The Duke thought back to a few nights before when Deborah had been laughing loudly. Surely, Joanna seemed to be better behaved than that. And that was exactly what he needed in a wife.
Or at least, that is what he told himself.
As they began to dig into their food, he found himself at a loss for words. He was not sure what topic he should strike up with the lady, especially since she refused to even look in his direction.
“I take your journey went well, My Lady?” He finally found something to say.
“Yes, Your Grace,” Lady Joanna replied, keeping it polite but short. She went back to eating.
“I hope you are feeling welcome at Hopestyn Estate,” the Duke tried again, hoping that the conversation would flow naturally from this point.
“Of course, Your Grace,” she replied, again cutting the topic short.
“Very good,” he said. He racked his brain for possible topics, but it seemed that she was far too shy to continue the conversation.
“As you may know, we have arranged for a ball later in the night to celebrate the occasion of my sister’s engagement.”
“Yes, Her Grace told me.”
Again, the conversation went dead before it even had a chance to take off.
Giving up, he decided to focus on his food instead. From the corner of his eye, he could not help but steal a discreet glance in Deborah’s direction. She seemed engaged in a conversation with Nicholas.
Inadvertently, he found himself drawing comparisons between the two women. But to his shock, this time, he found himself preferring Deborah’s company. She had a sharp wit and a knack for continuing any sort of conversation.
Joanna did not say another word, and the Duke did know how else to capture her attention. He prayed that things would improve at the ball when they had a chance to get to know each other better. But for now, a dead silence hung between them.
Deborah watched them interact, feeling a sudden pang of insecurity tugging at her heart. She could not justify to herself why she felt this way, but seeing a beautiful woman by the Duke’s side awoke another side of her that she did not know even existed.
She pushed the peas on her plate to a corner, drawing little circles with her fork to distract herself from the scene unfolding in front of her. She had suddenly lost her appetite.
“What do you think of the couple, then?” Nicholas asked her in a hushed tone. “I noticed that you are looking in their direction quite frequently.”
A blush covered Deborah’s cheeks. “I am doing no such thing.”
“You did not answer my question, dear sister.”
“I have no opinion.” She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.
“No opinion? Today must be the day that the sun rises from the West.” Nicholas chuckled heartily. “You always have an opinion about everything.”
“It is simply none of my business,” Deborah shot back, returning her attention back to her plate.
“Color me surprised.” Nicholas grinned. “Though, I am not sure if I believe you entirely. Perhaps this is just a ruse and you are actually hiding how you truly feel.”
It annoyed Deborah that Nicholas could see right through her. She nudged him gently, glaring at him to stop.
“Considering how eager you seem, you surely have an opinion,” she hissed.
Nicholas observed the Duke and Joanna from a distance. “I cannot say. She seems quite boring, having barely said a word to His Grace.”
Even though her brother’s criticism was harsh, she felt strangely validated by it.
Joanna was boring, and not like Deborah, who lit up any room with her wit and charm.
Right?
Deborah felt pathetic that she was even stooping so low to compare herself to another woman like that. She knew that this was only happening because the Duke and her had shared a kiss. If only she had kissed other people, she would not be so fixated on him.
