Page 38 of The Mistletoe Duke

She made her way through the darkened room to the window seat, where she loved to sit and read and, occasionally, look out at the drifts of snow covering the garden. She wondered what the garden might look like in spring, but she knew she would probably never find out. She certainly would never come to the Sutton house again. At least, not after Jonathan married.

The thought depressed her.

“That is a fierce frown.”

His voice, in a dark rumble from the king’s chair by the fire, surprised her.

“Jonathan!” She huffed a laugh. “I was just thinking of you.”

Oh dear. Thank heavens he couldn’t see her flush in the shadows.

“Were you?” He stood and made his way over, then sat beside her, which was hardly wise. The window seat was not all that generous. As it was, his thigh touched hers; the propinquity scorched her and she edged away, but he, oblivious followed. “I was just thinking of you, too.”

His voice was playful and she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“What were you thinking about?” Her performance, probably. “Did you like the aria?”

“I loved the aria. It’s my favorite, you know.”

“I didn’t know.” How could she? They’d never discussed the opera.

“Well, it is. And I adored the song you and the girls sang.”

“They are very talented.”

“Like their father, no doubt.” His smile was crooked.

“They sang it for Tessa.”

When she spoke her friend’s name, the mood shifted. It went from playful to sober. “I’m sure she appreciated it. But no. Those were not the things I was thinking of.”

He took her hand. His was warm. His gaze made her tremble.

“What-what were you thinking about?”

“How lovely you are.”

Her breath caught. She brushed back her hair. Swallowed. “I… Thank you.”

“All my friends are besotted, you know.”

“Are they?” She had to smile at that. “They’ve been following me like hungry pups.”

“I imagine they have been. You’ve…really won them over. No doubt a proposal is yours, if you so wish it.”

She quirked her head. “From which one?” Not that it mattered. None of them made her heart patter in the slightest.

He laughed. “All of them, I imagine.”

“Oh. Lovely.”

He leaned closer. Her pulse kicked up. “You don’t sound pleased.”

“Is it so wrong that I don’t want to marry any of them?” she asked.

“I shouldn’t think so,” he shrugged. “You will always have a home here, if you wish.”

Ah. “How kind.”