“She couldn’t possibly believe that Lady Edwina isn’t able to find a suitor on her own, could she?”
“I don’t think Lavinia could ever doubt her sister’s beauty. No, that isn’t it. She thinks it’s for the best—that this is what Lady Edwina needs. But she must know that you’re not the kind to marry on a whim. Everyone knows that about you—so how could she have accepted a bid from you, knowing that no proposal would be coming at the end of the dates?”
“Perhaps your wife believes that Lady Edwina will be the lady to capture my interest at last,” Allan suggested. “Sheisbeautiful after all. She has turned many a head in her time, and I would imagine that it’s a rare gentleman indeed who isn’t charmed by her beauty.”
“Butyouwon’t be charmed by her beauty.”
“Of course not. How many young ladies have I spent time with? And how many more are in my future? It would take one in a million to win me over,” Allan said confidently.
“You’re every bit as unattainable as she is.”
“Oh, much more so. That’s what I’m counting on.”
Seth laughed. “I don’t know how anyone can tolerate you, Allan, I really don’t. And I don’t know how you’ll ever find a marriage with the way you behave.”
“When I find a marriage, it will be with a lady who understands the duties of a duchess and is worthy of my position,” Allan declared. “I will not marry someone just because she’s lovely—and certainly not just because she fancies herselfunattainable.”
“Well, I see you’ve made up your mind that this is what you’re going to do,” Seth relented. “I admit that I can’t wait to see what comes of it all. It should be entertaining to witness if nothing else. Just take care that you don’t hurt her. I don’t believe I’ll ever hear the end of it from Lavinia if you do.”
“I’ll do my best,” Allan said, though the truth was that he didn’t believe the unattainable spinster could be hurt. She would have her dignity bruised, perhaps, when she was forced to accept that she wasn’t quite as unattainable as she had believed herself tobe, but she would be all right. No one had ever managed to do her any harm.
The two gentlemen finished their drinks and got to their feet, ready to end their day. Allan knew that Seth needed to go home and be with his wife. Personally, he would have liked to stay longer at the club, but there was no point in doing so alone.
Besides, he had plans to make. He had five dates with Lady Edwina coming his way, and he wanted to make sure that each and every one of them was something to remember—an outing that she would never forget.
CHAPTER 6
The Pinery Ball was always a grand affair and one that Allan looked forward to every year. Usually, it was a time to dance with as many ladies as possible since it was the first event of the season. It would set the tone for the remainder of the season.
But this year, things were different.
He was here with Lady Edwina as his guest.
She stood beside him now, still as a statue, staring at the figures on the dance floor. She couldn’t have made it any more apparent that she didn’t want to be here and would have preferred to be anywhere else.
“You look lovely,” he told her, hoping to thaw her a little bit.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice tight.
“Are you still angry with me, then?”
“You were incredibly rude to me the last time we saw one another.”
“You were fairly rude yourself,” he pointed out mildly. “You couldn’t be more obvious about the fact that you want nothing to do with me.”
“That wouldn’t be a problem if you weren’t forcing your company on me,” Lady Edwina said. “There’s nothing particularly rude about my not desiring your company, Your Grace. But I suppose you’ve never come across a lady who didn’t.”
“That’s right,” Allan agreed. “Even when they think they don’t, I’m able to change their minds. And that’s what will happen with you.”
“Don’t bet on it.”
“I am betting on it. By the end of the night, you’ll be glad that we had this time together.”
Lady Edwina let out a loud sigh that said all too clearly that she didn’t agree.
“Dance with me,” Allan suggested.
“Do I have a choice?”
