“You gave me the cut direct!”
Ah, he speaks and that is what had upset him.
“It was not my intention. Unfortunately, my irritation from today surfaced when I saw your face,” she explained. “However, you also did not ask me to dance but ordered in your proper ducal tone. That was not appreciated either.”
“Yes, well, I was irritated at your deliberately and pointedly ignoring me, especially as others watched on.”
“Do you fear your reputation will suffer?” she asked with humor. “You are a bachelor duke of an acceptable, nearly young age. I doubt there is anything that you could do that would make Society reject you.”
He coughed on his wine. “Nearly young. I will have you know that I am only in my thirtieth year.”
“That is not so very young,” she whispered. “You have likely already lived half of your life.”
“Good God! Are you often so morbid?”
“I am simply stating a fact,” Penelope insisted though pleased that she’d shocked him. However, given she was five and twenty, she too, was likely approaching her halfway mark, which was rather disconcerting.
“Lady Penelope, I would like to thank you for the assistance you have given my cousins.”
Her heart seized for a moment. Was he going to ask her not to return to his home?
Why was it so important to her? She did not know, but it was.
“I find that I was clearly ignorant as to what they required.”
“How could you have known?” she returned. “Did you go about seeing that your sister was presented properly? No,” she answered for him. “You simply assumed all was taken care of by others and went about your business.” She had not meant for her words to be an insult. “It is the way of Society. I am certain that my brother has no idea what his sisters did to prepare for a Season and likely only learned after he had wed.”
“It is easier to be a male,” he admitted and took a drink of his wine.
“Especially when one is a duke,” she teased. “You could arrive in a sackcloth and not having shaved for a month and the debutantes would still hope that you noticed them.”
He chuckled. “And, what of you, Lady Penelope. What would you do if I were to do so?”
Her heart warmed, as she truly would like to see him in such a state and then perhaps, he wouldn’t be so handsome.
She leaned in. “Take a razor to your cheek, of course, then send you off to a proper tailor.”
The corner of his mouth tipped. “Now that is enticing, Lady Penelope.”
Her face heated but she was certain that it was because they were too close and she was the one who had placed herself there. He studied her eyes, then glanced at her lips, then smiled.
For a moment she thought he might kiss her, and as much as she hated to admit it, she wanted him to.
What was wrong with her?
Eldridge slowly smiled. “I am just not so certain that I want you with a blade so close to my throat.”
From anyone else, that would be an insult, but there was a teasing in his tone.
“I would be oh so careful, Your Grace,” she returned.
“I will keep that in mind if my valet ever leaves me.”
Penelope had never been so aware of another man in her life. Her body heated simply being close to him, and she longed for his lips to be on hers.
Never had she suffered from such a need and pulled herself away to sip her wine, hoping that it would calm and cool her.
The corner of his mouth twitched before he drank from his glass.
