage.”
She didn’t rise to the bait the way he’d thought she would. Instead, she calmly said, “You know nothing of my motivations. Just as I know nothing of yours.”
“What motivations could I possibly have? Marriage was the last thing on my mind.”
“I’m not referring to marriage. I’m talking about your alter ego—the Masked Rogue. I simply cannot fathom why any sane person would do the things you do.”
Gideon tried not to let her question ruin his mood. “That is none of your concern.”
“I beg to differ.”
Gideon reclined in his chair, regarding her evenly. “And what about you, dear? Will you continue to pester me about such inconsequential matters while you reveal so little of yourself?”
“Inconsequential?” For the first time since he’d met her, Amelia laughed.Actuallylaughed. The lovely sound dissipated his rising annoyance. “I would hardly call a renowned Duketransforming into the notorious Masked Rogue come nightfall an inconsequential matter. But fine, what would you like to know?”
Gideon found himself momentarily stumped. He racked his brain for the right question to ask, keenly aware that she might only retreat into her shell if he pushed her too far. This was the most loose-lipped she had ever been while around him, and he intended to make the most of it.
“Why were you so desperate to marry me?” he asked at last.
Amelia’s blue eyes flicked to him, clouding over with confusion. “That is what you wished to ask? I thought you had accepted that I was simply after the title of a Duchess.”
“Is that the real reason?” he pressed gently.
Amelia held his gaze for a moment longer before she shook her head and returned to her meal. “No, I do not care for the title. But I wished for anything to get out of my uncle’s home.”
“Why?” A thought occurred to him and instantly darkened his mood. “Did he… hurt you?”
“What?” She sounded surprised. “No, not at all. Well, not physically at least. My uncle was the kind of gentleman who barely acknowledged my existence, as long as he was fulfilling his responsibilities as my guardian. My aunt and cousin, on the other hand…” she trailed off.
Gideon’s mind cast back to the dinner he had attended with Amelia’s extended family. The viscount had maintained a veneer of politeness, but his wife and daughter had left Gideon with a bad taste in his mouth. His grip on his spoon tightened, his dark mood worsening at the thought of those women mistreating Amelia in any way. He couldn’t quite fathom why he was so affected by this. “They treated you unfairly.”
“Unfairly is too polite a word for it,” she responded, her laughter light yet carrying an edge of bitterness. “But it matters not now. It is in the past. What matters now is the present… and you.”
“Me?” He didn’t think it possible but… his heart skipped a beat. Amelia held his gaze boldly and he felt ensnared by her periwinkle eyes. For the first time in his life, Gideon was at a loss of words, his mind faltering.
