Read Online Marry Christmas (Zebra Historical Romance) by Jane Goodger - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jane Goodger
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be marrying such a beautiful girl. “You should get used to this,” he told her.
She looked up at him and for the first time he realized her blue eyes were speckled with green flecks.
“Used to dancing? I can assure you, Your Grace, that dancing and its many forms has been drilled into me since childhood.”
“No, that is not what I meant. Used to touching me,” he said smoothly, and only grinned wider when she stiffened. He knew he should not torture the girl, but acting as if he were the very devil and not a rather nice man who happened to be a duke was beginning to grate.
“It is difficult to dance the waltz when you are as pliant as a statue,” he went on. “I could kiss you until you relax, but I daresay your mother would not approve.”
The nostrils in the small nose flared. “ I would not approve,” she said haughtily.
“Oh,” he said, bringing his voice down a bit, “I think you would.” And then he laughed because she looked so outraged it was all he could do.
“You enjoy making fun of people.”
“Actually, I never make fun of people. Perhaps you bring out the devil in me, Miss Cummings.”
“He must be very near the surface if I do,” she said, which only brought about another laugh.
Someone watching them from the perimeter of the ballroom would have thought them a delightful couple having a delightful time. They would note Elizabeth’s flushed cheeks, her shining eyes, how closely she danced with the duke. And they would also comment on the way the duke kept smiling, how his eyes drifted over her face as if he very much liked what he saw. They would have been wrong, at least halfway.
Elizabeth was not enjoying the dance. The duke was absolutely insufferable. Intolerably so. This must be the longest waltz Johann Strauss had written. It seemed to go on interminably. While all the time the duke laughed at her. She could not wait until the last strains of the waltz sounded and she could escape outside where her cheeks could cool and where she could forget the way just the thought of the duke kissing her made her entire body heat. With embarrassment, of course. How dare he be so forward with her? It was not as if they were already formally engaged. She wondered if he talked to all women so.
Finally, the dance ended and she stepped immediately from him, dropping her hands to give a brief curtsy. “There’s Maggie. If you’ll excuse me, Your Grace,” she said, and turned away before he had a chance to even thank her for the dance.
When Elizabeth reached her friend, she grabbed her arm and led her toward her mother.
“What’s wrong?” Maggie asked. “Did you see us dancing? Isn’t he handsome? And an earl, too. I’ve never danced with royalty. Do you think he’s met the queen?”
“He’s not royalty, he’s a member of the peerage. Whatever that means. And I’m sure I don’t know who he’s met,” Elizabeth said, losing patience with her friend.
“Or care,” Maggie said astutely. “What is wrong?”
“I want to get out of this ballroom. Please come with me for a walk outside.”
A look of real concern crossed Maggie’s face. “Of course.”
“Mother, Maggie and I are going to take a turn ’round the garden,” Elizabeth said when they’d reached her mother.
“Very well. And, Elizabeth, I thought you and the duke made a fine couple. Many have remarked on it.”
Elizabeth said nothing, simply turned away with Maggie on her arm. When they finally reached the terrace and were away from the crush, Maggie gave her arm a squeeze.
“Is he really that awful?” she asked.
“Yes,” Elizabeth said, staring determinedly to the Atlantic. And then, “No. He’s not completely awful. I’ve told you that. But he’s insufferable and he enjoys making me angry. I think if I knew him simply as an acquaintance I wouldn’t even like him and I certainly wouldn’t want to marry him.” She felt her eyes begin to burn and squeezed them shut. She would not cry, it solved
She looked up at him and for the first time he realized her blue eyes were speckled with green flecks.
“Used to dancing? I can assure you, Your Grace, that dancing and its many forms has been drilled into me since childhood.”
“No, that is not what I meant. Used to touching me,” he said smoothly, and only grinned wider when she stiffened. He knew he should not torture the girl, but acting as if he were the very devil and not a rather nice man who happened to be a duke was beginning to grate.
“It is difficult to dance the waltz when you are as pliant as a statue,” he went on. “I could kiss you until you relax, but I daresay your mother would not approve.”
The nostrils in the small nose flared. “ I would not approve,” she said haughtily.
“Oh,” he said, bringing his voice down a bit, “I think you would.” And then he laughed because she looked so outraged it was all he could do.
“You enjoy making fun of people.”
“Actually, I never make fun of people. Perhaps you bring out the devil in me, Miss Cummings.”
“He must be very near the surface if I do,” she said, which only brought about another laugh.
Someone watching them from the perimeter of the ballroom would have thought them a delightful couple having a delightful time. They would note Elizabeth’s flushed cheeks, her shining eyes, how closely she danced with the duke. And they would also comment on the way the duke kept smiling, how his eyes drifted over her face as if he very much liked what he saw. They would have been wrong, at least halfway.
Elizabeth was not enjoying the dance. The duke was absolutely insufferable. Intolerably so. This must be the longest waltz Johann Strauss had written. It seemed to go on interminably. While all the time the duke laughed at her. She could not wait until the last strains of the waltz sounded and she could escape outside where her cheeks could cool and where she could forget the way just the thought of the duke kissing her made her entire body heat. With embarrassment, of course. How dare he be so forward with her? It was not as if they were already formally engaged. She wondered if he talked to all women so.
Finally, the dance ended and she stepped immediately from him, dropping her hands to give a brief curtsy. “There’s Maggie. If you’ll excuse me, Your Grace,” she said, and turned away before he had a chance to even thank her for the dance.
When Elizabeth reached her friend, she grabbed her arm and led her toward her mother.
“What’s wrong?” Maggie asked. “Did you see us dancing? Isn’t he handsome? And an earl, too. I’ve never danced with royalty. Do you think he’s met the queen?”
“He’s not royalty, he’s a member of the peerage. Whatever that means. And I’m sure I don’t know who he’s met,” Elizabeth said, losing patience with her friend.
“Or care,” Maggie said astutely. “What is wrong?”
“I want to get out of this ballroom. Please come with me for a walk outside.”
A look of real concern crossed Maggie’s face. “Of course.”
“Mother, Maggie and I are going to take a turn ’round the garden,” Elizabeth said when they’d reached her mother.
“Very well. And, Elizabeth, I thought you and the duke made a fine couple. Many have remarked on it.”
Elizabeth said nothing, simply turned away with Maggie on her arm. When they finally reached the terrace and were away from the crush, Maggie gave her arm a squeeze.
“Is he really that awful?” she asked.
“Yes,” Elizabeth said, staring determinedly to the Atlantic. And then, “No. He’s not completely awful. I’ve told you that. But he’s insufferable and he enjoys making me angry. I think if I knew him simply as an acquaintance I wouldn’t even like him and I certainly wouldn’t want to marry him.” She felt her eyes begin to burn and squeezed them shut. She would not cry, it solved
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