Chapter 4

"Ibeg your pardon?"

Jane turned to the viscount, looking away from the Duke who had just leveled her with a proposal so casual as though they had known each other for so long and it all made sense to him.

"Father? Are you quite all right with this?" she asked the man although she knew the answer to her question.

His huge smile that spread across his face, widening his face in a way that she had never seen before was all the answer she needed.

"Certainly, my dear Jane," he said softly, as his admiring gaze turned from the Duke and focused on her dazed one.

Jane shivered at the sight, tempted to take several steps back until she was out of the room. All of this was quite overwhelming, although no one else seemed to be overwhelmed by what was happening.

"I fail to see any other outcome that could be better than this one, do you?" he asked her with a smile.

Jane struggled to keep her face from showing all the many emotions that were running through her mind, none of them good. It was such a weird feeling to see him smiling at her since they were always at loggerheads.

She turned to the Duke. His eyes were fixed on her form, staring intently at her. It was nothing like Lord Pennington's stare that seemed to undress her with his eyes, however, she couldn't tell which was worse. She feared the Duke could peer into her soul with those dark green eyes that possessed so much depth.

"The Duke has come all the way here to ask for your hand in marriage and you will do well to consider it," he said, his smile thinning his lips.

The veiled threat behind his words were quite easy to detect. Not only had she revolted against Lord Pennington's proposal but it clearly seemed to her father that she was about to do the same with the Duke and it was clear that he did not plan to allow it.

Unable to stop herself in time, she clutched her chest as her heart beat fast, threatening to free itself of its restraint and burst out of her.

‘Calm yourself, Jane.'

"I must admit that I do not know what to say, Your Grace," she said, finally turning away from her father to look at him.

"There is only one way to proceed, Jane. And that is to accept the Duke's proposal," her father chimed in from behind her.

Jane closed her eyes and counted in her head as she struggled to not engage in a screaming match with her father once again. While the Duke had clearly borne witness to just how hard-headed she could be, having being on the receiving end of it himself, she did not want him to witness her and the viscount in an argument.

"Do hurry, Jane. You must not keep the Duke waiting now," he added, his tone chiding as it usually was whenever he addressed her.

Her hands folded into fists by her side as she fought to ignore him.

"I suppose you could say yes to my proposal," the Duke said amusedly.

Jane narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. Of course, he would find her dilemma amusing. If only he knew just how much she had worried in the past two days since their eventful meeting in the gardens.

Before she could answer, he turned to her father, his hands clasped behind his back in a way that accentuated the muscles in his arms.

"I do apologize for the slight inconvenience, Lord Dowding, but if I could have a moment alone with your daughter, that would be greatly appreciated," he said with a small smile.

"Ah but you might need me here to persuade her to accept your suit," he said, his eyes bulging in a show of desperation.

Jane swallowed back the slight contempt she held towards her father in that instant. How was she not his first concern? Or the fact that she wasn't supposed to be left alone in the company of some man she barely knew, Duke or not.

"Thank you but I do believe I am capable of convincing the lady myself, Lord Dowding," he said, leaving no room for refusal on the viscount's part.

"Very well, Your Grace. I shall leave you alone. You only need call out if you need me," he conceded, heading towards the door without a glance in her direction.

"Father, you cannot possibly agree to this," Jane said, annoyed and perplexed at her father's ability to toss decorum aside as though it were of no consequence.

He whirled around immediately, almost as though he had expected her protest, and leveled her with a gaze that caused her to take a step back.

"I shan't be too far away, my dear. The Duke means no harm as you have seen and it shall only be for a short moment. Moreover, you can call on your sister or I if you feel threatened," he said, before quickly adding, "Although, I doubt the Duke has such intentions."

Before she could say anything else, he was out the door, leaving the door slightly open.

Jane stared at the door for a moment as the awkwardness settled into the room. Now, with her father gone, she could speak freely about their previous meeting and question him about his true intentions. However, she did not quite know where to begin.

She looked at him now and shuddered as a ripple ran through the length of her body.

Calm yourself, Jane. He is only but a man. One whose intentions you know nothing about but a man, nonetheless.

"How did you find me?" she asked, partly to distract herself from how handsome he looked in his black coat with the green caveat that matched the beautiful dark pools that were his eyes.

He smiled at her and her breath caught in her throat.

Have I made it too obvious that I find him quite dashing? Can he tell?

She blushed.

Oh, he certainly must have caught on given how unabashedly you've been staring at him.

She turned away from him and stared at the small mirror her father had always kept in his study. Her cheeks were stained red with the heat that she felt.

"I must admit, you made it almost impossible to find you seeing as you dashed off before I could find out who you were. However, I would not get very far if I did not have my ways of getting information."

"What sort of a vague answer is that?" she asked, although she had not meant to say it out loud.

She saw the hint of surprise in his eyes, a reaction from her outburst, before it disappeared, leaving the endless pool of dark green from which she could deduce nothing.

"What did you mean by your proposal?"

"Exactly what I asked, my lady. I am proposing to you. I wish to marry you."

