He chuckled, causing her insides to flutter. “Crimes? I am an upstanding man, though I suppose the same cannot be said for many of our acquaintances.”
“My acquaintances? Contrary to what you may think, Your Grace, I have no acquaintances.”
“A veritable recluse then?”
“Unintentionally so.” She flushed, realising that she was revealing far too much about herself. “But it is your confession that I wish to hear, Your Grace.”
“Ah, yes. The confession.” He paused and she was left with no choice but to look up at him again. She didn’t want the dance to end, she thought impatiently. But it had to, and there was no telling whether he would wish to converse with her afterwards. She wanted to make the best of the time they had.
“I had hoped to get introduced to you,” he said at last.
Now, it was her turn to be quiet, though she was more speechless than anything else. Heat rushed through her entire body. “Why?” she managed to say.
“You caught my eye the moment I arrived, my lady, and I had hoped to make an introduction. I simply did not know how.” He smiled sheepishly. “Pardon me if that seems too forward.”
“Certainly not, Your Grace!” she said hastily. A little too hastily, she realised, when he raised a brow. “I am flattered. For someone like yourself to take notice of me is quite uncommon.”
“Someone like you?” he probed.
“Well…” A little embarrassed now, she cast a glance over her shoulder. Her mother had always chided her on how open she was with her thoughts and Elaine supposed it was to avoid situations like these. “It is of no consequence.”
“Which means it must certainly be of some. Tell me, my lady,” he urged gently. “Or should I make another confession in order to get to know you better?”
“Goodness, there is more?”
“Many more,” he said. “For instance, I despise balls such as these. I merely attend because it is expected of me.”
“That hardly seems like a noteworthy confession to make,” she said in earnest. “I imagine a number of people attend these events simply out of duty.”
“Not anyone withinmycircle. My sister takes great pleasure in these events, though I think it has more to do with her love for dancing than anything else.” He pulled her closer slightly. Elaine nearly tripped over her feet. “Have I earned your trust?”
“Not nearly,” she answered breathlessly. “It would not be so easy, Your Grace. I hardly know you, after all. What sort of lady would I be if I were to divulge all about myself during our very first dance?”
“Our first dance?” he parrotted with a raised brow. “So we shall indeed have others then?”
Elaine flushed, looking away. “I would not be averse to the idea..”
“Ah, so shall we tempt scandal then? Will you dance with me again tonight?”
Elaine's eyes widened in horror as she gazed up at him. “And ruin my chances of ever getting married?”
“With your beauty, my lady, your chances shall never truly fade even when you are fifty.”
“While your words are indeed sweet, Your Grace, you very well know that is far from the truth. I am almost considered a spinster as it is.” She paused, then sighed. “Perhaps I should not have told you that. Aunt Lorna would have my tongue were she to learn of my candour.”
“Your candour is beguiling.”
“As it is off-putting,” she added. “But I too have something to confess, Your Grace.”
“At last! Something to balance the scales between us.”
She smiled at that. It came so easily, with such abandon, that Elaine realised it had been years since she’d smiled with such carefree joy.
“I fear I do not enjoy balls either,” she said softly. “But this dance with you has rendered this evening worthwhile.”
The Duke of Ryewood stared at her, searching her face, a little frown touching his brow at her words. Elaine’s earlier confidence withered when he didn’t immediately respond and an apology rushed to the tip of her tongue, though she wasn’t certain she should say it.
Then he smiled. “I’m glad, my lady.”
