The Heart of a Duke (41 page)

“
You are very intelligent. I’d
love to see you pitted against Davy.” His eyes twinkled, and the
tip of his sword tapped against his boot.

“
Oh, but I’m interrupting the two
of you from you fencing practice.” She glanced over, but his
companion had slipped away while they’d been engaged over the
magnification glasses.

“
Nonsense. We were nearly done,
anyhow.”

She let her smile fall a bit. “That is too
bad. Though I probably shouldn’t admit this either, I always wanted
to learn more about the sport. Mama would never allow me to watch a
fencing match though. She has definite views on what is acceptable
for a lady.”

He glanced from her to the sword and back, his
smile taking on a wicked tilt. “How would you like to learn to
fence? I’m by no means the best fencer, but I could certainly teach
you how to hold a sword and inform you of the rules.”

“
Newton’s apple! Mama never has to
know!”

“
Newton’s apple?” He hoisted an
eyebrow and his tilted mouth took on an amused curve.

Heat spread along her skin to cheeks, arms,
breasts, everywhere. “Well, Newton needed the apple to fall on his
head to make a discovery. Sometimes, when I feel like I’ve just
been hit by that same apple, those words just pop out.”

“
I love that. I may have to use it
myself, next time something comes to me suddenly.” He held his
sword up. “Now, let me show you how to hold this.”

He moved closer, extending his sword arm along
hers, and his chest barely touched her shoulder in a way that was
so wonderfully wicked. The air fled the clearing. She should step
away, as should he, but she stared at the sword, unwilling to
separate herself from the electric sensation of the contact. He
took her hand and the world around her dissipated as his strong
fingers moved over hers, locking the weapon’s handle in her closed
palm.

“
Oh.”

“
You,”—he swallowed, his words
coming slowly, as if perhaps, just perhaps, he were as focused on
the contact as she—”you grasp the hilt in a firm grip.”

“
I see.” Her body thrummed with
desperate longing—to look at him, to kiss him, to have something
her body hinted at but of which the science books she’d read were
apparently ignorant. Afraid to break the spell, she tilted her head
just enough to see his face from the corner of her eye.

“
Only two things matter in
fencing.” He licked his lips, his chest rising and falling where it
touched her shoulder. “Parry and attack, defend and
thrust.”

His head lowered in her direction
and she held her expelled breath, waiting.
Dalton’s law
! He was going to kiss
her.

Her reply was more to her own thought than his
instruction. “Yes.”

“
It’s like a dance. When I
advance, you fall back. When I thrust, you parry.”

She lifted her chin toward him, her eyes still
on the spot where his fingers closed over hers. She couldn’t rid
herself of the fear that, if she met his eye, the incredible energy
sparking between them would fade—or worse, she would discover she’d
imagined it. “Oh?”

“
Oh yes. We would move in
opposition, yet perfect union.” His whispered words were near her
cheekbone now, and she tilted her head a little further, trying to
offer without offering.

Snap.

His head popped up and he took a step back,
though his hand remained over hers. Cold air rushed in to send
shivers along every bit of her as he abandoned it. Franklin stood,
his gaze averted and his foot still on the broken
branch.

“
Forgive me, but there are several
ladies out for a walk this morning, and they are coming this
direction,” Franklin whispered, as if Alison would not
hear.

Jonathan’s fingers gently slid from hers,
taking the sword with them, and Alison thought of a few curses she
would never dare to utter—the rare ones Papa reserved for when he
missed a pheasant while hunting.

“
I don’t doubt that it will happen
by the end of the party,” Charlotte said.

Vallie’s voice joined Charlotte’s. “I would
love to believe that, but I’m not as certain as you.”

“
Lady Alison.” He bowed, gathered
his things, and left her to await her sister.

Alone.

Chapter Five

The bright morning sun shone on the wide
grassy lawn that made up the vast garden, though it didn’t cut the
crisp chill. Footmen had assembled chairs and, bellies still full
from the extensive breakfast, the guests sat or stood in a
semi-circle before a delicate mahogany table.

Papa walked to the table and faced the crowd
of onlookers. “As I’m certain most of you know, tomorrow my
daughter Alison is celebrating her birthday. Because of this, I’m
issuing a challenge to the gentlemen here. You have five minutes in
which to come up with, and obtain the items for, some feat which
you will perform to make this a special occasion.”

A murmur went through the crowd and Alison
wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. The footmen standing
by took orders from each of the gentlemen present, and several of
the ladies nodded appreciatively.

“
How exciting.” Charlotte
whispered from her chair behind Alison’s. “I wonder what feats we
will see.”

“
You are about to see me running
for my bedchamber.” Alison returned the whisper. “I can’t believe
Papa would insist on such a thing. There are married men here . . .
and even though there are eligible men, I’m not certain any of them
would wish to entertain me.”

“
Don’t be silly, Alison. You’re
perfectly lovely. I only wish . . . “

“
What?” Alison turned to see
Charlotte’s bright pink cheeks.

“
Nothing.” Charlotte gazed off for
a moment, her eyes distant, then glanced up and the glum expression
gave way to a mischievous grin. “It seems your distinguished future
husband will entertain us first.”

The baron tottered to the front and Alison
pursed her lips at Charlotte. “Don’t tease. He could as easily be
your future husband.”

