by Boom, Naomi
“My lady, you look absolutely ravishing tonight.” Lord Dunbar smiled down at her. “Your dress is stunning.”
“Thank you, my lord. Did you notice the amethysts?” She gestured toward her train. Her gown was composed of white satin, with actual amethysts cascading down the back. She had included a few amethysts in her hair, as well, and had been pleased with the overall effect.
“Of course, my lady, those are what made the dress so noteworthy.”
“I had worried they might be a bit too much.”
“You are the daughter of an earl. If anyone deserves extravagance, it is you.” He smiled charmingly and patted her hand.
She nodded in agreement and cringed at the ensuing awkward silence. She racked her brain but could not come up with anything to say but “The night is an absolute crush. Is it not?”
“Oh yes, the first ball of the season often is. I rushed forward before anyone else could steal the supper dance from me. May I?” he asked and indicated he wanted her dance card.
“Of course, my lord.” Laura handed him her card, and he scribbled his name in the spot which claimed the supper dance.
“I look forward to later, Lady Laura.” He bowed once again and pressed a sensuous kiss to the back of her hand, then quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Laura was then set upon by other gentlemen, and soon her dance card was full. She was amazed. She had never seen her card filled in its entirety. It was not like she had been desperate for partners before, but her previous experiences were nothing compared to this night.
Laura danced several sets and then excused herself to go to the retiring room. Her feet were going to be sore tomorrow, judging by the ache that had already begun to develop.
Mrs. Westfield had taken up residence with Lady Ashford on chairs skirting the ballroom where they could watch their charges and chat. Laura was determined to never do something her chaperone would disapprove of, which included any offers to walk in the garden or get some air. Walking to the retiring room was probably her most daring venture, which was actually extremely safe as the ball was so crowded.
Laura entered the room and checked herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were too lifeless. She pinched them and exited to return to the dance floor but stopped when she saw Allison. “Allison!” Laura called out, loud enough to get her friend’s attention, while also attracting the attention of two older ladies, who immediately covered their mouths and started whispering to each other.
Allison walked over, and Laura gestured to the ladies. “What is that about?”
Allison glanced over and responded excitedly, “Oh it must be they heard the news about you.”
“What news?” a bewildered Laura asked. She had no idea there was gossip about her going about.
Her friend looked particularly excited about what she was to share. “Why, Lord Dunbar’s interest in you, of course! Everyone had heard that he is particularly taken with you, and then when he greeted you, immediately upon your arrival, the gossip was confirmed! I am so happy for you!” She surreptitiously whispered, “He is a very good catch, you know.”
Shocked, Laura took a moment to let the information sink in. Her plan was working extraordinarily well. Who knew it would be so easy? Maybe that was the trick to marriage. Find someone for sure in the market, and ignore any details about him that were not ideal. Like his age. A pang of guilt seared her, but she thrust it aside. If Lord Dunbar did not choose her, he would choose the next young lady down the line. It might as well be her.
His age certainly had its benefits. He was stable, unlikely to suddenly squander his fortune, and worldly enough to know what to expect from a marriage of convenience. She really had chosen the ideal partner. Finally, she answered, “I had not realized he was so interested in me.”
“Yes, well, it is rumored that he rarely dances with marriage-minded misses, as the gossips put it. Are you not happy about your situation?” Allison asked with a worried frown.
“Oh no, I am very pleased with the news.” She changed topics by asking, “Tell me, how is your Lord Deering? Is he here tonight?” Laura tried to look very happy, and earnestly hoped she was convincing.
“Not tonight. I am sure he had important business to attend to.” She added conspiratorially, “You know how these men are. They cannot dance too much attendance on us without risking looking overly enthralled. It is strange though, ever since Brandon began to socialize with Lord Farris, he has been less attentive to me and engages in games of chance more frequently.”
Startled to hear his name, Laura questioned her friend, “Oh, I had not realized they were friends. Hopefully Lord Farris is not too bad an influence on your beau.” Laura’s heart was racing to hear Lord Farris’s name, which was much more of a reaction than she would have preferred.
“Brandon told me Lord Farris has been drinking constantly for two months now. He is starting to get quite worried about him. And no, Brandon swears he only gambles small amounts, but I am worried.”
Laura could tell her friend was concerned about Lord Deering, but Laura’s thoughts were only for Lord Farris. Why had he been drinking ever since the house party? She knew she was not the reason. Maybe it was whatever business had taken him away so abruptly.
Either way, it was no concern of hers now. Smiling, Laura said, “I am sure you have nothing to fear. Shall we return to the ballroom then?” The two linked arms and gradually made their way back as Laura thought of yet another positive aspect to Lord Dunbar’s age. He was not likely to acquire a new drinking problem.
The ladies entered the ballroom, and Laura’s eyes alighted on a dark-haired figure that looked oddly familiar. The gentleman turned his head, and Laura recognized Lord Farris. She stopped immediately. Panic overtook her. What was he doing here, and how did he still manage to look so good?
