Chapter 29
That night, Joanna dressed in a dark blue evening gown with Mary’s help before she made the journey alone to Blackwell Manor.
When she arrived, the butler ushered her inside. “His Grace is waiting for you, miss. Right this way.”
She was surprised when the man didn’t lead her to the dining hall. Instead, he led her up a flight of stairs to the second floor. The man stopped in front of one of the doors. “His Grace is waiting for you inside, miss.” The man opened the door, his expression completely neutral.
Joanna’s mouth fell open when she saw a small drawing room. As if it were wholly for the duke’s personal use. There was a door leading to the balcony, where a table had already been set for two, adorned with candles and flowers.
Evan was standing next to the balcony door, watching her.
“I… I thought we were having dinner with your grandmother and brother,” she said.
“Grandmother and Peter are out for the night. It is just the two of us.” He took a step forward. “Don’t worry. All the servants here can be trusted. You are safe from scandal here. But if you prefer not to risk it, then you can leave if you wish.”
She smiled, appreciating that he was giving her an opportunity to escape, if that was what she wished to do. But she took a step forward. Any convictions to guard her heart were starting to dissolve with every passing second. “I am happy to enjoy a quiet dinner with you, Your Grace.”
“Please, call me Evan,” he said. “There is no need for such formality when we are alone like this.” His voice was soft, and it sent a pleasant shiver through her.
“All right, Evan,” she said. “Why did you invite me to such a scandalous dinner?”
“Because I wanted to see you. And I needed to make up for what happened in Hyde Park.”
She looked away. “It is quite all right,” she said.
She paused, debating what she wanted to say next.
It would be better if she could just feign indifference to that day, but that seemed impossible.
She decided she needed at least some answers, which meant she had to ask questions.
“I must ask, why did you have such a strong reaction?”
He hesitated a moment, with a slight grimace. “I… I do not do well in the rain. I try to avoid it as much as I can. So I acted without thinking.”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “What sort of Englishman cannot endure a little bit of rain? How do you even cope?”
“That is a story for another day,” he said. “But I manage to endure it with careful planning. I also spend a lot of time in the library, where I cannot see or hear the rain. Usually, I am much more vigilant, but you have a way of making me forget everything else around me.”
Joanna’s face flushed with pleasure. Despite herself, hope started to bloom somewhere in her stomach. Perhaps there was a chance that he could want her as much as she wanted him after all.
The servants delivered a delicious dinner.
First, there were seasoned rolls and a creamy soup made with fresh herbs.
That was followed by several dishes full of vegetables and various kinds of meat, including lamb, pheasant, and guinea fowl.
There seemed to be enough food for an entire feast, and Joanna could not believe the sight of it.
“Eat your fill,” Evan said. “I had the cook prepare everything especially for you.”
She looked at him accusingly. “What will happen to everything we don’t eat? There must be enough food here to feed at least ten people.”
He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I am not cruel enough to let good food go to waste. I am sure the staff will enjoy whatever we don’t touch.”
She smiled, relieved about that.
After she had eaten her fill of some of the most delicious foods she had ever eaten—the roasted guinea fowl, crusted with rosemary seasoning, was particularly delightful—the meal was concluded with a delectable almond cheesecake for dessert.
She set down her fork on her empty plate with a smile.
“I don’t believe I can eat another bite.
This was incredible.” She savored the feeling of being satiated by a meal.
It wasn’t often that she felt free to eat her fill.
For once, she didn’t have to hide how hungry she was after eating so little at home, and having the freedom to eat as much as she wanted was as delicious as the food itself.
He smiled. “It was a joy watching you eat it. Your face is most expressive when you are enjoying something.”
A small blush rose on her face. “I wasn’t aware of that.”
He took a sip of his wine, not breaking eye contact with her. “Do not be embarrassed. It’s always lovely to watch you. It makes me wonder what other expressions you can make. Let’s say… in other activities.”
Her breath caught in her throat, knowing he was implying something scandalous. She covered it up with a smile. “It’s a pity that you get to see all sorts of pleasure play out on my face, but I only see you scowl or smirk.”
“Oh? And here I thought you liked my face.”
“Your face is handsome enough. For a hawk, at least.” She could not help but smile slyly.
“So you still think I am a hawk, then?”
“Of course,” she said, standing up from the table. “Let’s go inside. It’s starting to get quite chilly out here.”
He nodded and followed her into the drawing room. He closed the balcony door and drew the curtains, which made the fact that they were alone more prominent. The thought didn’t scare her, however. Instead, it sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine.
He approached her, a predatory look in his eyes. “You seem quite eager to be alone with a hawk, little mouse. Aren’t you worried about me hunting you?”
“Not particularly,” she said. “I feel quite safe with you, actually. You might look like a hawk, but you are really as docile as a lamb.”
