Before she could say anything else, he was out the door, leaving the door slightly open.
Jane stared at the door for a moment as the awkwardness settled into the room. Now, with her father gone, she could speak freely about their previous meeting and question him about his true intentions. However, she did not quite know where to begin.
She looked at him now and shuddered as a ripple ran through the length of her body.
Calm yourself, Jane. He is only but a man. One whose intentions you know nothing about but a man, nonetheless.
“How did you find me?” she asked, partly to distract herself from how handsome he looked in his black coat with the green caveat that matched the beautiful dark pools that were his eyes.
He smiled at her and her breath caught in her throat.
Have I made it too obvious that I find him quite dashing? Can he tell?
She blushed.
Oh, he certainly must have caught on given how unabashedly you’ve been staring at him.
She turned away from him and stared at the small mirror her father had always kept in his study. Her cheeks were stained red with the heat that she felt.
“I must admit, you made it almost impossible to find you seeing as you dashed off before I could find out who you were. However, I would not get very far if I did not have my ways of getting information.”
“What sort of a vague answer is that?” she asked, although she had not meant to say it out loud.
She saw the hint of surprise in his eyes, a reaction from her outburst, before it disappeared, leaving the endless pool of dark green from which she could deduce nothing.
“What did you mean by your proposal?”
“Exactly what I asked, my lady. I am proposing to you. I wish to marry you.”
Jane blinked away the shock. It was the exact words that he had said when her father was in the room yet, it seemed more real now than it had then. Perhaps it was because her father had done all the talking and expected only a positive answer from her.
“Are you certain of what you are asking, Your Grace? Does this have anything to do with what happened in the garden?’ she asked in panic. “Is this some sort of punishment because you felt slighted?”
The Duke took a few steps towards her until there was only a little space between them. His face gave off no clues as usual, nor did it hold confusion or anger.
“I would not be here if I were not certain, Lady Jane.”
Jane bit her lower lip to stop her gasp as her name left his lips.
Focus, Jane. What in heaven’s name is the matter with you?
“You are right in your assumption that I am here because of what happened in the garden, however, it is not as you see it. I hold no ill will towards you and do not seek to cause you harm in any way. I truly intend to answer all of your questions, however, I’m afraid I require an answer before I continue.”
Her eyes cut to his in shock. He seemed to have given it a lot of thought in the days that have passed, while all she had to thinkabout were ways to avoid him and safeguard her reputation while avoiding her father’s disappointing glare once again.
“I do not know what you wish me to say, Your Grace. I am not prepared for any of this. You cannot expect me to say yes when I know nothing about you. We might as well have never met,” she protested as she moved away from him, taking a few paces back to put more space between them.
She needed the space if she wanted to think about things properly.
She paced the length of the study, caring nothing that he watched her. So far, the Duke did not seem to be at all menacing, and except he was quite good at masking his feelings, he appeared to be respectful towards her.
Besides, what other options do I have?
She looked at him, pausing in her steps as he watched her in silence, allowing her the time to contemplate.
There was only one other option, the one her father had been quite willing to marry her off to without a second’s thought: Lord Pennington. She shuddered as she thought of his eyes watching her in the same way he had as they danced with his hands touching her skin. There was no one she hate more to be tethered to than the Marquess.
“I am well aware of your father's determination that you marry into a prestigious home,” he declared keenly.