Allison looked at her questioningly, which prompted Laura to mutter something about a rock in her slipper. Suddenly, Lord Farris’s eyes met hers. Laura swore, turned the opposite direction from him, and quickly disappeared into the crowd. She could not think, only react to the sudden, searing pain in her heart. Normally, she did not run away from people, but her instincts had taken over in that instance. She should not have left Allison so abruptly, but hopefully her friend would understand.
Her mind started to calm down as her slippers led her farther away from Lord Farris. Eventually, her rational side kicked in. There was no way he was here to see her, so she should just stay focused on her dance partners and all would be fine. She peeked at her dance card and read the name of her next partner. She would find him and forget all about Lord Farris.
****
Gavin was annoyed. He had finally spotted Laura, and then she up and disappeared. From the glimpse he had received, she looked quite stunning, although she had lost some weight. He was not sure if it was from being sick at the house party or due to something after. Either way it was not a good sign.
He was growing more confident of his decision to attend the party and check up on Laura. Weight loss was always a negative sign, at least when the lady in question had already been in possession of a lovely figure. Now if only he could find her and have a two minute chat, so he could leave. He had already spotted his mother and sister in attendance, which meant they were sure to have dreaded questions for him about why he was there.
After several more minutes observing the crowd, Gavin’s eyes finally alighted on Laura as she danced with some young buck. His eyes narrowed as he took in her attire. She was barely dressed, as her young dance partner was gleefully noting. He saw red as jealousy overtook him, and he abruptly took a step forward, waiting anxiously for the dance to end.
The final notes of the set sounded. Laura curtsied. He rushed to her side as yet another young man stepped forward to claim Laura for the next dance. Gavin growled fiercely, “She is already taken.”
Laura’s eyes turned to the source of the growl, and the color drained from her face. Her dance partner, who apparently was none too bright,
said, “But, my lord, I already claimed this dance.”
Gavin straightened to his full height and tried to calm his temper. He was acting a bit overbearing, but he would get what he wanted. “I think it would be wise for you to reconsider that statement.”
The gears had finally started to turn in the young gentleman’s head, because the lad slowly nodded in agreement and said, “Of course, my lord, I must be mistaken.” He performed a small bow and left Gavin to his quarry.
“Shall we?” Gavin asked as if scaring away Laura’s dance partner was something he did every day.
Laura nodded her assent.
Gavin offered her his arm and then escorted her from the ballroom to the terrace. He almost laughed out loud when he saw a rebellious light enter her eye. He had missed Laura.
“Why are we not dancing?” she asked, her voice holding a miffed note.
He quirked an eyebrow at her and stated in a matter-of-fact manner, “I want to get some air.”
She swept her hand around her and indicated the nearly deserted, dark terrace where they stood. “I had been trying to avoid potentially dangerous areas, you know. Thank you for ignoring my desires.”
He nodded. Her sarcasm never ceased to amuse him. “Any time, my dear. I aim to please you in any way that you will allow, aside from avoiding dangerous situations, naturally.”
She blushed, and he smiled impishly. Her gown was quite low-cut, not that he minded, but he could not seem to drag his eyes away from her exposed cleavage. It was one thing for him to appreciate her assets, but the view was plainly on display for any gentleman that cared to look, which included every gentleman with a heartbeat. She must not realize how risqué her gown was, so he would inform her. “Are you not cold?” He looked pointedly at her bosom.
“No, my lord,” she said, falsely sweet. “Although this trip outside, in the middle of winter, would normally cause a chill for anyone.”
“Don’t women typically wear more clothing in public venues?” Gavin asked and hoped she would understand his hint. He preferred not to have to bluntly tell her she was dressed inappropriately.
A blush rose to Laura’s face. “I do believe I am dressed adequately, my lord, although I am grateful for your concern.”
She was obviously not understanding his point, so Gavin pressed the issue by growling, “I cannot say that I agree with you. Your attire is rather provocative, and not something a young lady should wear in public.”
Laura appeared shocked. Finally, she recovered and asked slowly, “What do you think the point of a season is for a young, unmarried lady, Lord Farris?”
Gavin blinked. This was rather off topic, but he would go with it. “To lure some poor man into marriage.”
She began to explain, as if to a simpleton, “You are correct, although I am beginning to believe it is the woman who is led like a lamb to the slaughter, not the man lured into marriage. But I digress. A lady must dress in such a way as to attract eligible men, which is why I am dressed so provocatively, as you so flatteringly put it.” She inhaled deeply and continued, “Please, look around us, and you will see I am quite properly attired.”
Gavin heeded her words and glanced around him. He was surprised to see she was not so immodest, at least compared to the other ladies. Somehow, to him, she seemed almost naked, yet a different woman had strolled past, wearing much less fabric, and was just fine. Other ladies did not seem to have so many gentlemen salivating over their assets though. Not like Laura. Could it be that he had been that mistaken from jealousy? He shook his head slightly. She was just too beautiful.
He changed topics by stating, “You have lost weight.”
“Thank you for noticing, my lord,” she said flippantly. “I hear you engage in regular bouts of excessive drinking.”
