Allowed?She could never assume the audacity, for the Duke had a mind of his own. But she could try—if only for the sake of the lesson.
“Table conversation,” she said evenly, “should be pleasant, light, and never controversial. One does not discuss politics, business, or—” she met his gaze firmly “—one’s distaste for the food.”
“Too late,” Evan muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to catch.
Isadora ignored it and continued, “One should engage their dining companion politely, allowing them ample opportunity to speak. A gentleman, for instance, would ensure his wife has a chance to express her thoughts.”
“And if the wife has no thoughts to express?”
Isadora exhaled through her nose. “Then the husband has chosen poorly.”
That managed to earn a chuckle from him. “Tell me, sweetheart, are all your dinner parties filled with such lively conversation?”
“My dinner parties,” she said primly, “are civilized.”
“How dreadful,” he smirked as though it was the most awful of fates.
She glared at him in response.
“But for the sake of this lesson,” he continued, “I shall try my best. Now tell me, if I must master this art of polite conversation, what is an acceptable topic?”
Isadora considered this for a moment. “Well, there is a range of topics one might settle on. Books. Travel. The arts. Anything refined.”
She noticed him grimace slightly at the word. “Fine. Let us discuss books then.”
“Do you read, Your Grace?”
“Only when necessary,” he grinned in response.
Whatever was so amusing about my question?she found herself wondering.
“That is not an answer,” she sighed, dabbing her napkin against the corners of her lips.
“I have read my fair share though I doubt the books would be to your taste.”
“Oh, I hardly doubt that,” she responded immediately.
“Really?” He seemed surprised. “I did not anticipate you and I having the same taste in… well anything. But books for one.”
Isadora ignored the teasing implication in his voice. “Try me.”
“I prefer stories where men must fight to survive. Where the world does not hand them fortune and favor simply because of their birth.” His reply was surprisingly candid.
She had not expected it in the least. If anything, she had assumed that he would give her a surface level answer. One that gave away just enough to satisfy the demands of the question but nothing more.
It made her pause. His answer had been revealing.
She had always known his upbringing had been different from hers, but she had never truly considered what that meant. Not until now.
“Your world,” she murmured, choosing her words carefully, “was never kind to you, was it?”
Evan’s expression shifted, just slightly. “I thought we were meant to discuss books. Why stray from the topic at hand?”
There it was. The evasiveness that she had come to expect.
“I am only curious,” she insisted.
“Kindness is a luxury, sweetheart,” he said lightly. “One I was never afforded.”