Charlotte wrinkled her nose and Alison faced
forward, surveying the crowd. The duke, who stood off to one side
of the seated crowd, slid a glance in Alison’s direction. She
nodded to him, then turned her gaze to Jonathan, who stood with
another footman, giving hasty orders.

She clasped her hands together,
suddenly very nervous. If only Jonathan’s experiment would help him
to feel accomplished enough to marry—though the only cause she had
to hope he would choose to marry
her
was the fact that he’d sought
her out more often since the party began. He’d shown them how his
experiments worked in the past, and that hadn’t been sufficient.
She wished he could see the brilliance that she did. If she could
just find a way to help him see that he didn’t have to be England’s
most revered scientist to be worthy of a family. All he had to be
was himself.

Jonathan returned to his seat beside Alison
and warmth covered her skin.

The baron cleared his throat, adjusting the
too-small spectacles on his nose. “If I might have the chair I
requested, I shall sit here and share a story of daring and
courage, in which I survived numerous perils in the wild
countryside, nearly losing my life several times in the
process.”

The footman brought a chair forward and the
baron rattled on and on about a trip where the greatest danger
Alison could surmise was the slight chill of a slipped blanket and
the occasional pit in the road.

“
And after the driver dodged the
large rock in the road that nearly threw me from my seat, we
arrived at our destination, astonishingly unharmed.” The baron gave
a little nod as the crowd clapped politely, then returned to his
seat in the front row.

Several ladies yawned discreetly and Jonathan
leaned in. “I do believe the baron has magical powers.”

Alison pressed a hand to her breast where the
pendant lay. “Magic?”

“
Most certainly. He has obviously
mastered the art of casting sleeping spells.”

Alison couldn’t fight her smile. “Well, I’m
sure what you will show us will keep us awake. Can I ask what it
might be?”

“
Oh no.” He folded his arms. “Not
even a woman as lovely as you could make me divulge my secrets.
You’ll just have to wait and wonder.”

Her stomach fluttered and jumped, and the
smile fell from her face. He’d never openly complimented her for
her beauty. Of course, no man truly had. She snapped her gaze to
the front of the group where Lord Ravenswood, Vallie’s new husband,
readied his pistol as two footmen set targets at an incredible
distance. When the footmen stepped away, he lifted his arm, took
aim, and shot the center of the target.

As Lord Ravenswood moved to the next target,
Alison sat straight beside Jonathan. Her body seemed more aware of
his now. The spot where their shoulders almost touched burned and
tingled, and she could hardly breathe.

As the last bullet met the center of the last
target, the crowd applauded. Lord Ravenswood bowed and Vallie
smiled up at him. For what seemed like an hour, other men showed
off their archery and riding skills, but Alison couldn’t focus on
anything other than how close Jonathan’s fingers were to hers and
what it would feel like if she weren’t wearing so many skirts and
their legs touched. That last thought made her cheeks burn from the
moment the archery target was placed until the viscount bowed to
the crowd and then his wife.

Papa stepped forward. “I believe the footmen
have finished setting up the course, so our next gentleman, His
Grace, can show off his riding skills.”

Alison regretfully pulled her gaze away from
Jonathan. The stable master led a gargantuan black stallion to
where the duke stood.

“
Hellion is still green, so please
remain in your seats.” The duke’s gaze fell on Vallie then moved to
Alison and Jonathan and his jaw clenched.

Jonathan’s shoulders stiffened, and his hands
fisted on his thighs. Had the men had words over something? Her
mind was still fuzzy from the momentum of her thoughts, which had
also run to the physical.

The duke grabbed the reins and jumped
effortlessly into the saddle.

Alison’s cheeks became awfully
warm, and she peeked at Jonathan who stared straight ahead, but his
hands were holding his knees so tight, she could see the veins.
She’d seen the rivalries men could engage in, and most were
harmless, but she hated that Jonathan might feel less than another
man when, in her eyes, Davy couldn’t compete. As far as she was
concerned, he wasn’t just the best man, he was the
only
man.

Jonathan couldn’t bring himself to turn toward
Alison. Perhaps he should have chosen to fence for their
entertainment. Though he’d never had much interest, he’d excelled
in the sport. Father had always said it was the only thing Jonathan
had ever done well.

“
Are you feeling well?” Alison
asked.

“
Yes. I was thinking.” Thinking
about what a jealous fool he was being, but he couldn’t seem to
stop. The more time he spent with Alison, the more he felt as if he
were competing with every man present. .

The baron was little threat.
Though he was looking for a bride, it might be more than he could
manage to remain awake
and
avoid putting his potential bride to sleep. The
Duke of Langley had more money and status than Jonathan ever would.
Plus, whenever Jonathan turned his back, Langley was at Alison’s
side, and the conversations between them were growing longer. But
that didn’t mean Langley deserved her. Her scientific mind would
waste away in his care.

“
Of your experiments?” she asked,
breaking him from his thoughts.

“
Experiments?”

“
Yes, were you thinking of your
experiments?”

Langley’s stallion jumped a pile of rolled
rugs and most of the group applauded.

“
Actually, I was thinking of the
tournament your father is holding tomorrow. I’ve been considering
joining. After all, I’d hate to spend an entire day separated from
the group.”