Page 90 of Winning Her Duke

Gia would find a man who wanted to marry her, and they would be ready to wed as soon as her father and stepmother returned.

And Jeremy… he would remain forever her fondest memory.

Chapter Twenty-Six

While Lady Biddle was a more watchful chaperone than Lydia, Gia appreciated the woman was willing to accompany her to the Beverley ball.

After all, how was Gia supposed to find a husband in time if she waited for her new stepmother to return home from her honeymoon so she could return to society?

When she’d arrived in London months ago, she’d been willing to do anything to get out of such an event, but now she willingly sought out her own chaperone so she could attend. How much she had changed in just a few months.

She groaned softly.

“Are you well, dear?” Lady Biddle asked.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine.”

“Then don’t make that noise. In fact, it would be best if you don’t make any noises,” the woman said with a stern frown.

“Of course. I’ll remain silent the duration of the evening.”

Gia’s sarcasm was met by a lifted eyebrow and a hearty chuckle from the man standing behind her. Recognizing his laugh, she turned and smiled at the familiar dark-haired countenance of Lord Duncan.

“Miss Gia, might I have this dance?”

“Why, yes,” Gia answered with a smile. Lord Duncan had been one of the only men she’d danced with capable of keeping his gaze on her face.

“How have you been? I’ve not seen you recently,” she asked to start the conversation.

“Ah, so you’ve been looking for me?”

“Impertinent,” she scolded playfully, causing him to smile.

“I had business at one of my estates and have only just returned to town. I just missed meeting with your father.”

“You know my father?” Gia smiled.

“My father and yours were good friends long ago. I met Harold again at his club a few weeks ago before I left London. He told me about your horses and mentioned you’d recently received a new mare from America.”

“Yes. A mustang. Her name is Xandra.”

“Ah. Because of her adventures, I’d wager.”

“Yes.” Gia was fairly beaming at the man, so happy was she to have finally met a man who was interested in horses. Make that another man.

She still hadn’t heard any word from Jeremy. Thinking of him, she found herself unwillingly comparing the two men. Lord Duncan lacked the rumbling brogue she was used to. He wasn’t as tall or broad, though his dark looks were more like her own and suited him fine.

Lord Duncan didn’t make her heart race or set her blood aflame. He was handsome enough. He just wasn’t as handsome as Jeremy.

But Jeremy wasn’t here. And even if he were, he wouldn’t want to marry.

The question was, did Lord Duncan have the same aversion to marriage?

Over the weeks since Jeremy quit London, the men who had shown an interest had waned. She’d been glad of it, knowing they no more wished to offer marriage than Jeremy had. But when she’d held out her dance card to Lord Duncan with only two names scribbled on it, it made her cheeks warm.

She remembered how refreshing it had been to be in his company compared to the men who leered at her during their dances, or worse, the men who didn’t bother to ask for a dance and suggested a walk through the gardens instead. Lord Duncan’s humor and lack of interest in horticulture gave her hope.

Lord Duncan asked about the rest of her family. Since she had only her father, that conversation drifted off quickly. “Are you close with your family, then?”