In a deep voice, he called her name. "Madeline." Still she ignored him. Taking her hand, he lifted it to his lips and, at the last minute, he turned it and kissed her wrist.
That got her attention. She looked at him, her eyes as wide and startled as those of a doe who had never seen a human before.
All around them, the tittle-tattle of gossip grew louder.
"Mr. Knight!" Lady Gertrude used her most disapproving tone. didn't care whether she was overheard. "You will not do such a thing again. That is quite improper."
"Until we are wed," he answered. He didn't care, either.
"Ever," Lady Gertrude said with crushing certainty. Then she amended, "In public."
Madeline said nothing but ducked her head and blushed, and he would have sworn he saw the glitter of tears on her lashes.
For a moment, just a moment, he felt guilty. Damn her. Most women of his experience used weeping like a weapon, to get their own way. His duchess seemed embarrassed by her tears and wanted no one to see. Not him. Not anyone else in the crowd.
That got her attention. She looked at him, her eyes as wide and startled as those of a doe who had never seen a human before.
All around them, the tittle-tattle of gossip grew louder.
"Mr. Knight!" Lady Gertrude used her most disapproving tone. didn't care whether she was overheard. "You will not do such a thing again. That is quite improper."
"Until we are wed," he answered. He didn't care, either.
"Ever," Lady Gertrude said with crushing certainty. Then she amended, "In public."
Madeline said nothing but ducked her head and blushed, and he would have sworn he saw the glitter of tears on her lashes.
For a moment, just a moment, he felt guilty. Damn her. Most women of his experience used weeping like a weapon, to get their own way. His duchess seemed embarrassed by her tears and wanted no one to see. Not him. Not anyone else in the crowd.
( Christina Dodd )
[ One Kiss From You ]
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