To Bed a Beauty (Courtship Wars 2)
“From what I’ve witnessed, she makes her patron the sole focus of her attention. She should occasionally flatter him and express admiration-but again, she must seem to be sincere. And she should at least appear to listen to what he says.”
Roslyn lifted an eyebrow in amusement. “So she should compliment and admire him and hang on his every word, even if she finds little admirable about him and nothing interesting in his conversation?”
“Even so,” Arden replied, his own tone edged with humor. “And as I said last night, she should see to his physical comfort and pleasure.”
Roslyn couldn’t help blushing a little. “We needn’t go into detail about the carnal side of an affair, your grace. I will take your word for it.”
Arden’s eyes gleamed. “Your modesty is showing, love.”
“I expect it is. It is a curse to have a complexion that displays embarrassment so easily.”
“Then suffice it to say, she must leave him physically satisfied. But she should also keep the relationship purely on a physical level. A good mistress doesn’t become overamorous or let her affections become engaged. She never lets emotion get in the way of a business transaction, and she certainly never expects love to be the outcome.”
Roslyn couldn’t help but smile as she contemplated the duke. “I can clearly see that you would not want something so bothersome as love to interfere with your pleasure. Fortunately my situation with Haviland is not a business arrangement, so it won’t matter if my affections are engaged by him, as long as it is not one-sided.”
“True, but a mistress is making a contract for services rendered.”
“I understand. As you said last night, you want your lover to be undemanding.”
“But the reverse is also true. Fidelity is crucial. The worst offense she could make is to let her attention stray to another man while under his protection. She must have eyes only for him…which leads me to my first lesson. In order to begin a dalliance with Haviland, you need to learn how to conduct a subtle flirtation.”
“So how do I manage that?”
“I intend to teach you. The surest way to kindle his interest is to speak to him with your eyes.”
“My eyes?” She shook her head in amusement.
“You can communicate a great deal with just a glance.”
“Such as?”
“Such as the fact that you are interested in him, that you find him appealing. Gaze at him a long moment. Flutter your eyelashes at him a little.”
“How fascinating.”
The duke ignored her impudence. “And then there is your mouth.”
“I cannot wait to hear this one,” she remarked dryly.
“This is gravely important, darling,” Arden chided, his tone laced with mocking amusement. “If you mean to ridicule every suggestion I make-”
“No, please…my apologies. Do proceed.” Roslyn disciplined her expression to soberness, even though it was hard.
“As I was saying, you need to draw his attention to your mouth. Purse your lips into a pout… Subtly touch your fan to your lips, that sort of thing. Just make it provocative.”
Roslyn laughed out loud at that. “I am sorry, but I find it hard to credit that a man with any claim to intelligence would fall for batting eyelashes and pouting lips.”
Arden gave her a stern look. “Do you want me to continue or not?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Then behave yourself, Beauty. Now show me a pout.”
Roslyn tried to comply. She pursed her lips into a moue while glancing up at him through her lowered eyelashes. Arden responded by dropping his gaze to her mouth…which was precisely what was supposed to happen. But then she spoiled the effect when she couldn’t hold the pose; unable to keep a straight face, she broke into laughter again. It was all too absurd.
“This may be impossible,” she finally said when her laughter subsided.
Arden didn’t scold her as she expected. Instead he regarded her with a tolerant look, clearly amused to watch her efforts. “Hopefully you will get better with practice.”