“Quite confident in yourself, are you?” She managed to make the words come out innocently, but there was a fire stirring within her that defied her tone.
The duke steepled his fingers in his lap, his eyes landing on her without one iota of feeling within them. It was as if he suddenly wore a mask, and no matter what she did, she could not make out the man behind it.
“No. Not at all.”
Now it was time forhermouth to drop open. It certainly took a level of confidence to show up at a woman’s door and propose marriage when you have no sort of relationship to begin with.
“What I mean to say,” he began, leaning his elbow on the arm of the chair, “is that I am not confident in myself or my ability to romance any young woman. But I have confidence in my station in life and all that it would offer to the woman who accepts my hand. Which is why I am surprised at your reticence.”
Ah. That did make some sense. But he was mistaken if he thought his power would be alluring to her. She did not want it.
“And what if the woman does not care for stations or any such thing?”
He pulled his arm back to his side, sitting straight in his seat. “I do not wish to make a fool of myself more than once. An acceptance would be preferable.”
“Then perhaps you should be sure of a woman’s feelings before proposing.”
He stood, casually adjusting his cravat and pulling on his sleeves so they laid correctly at his wrists. “This is the situation, Miss Morgan. I have made my offer, and you would be wise to consider it. While you do not seem to care for me, my title would offer you a life of comfort and freedom. I would not have highexpectations of your time or how you spend it, assuming you do so in a manner consistent with that of a duchess.” He glanced down at the floor, his cheeks flushing a faint hue of pink. “Iwouldask you to attend any and all social events we are invited to, remaining by my side as much as possible.”
His eyes came back to hers, and for the first time she noticed they were not brown, but a deep blue, so dark that from a distance one did not recognize the color.
He lifted his brow. “These are my expectations, and I lay them out for you to either accept or deny. I will be waiting for a response within a fortnight. Good day, Miss Morgan.” He snapped into a tight, shallow bow before turning on his heel and exiting the room.
Louisa sat numbly in her seat as she stared ahead, her mind a blur. How had that just happened? She barely had time to consider it before she heard heavy footfalls that continued to grow louder, and then a shadow fell across her vision.
“Louisa, what did you say?”
Louisa peered up at her brother, finding him staring down at her with his brow tightly scrunched. “I fear I did not say much.” Her hand went to her cheek, seeming detached from the rest of her body. “What was I to say? I had hardly been expecting such an offer today. Could you not have given me some warning?”
“I did my best to do just that.” Henry sighed, sitting beside her on the settee.
“Really?” Louisa spun toward him. “It would have been done quite easily. ‘Louisa, the duke is here to propose marriage to you.’ See? It is not so difficult.” She flung backwards into her seat, crossing her arms over her waist as if that would help the growing nausea in her stomach dissipate.
“I did not feel it was my place to tell you what he wished to ask.”
She skimmed her hand over her dress before bringing her fingertips to her brow, rubbing to alleviate the slight ache that was forming.
This was ridiculous. Why had the duke’s proposal made her have such a violent reaction? It was not her first. Nor her second or her third. But the Duke of Boroux was easily the most powerful. And she was ashamed to admit it riled her more than she wished.
“So, did you tell him no?” Henry toyed with the lock of hair that hung over his brow.
“I did not tell him much of anything, to be honest. I did not say yes, but I also did not give him a definitive no.”
“What?” Henry’s head reared back before spinning toward her. “You did not tell him no?”
Louisa pinched her lips shut. “If you thought you knew me so well as to anticipate my answer, then why bother asking at all? Really, Henry. Sometimes you confuse me.”
“You are not the only one confused.” Henry leaned back so their shoulders lay side by side. “I had thought for sure you would have sent him out of here with his tail between his legs. Like Prince when he is found with one of my shoes.”
“Prince has not taken one of your shoes in a long time.”
“I hardly call three months a long time.”
“Three months?” Louisa turned to him, thankful for a diversion in the conversation. “I do not remember that occasion.”
“It wasn’t my shoe, but one of Violet’s new slippers that she bought for a dinner we were hosting.”
“Oh.” Louisa’s face fell. “Yes, I do remember that. It’s a good thing she cares for Prince almost as much as I do.”
