Page 46 of A Deal for the Duke’s Virgin

“Yes, well,” Nicholas answered, mollified, “I shall be watching you.”

“No doubt. Well, I am the Duke of Thornhill, but you may call me Christian if you prefer.”

Nicholas cleared his throat, puffing out his chest. “I am Nicholas. And these are Alex and Sophia.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Christian offered, bowing. “I can see that Lady Thalia and her maid are preparing a luncheon. Perhaps you would care to join me in a short game of marbles beforehand?”

Alex glanced at the others. “We haven’t got any marbles.”

At once, Christian reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag that clinked and jingled. “That might be remedied,” he said.

The children’s eyes went wide. They turned as one to Thalia, their expressions faintly pleading.

“Can we, Lady Thalia? Can we?”

Thalia hesitated, glancing over at Mabel. But the maid’s expression gave away nothing, so she looked back at Christian. He was already watching her, his gaze thoughtful and pensive.

She swallowed, trying to ignore the heat coiling in her belly. It was not a sensation a respectable young woman ought to be feeling.

“I see no harm in it,” she managed.

Cheers broke out, and the children crowded around Christian, clamoring excitedly.

Thalia turned to Mabel and hissed under her breath, “How did he know to bring marbles? Does he carry them in his pocket all the time?”

“I imagine he knew that you come here regularly with the children,” Mabel responded mildly. “It’s hardly a secret.”

Thalia bit her lower lip. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that Christian had led the children a little further down the hill to where a large, flat boulder provided a decent playing surface. Carefully, he upended the bag.

Even for Thalia, who had never played marbles, she could tell that these were good ones. Some were clear, some opaque, some slightly larger than others, but all were polished to a gleam.

It had apparently been decided that the marbles would be divided up amongst them. Christian sat back on his heels, watching the children arrange the marbles. As if sensing eyes on him, he glanced up, meeting Thalia’s gaze.

That heat made her shiver, an aching knot in her belly that refused to go away. She turned away from his impenetrable gaze.

“Let me help with the food, Mabel,” she murmured.

Mabel cast her an odd look. “Aren’t you going to talk to His Grace? My Lady, I don’t mean to overstep, but it is plain that he likes you. And… well, any woman would want to marry a man like that.”

And yet he chose you. That is what she means to say.

But he hasn’t chosen me. This is all a ploy. I don’t intend to marry anyone, and I won’t marry Christian. Which relieves me, really. Very much so.

Thalia cleared her throat. “We shall see, Mabel.”

“Of course, My Lady.”

The game of marbles took about half an hour, after which the children came thundering up the hill, faces alight.

“Look, look, Lady Thalia!” Sophia exclaimed. “We won! And Christian said that we could keep all the marbles we won. I got lots!”

“So did I,” Nicholas chimed in, beaming.

All three of them clustered close, showing off their marbles.

“Impressive,” Thalia remarked, placing her hands on her hips and shooting Christian an arch look. “It seems like each of you managed to win exactly a third of the marbles. What a stroke of luck.”

“Most fortuitous,” Christian agreed.