“Who told you that?” Gavin was surprised she knew about his habits, although he could imagine his dear friend, Lord Collins, had hoped she would “fix” him.
“Does it matter?” She eyed him none too kindly and accused, “I also hear you are causing one of the nicest of gentlemen to turn into a degenerate like yourself.”
“What are you talking about and more precisely, whom?” Gavin had no clue what she was implying, but he did not appreciate accusations of that nature getting thrown at him, unless he deserved them. He would know if he had, though.
“I am talking about Lord Deering. You have influenced him in a most disastrous way, and now he has become a gambler. Lord only knows why you are friends with him anyway. He is a much better caliber of gentleman than you,” Laura added scornfully.
Aah. Now he understood where she was coming from, although he had not heard Lord Deering gambled regularly. He could not idly allow her insult to sail past him, so he asked, “If he is a gambler, wouldn’t that make him of the same caliber as myself?”
She scowled. “Maybe now, but he was a much better sort than you before you got your hands on him.”
He laughed quietly, although internally her accusations were like small pin pricks to his skin. Normally, people held a poor opinion of him, but he wanted Laura to see him differently. “You make it seem as if my goal was to seduce Lord Deering into a degenerate lifestyle, when I never intended anything of the sort.”
“Then why did you, my lord?” she asked hotly.
He glowered slightly and said, “He is my friend. What other reason could you need?”
“Any reason would be better. If he were your friend, you would not wish him to engage in such activities. Your reason does not make sense when you could have chosen any other lowlife to associate with. Why him?”
She appeared undeterred, as if she were a dog that had caught the scent of wild game. Gavin did not wish to admit the reason, but he found himself answering her with the exact answer he had tried to hide. He took a step toward her and looked deeply in to her violet eyes. “So he could tell me how you fared, Laura.”
She gulped audibly as confused understanding dawned on her. “Why would you care to know?”
He ran a hand through his cropped hair. He had immediately regretted his decision to tell her, but there was no going back now. “I was worried about you.”
Her eyes locked with his, and tension swirled around them. He could tell she wanted to say something but changed her mind and backed away instead. She shifted her eyes from his and turned her gaze to a point past the terrace railing. Her voice was steely as she said, “Yes, well, Lord Deering does not deserve to suffer due to your curiosity.”
He nodded. The tension was still there but had turned into something heavy and dark. This interlude was turning out much different from what he had planned. “I had not heard he had a gambling problem. I will be sure to check on him.” He would not take this matter lightly. He may not be perfect, but he also prided himself on abiding by a strict moral compass, which did not include watching a friend turn into a profligate shadow of his former self.
Laura shivered slightly, and his eyes narrowed on her thin frame. They should return inside, but he had to ask, “Why have you been losing weight? Are you sick?”
Laura glared at him. “Have you been drinking tonight, my lord?”
He regarded her with nonchalance. “Of course not, my dear.”
“And I suppose all the reports of your drinking have been exaggerated?” Her eyebrow lifted scornfully as she waited for his response.
He ignored her, which he knew would infuriate her. She looked adorable when she acted feisty. “Are you sick?”
Her eyes flashed. “I am in perfect health, my lord. I am sure any weight loss was from my sickness at the house party.”
Gavin was not sure if he believed her. It seemed too easy an answer. Plus, would she not have gained that weight back by now? The sound of the music began to die down in the ballroom. He would escort Laura back in but could not deny his disappointment that he had not been able to establish a better answer.
The ballroom was overly warm but was a positive change from the chill outside. Couples were taking the
ir places on the dance floor as Gavin and Laura vacated the terrace, and surprisingly, Lord Dunbar was waiting by the door to claim Laura. He appeared patently unhappy to see who Laura was with, and Gavin relished his disapproval.
Gavin could not resist whispering to the viscount as he walked past, “Treat her well, or you will rue the day you met her.” He left Laura with a bow and a secretive smile that made her blush in response. The entryway loomed before him as he made his escape from the crowded dance floor. At least, it did until his sister Alexa accosted him.
“Gavin! Gavin!”
He stopped, turned, and then reluctantly walked to her side. His sister was quite pretty, with a petite frame and dark hair. She contrasted him drastically. Where he was dark in countenance, she had an approachable lightness. Her eyes were a deep blue, and he knew personally that when she was angry, they turned stormy gray. His sister was a younger version of his mother, who happened to be hovering right next to Alexa like a guardian angel keeping her from certain disaster.
“Mother, Alexa,” he intoned as he bowed. He was prepared to depart for the evening, despite his misgivings about Laura’s health.
Alexa responded first, “Oh Gavin! What a delight it is to see you here.” She was positively glowing with excitement. “You have the most opportune timing, as the supper dance is to start. I have no partner for this set, so how about we sit, and then you can escort us for supper?”
There was almost nothing he would like less. “Sorry, I was just on my way out.”
A devilish gleam came to Alexa’s eyes as she patronizingly said, “Oh, dear, Brother, if you leave now you will raise all sorts of talk about tonight.”
“What do you mean?” He did not appreciate it when his sister acted this way, all mischievous.