Free The Making of a Duchess by Shana Galen

together. There was simply no getting around the embarrassment. "I don't
    know. I'm sorry."
       He was frowning now, and that made the room spin again. "You said you didn't have any objection."
       "I know." How could she explain that she was trying to keep him from guessing she was an imposter?
       She couldn't.
       The duc raised a brow. "But you do accept." It was more a statement than a question, and he was already turning away from her.
       "Not exactly."
       He stopped, turned back, gave her his full attention. She opened her mouth, shut it.
       What was she doing? Turning down a duc's proposal? Was she mad? She could be the duchesse de Valère.
       Of course, if The Widow and Sir Northrop were correct, she would also be the wife of a traitor.
       And then there was the minor fact that the duc had proposed to Mademoiselle Serafina Artois, and she was Sarah Smith. Chances were he would notice the name change during the ceremony.
       "Not exactly?" The duc crossed his arms over his broad chest. It was an intimidating gesture, whether he realized it or not.
       Sarah supposed he realized it. She took a fortifying breath. "I'm afraid I can't accept."
       He scowled at her, and she resisted taking a step back. He looked even more intimidating when he scowled. Dangerous as well. "You're refusing my offer."
       He seemed to be saying it more to himself than to her, so she did not answer. He shook his head, locked his hands behind his back, and turned away from her.
       Sarah glanced at the door, wondering if she could go back to her room. The duc began to pace, and she said, "I think I'll go up to my room now."
       He didn't answer, simply kept pacing.
       Very well. She would take that as an affirmative. Besides, she was Mademoiselle Serafina. She did not need to wait for permission.
       She reached for the door handle, and he spun toward her. "May I ask why?"
       Sarah's hand froze in midair. "Why what?"
       His azure blue eyes darkened. "Why you've refused me."
       "Oh. Well…" She could hardly tell him the truth, which meant she would have to lie again. Or… tell him part of the truth. "We hardly know one another."
       He stared at her, and she awkwardly lowered her hand to her side again, twisting her fingers in her gown.
       "Go on."
       Sarah frowned. What more was there to say? Who would accept a proposal from someone they hardly knew? Was that not self-explanatory? But he was still looking at her. She needed another reason. "I suppose what I'm saying is that I'm not in love with you."
       "Nor I you. But what has that to do with anything?"
       Sarah blinked. Of course! She was such a fool. The aristocracy routinely married for money or position, but she could not change direction now. "What does love have to do with marriage?" she scoffed, playing Serafina to the hilt. "Are you that obtuse?" Immediately, her eyes widened, and she clamped her mouth shut. Had she just called a duc obtuse?
       Fortunately, the duc did not seem to notice her insolence. He heaved out a great sigh and ran a hand through his black hair. Sarah watched transfixed as it fell in layers right back in place. She wondered how that hair would feel between her own fingers.
       "You want romance, is that it?" He sounded quite put out by the idea, which irritated her for her some reason. She was not asking for romance for herself— she was not naïve enough to believe that would ever happen—but didn't Mademoiselle Serafina deserve at least to be courted? Or was this duc so full of himself that he thought women should fall at his feet?
       "I don't want anything from you, sir. I just want to go to bed."
       His eyes flickered at her words, and she realized the mistake in wording.
       She hastened to correct her mistake. "What I meant was—"
       "I know what you meant. What I don't understand is why you should come all the way from Italy just to refuse my