This seemed to amuse him as he stepped closer to her until they were mere inches apart. “I would not be so sure about that. Especially with such tantalizing prey as yourself in my presence.” He reached out to brush a stray strand of hair out of her face. Joanna had to resist leaning into his touch.
He was leaning closer to her now, his lips almost on hers. She whimpered softly and took a step back. “Let’s play a game,” she said, turning away. “To pass the time, of course.”
He didn’t seem phased in the slightest by her evading his kiss. “Certainly. What do you wish to play?”
“I… I am not sure.” She felt at a loss for what to do here. “It is your drawing room, and you are the host. You choose.”
“Let’s play cards.”
She made a face. “Perhaps not that. It’s bad enough that there is one gambler in the family, isn’t it? We don’t need a second one.”
He grinned, looking positively devilish. “I don’t think we should play for something as banal as money. Let’s play for more interesting stakes.”
She laughed. “What would interest a man more than money?”
“Many things, my little mouse. Here’s what I propose: for every round you lose, you must take off one article of clothing. And for every round I lose, I take off a piece of clothing.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She looked him up and down in his suit and wondered what he would look like in a state of undress. Heat surged through her at the thought. “What happens when one of us is completely nude, without one stitch of clothing left?”
“Then she loses the game. And the victor can do whatever he wants with her.” His voice turned husky.
She felt her cheeks warm with the thought. “You seem quite sure of yourself.”
“I never enter into a game that I am not confident about winning, my lady.”
She lifted her chin to give him a determined look. “If you expect me to be scared away, then you sorely underestimate me. All that I require is my virginity to stay intact by the end of the night. Unless you change your mind about marrying me.”
He gave her a slight bow. “Your wish is my command.”
They sat down at the table in the drawing room, and he pulled out a deck of cards.
Joanna could not stop her stomach from tying itself into knots.
She knew she should stop this madness before it went any further.
Despite all of his bluster about being a hawk trapping prey, he would let her go in an instant if she demanded it.
But she had to admit, she was curious. She had never seen a naked man outside of drawings from certain forbidden art books that Penelope and she would giggle over during finishing school.
And Evan was more handsome than most. She was curious about what he looked like under his carefully tailored suit.
And if she lost… well, to hell with her rule about no kissing and touching. They were alone and he assured her that they were safe from scandal. This could be her only chance to kiss him and touch him, and he would surely make it pleasurable for her.
The first hand of cards went swiftly, with Evan being claimed the victor. He grinned at her. “Go on. What will you remove first? Your glove, perhaps?”
“Certainly not.” She reached up and took one of her earrings off. She showed them to him before carefully laying them on a nearby table, where they would not get lost.
He sighed. “That hardly counts.”
“You should have been more specific then,” she said, grinning. “Let’s continue the game.”
Joanna won the next round, and Evan begrudgingly ripped off his cravat and tossed it carelessly onto the floor.
The action sent another wave of heat through her, and she ended up pressing her thighs together to contain herself.
“I quite like this game,” she said, grinning.
“You are right. It’s a lot of fun when you are not playing for money. ”
He growled softly.
The game continued. Joanna was forced to remove the rest of her jewelry, as well as her gloves.
But Evan lost his suit jacket, and then his waistcoat.
When he was only wearing his white button-down dress shirt and pants, she got a brief glimpse of his muscles underneath.
What she would not give to run her hands over his chest and arms, memorizing every detail.
Meanwhile, Evan was enjoying holding her bare hand, his thumb gently stroking her sensitive skin on the inside of her wrist. He smiled as he did so. “You have such small, delicate hands,” he said. “I enjoy holding them.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
A small moan escaped Joanna’s mouth unbidden.
He grinned. “That was a delightful sound indeed. All from me kissing your hand. I wonder how you would react if I kissed you elsewhere. Perhaps on your neck. Or maybe lower.”
She had to bite her lip to hold back another moan.
His gaze immediately went to her lips. “What I would not give to claim every part of you right now, in my drawing room,” he murmured.
He stood up suddenly. “I believe that’s enough cards for now.
” He brushed them off to the table with one hand as he pulled her to her feet with the other.
“Remember,” she said breathlessly. “You cannot claim all of me tonight. Not unless you marry me.”
“I know,” he said. He grabbed her hips and effortlessly lifted her up and set her on the table. “I never intended to marry anyone.”
“I know,” she said. “Why else would you enter into such an agreement with me?”
“No,” he said. “I don’t mean I was putting it off for the Season. I mean, I am never marrying. For as long as I live.”
Her chest tightened at the thought of him living in such a big manor by himself, even after his brother gets a family of his own, and after his grandmother passes. “That sounds awfully lonely.”
“It’s necessary,” he said. “It’s easier.”
“Easier does not mean better.”
“My marital status should be the least of your concerns right now,” he growled, reaching behind her to gently grip the back of her neck. “Even if I decide to remain a lifelong bachelor, you are mine. As far as I am concerned, I have won the game and I can do as I please with you.”