Jane blinked away the shock. It was the exact words that he had said when her father was in the room yet, it seemed more real now than it had then. Perhaps it was because her father had done all the talking and expected only a positive answer from her.

"Are you certain of what you are asking, Your Grace? Does this have anything to do with what happened in the garden?' she asked in panic. "Is this some sort of punishment because you felt slighted?"

The Duke took a few steps towards her until there was only a little space between them. His face gave off no clues as usual, nor did it hold confusion or anger.

"I would not be here if I were not certain, Lady Jane."

Jane bit her lower lip to stop her gasp as her name left his lips.

Focus, Jane. What in heaven's name is the matter with you?

"You are right in your assumption that I am here because of what happened in the garden, however, it is not as you see it. I hold no ill will towards you and do not seek to cause you harm in any way. I truly intend to answer all of your questions, however, I'm afraid I require an answer before I continue."

Her eyes cut to his in shock. He seemed to have given it a lot of thought in the days that have passed, while all she had to think about were ways to avoid him and safeguard her reputation while avoiding her father's disappointing glare once again.

"I do not know what you wish me to say, Your Grace. I am not prepared for any of this. You cannot expect me to say yes when I know nothing about you. We might as well have never met," she protested as she moved away from him, taking a few paces back to put more space between them.

She needed the space if she wanted to think about things properly.

She paced the length of the study, caring nothing that he watched her. So far, the Duke did not seem to be at all menacing, and except he was quite good at masking his feelings, he appeared to be respectful towards her.

Besides, what other options do I have?

She looked at him, pausing in her steps as he watched her in silence, allowing her the time to contemplate.

There was only one other option, the one her father had been quite willing to marry her off to without a second's thought: Lord Pennington. She shuddered as she thought of his eyes watching her in the same way he had as they danced with his hands touching her skin. There was no one she hate more to be tethered to than the Marquess.

"I am well aware of your father's determination that you marry into a prestigious home," he declared keenly.

Jane squinted at him, unsure of how to feel about this; was it a subtle insult or what?

"My father's determination. Not mine," she corrected him with something that resembled a frown.

"Ah. Right." He slapped his forehead in a way that was clearly sarcastic. "However, I am not a man who fancies being an option," he said to her.

Nor am I a woman who fancies being belittled.

She cast a stern glare at him but he couldn't care less.

He walked up closer to her with gentle steps as she glowered at him faintly.

"Now, you have two choices," he began.

How arrogant!

"You can either agree to marry me, or go with whoever the other man is. The choice is yours," he concluded.

His nerves though. The man before her was speaking with the audacity that came with his title. This was enough to get her all riled up but she knew he wasn't as bad as his competitor.

"There's something you should know about me, Lady Jane," he said to her.

Jane was instantly intrigued, curious to know what he had to say.

"Shall I dare to ask what that is?"

"I hate to compete with anyone. Nevertheless, peradventure I find myself in such a situation…I never lose," the slight pause came when he leaned closer to say the last words.

He stepped back a bit and watched the look on her face.

Colin was so like her father and Graham in a manner of speaking. But he was somewhat different. Cold but different.

"I can offer you three times what the other man is offering; wealth, jewelry, status in society…name it."

She scoffed and was tempted to roll her eyes at him but refrained from doing so.

"You have me mistaken, my lord. I'm not moved by all of that," Confidence was palpable in her speech and her demeanor. "Should I eventually accept your proposal, it shan't be because of all you have to offer, but because it shall be my decision," she straightened him out.

He was quiet for some time before finally speaking.

"Fair enough. I have to inform you, however, that should you decide to marry me, you will have my nieces to deal with. And believe you me…they are a handful."

She was drawn to him regardless of his arrogance and pride. Jane wanted to accept him anyway because she felt like he was a better match for her than Graham.

"Surely they can't be so much trouble that you feel the need to deliver such warning," she said, her voice faltering.

The Duke shook his head.

"Oh dear, you have no idea" A smirk appeared on his face. "The girls have been left without a mother's guidance for quite some time and it might take a while before they are used to your authority. However, they are truly wonderful children."

Jane paused in her walk. His face as he spoke of them had told her all she needed to know. He loved them. She had watched as his face softened and the twinkle in his eyes grew, lighting up the dark pools a tad bit. It was the first sign of true human compassion he had shown since he spoke to her and although that should not be enough to tie her to him in marriage, it made her curious.

Besides, what other choice do I have? I can either be with him or be forced into marriage with Lord Pennington.

She shuddered once more. She'd been doing a lot of that since her father brought up the topic of her marriage to Pennington in the garden party.

"I am certain that the girls are lovely," she said with a smile.

The Duke returned her smile with one of his own. "Raising them has been quite an adventure and they are a menace, however, I am certain that you can handle them."

His knowing smile as he said that caused a small one to appear on her face. She was curious to meet these girls whom he was so certain she could raise. She also felt quite sorry for them. She knew what it felt like to lose a parent and they had lost both.

With a deep intake of breath, she made her decision. She only hoped she would be exactly what the girls needed as he was so inclined to believe.

"I accept your proposal."