by Wolf, Bree
Running a hand through his hair, Phineas leaned back against a marble column, his heart beating in an odd rhythm as his gaze strayed to the golden-haired fury, who loved nothing more than to glare at him. Again, he wondered what reason she could have to detest him so, and he realized once again that it bothered him.
It bothered him a lot.
His jaw tensed as he watched her, watched her laugh and smile, her dark green eyes vibrant and full of passion. She was magnificent, proud and daring, but also kind and loyal to a fault. He remembered her efforts—which had by far exceeded his own—to unite Anne and Tobias despite their own objections, and she had been right. She had fought for them, sacrificed her own well-being to see someone she loved happy. She was a rare woman, and the thought that another would one day call her wife turned his stomach.
As though on cue, Lord Hastings approached her, his manners impeccable and his smile a mile wide. They exchanged a few words before he held out his hand to her, no doubt asking for the next dance.
Phineas tensed, his teeth gritting together as he watched them stand up together. Of course, he had seen her dance before. He had seen her chat and laugh with gentlemen countless times over the course of the previous two years; now, seeing her like this felt different.
It felt wrong.
How had this happened? Had it been their kiss?
To this day, Phineas could not shake the overwhelming need that seized him every time his thoughts drifted back to that day, that moment. Something had changed when she had been in his arms, and whether he liked it or not, he now thought of her as…his.
Could his brother be right? Had he come to care for her? Beyond anything he had ever felt before? For anyone? For any woman?
As he followed Louisa and Lord Hastings with his gaze, he took note of another woman lingering nearby, her eyes seeking his with unerring intention. Phineas blinked, remembering the soft smile upon her young face.
Miss Mortensen—if he remembered correctly.
That morning at Windmere Park, after cornering Louisa on the stairs, Phineas had walked rather distractedly around the house and then found himself under a sprig of mistletoe with her. He had given her a quick peck on the lips and then escorted her to the breakfast parlor. As far as he was corned, that had been it.
Lately, however, he seemed to be seeing Miss Mortensen everywhere, always nearby, always watching him. It would seem the young woman had taken a fancy to him, perhaps hoping for him to approach her.
Not wishing to encourage her, Phineas turned away, his thoughts instantly drawn back to the problem he was facing. Perhaps he had been approaching it from a wrong direction. Perhaps Louisa was not the woman he ought to speak to for he felt certain she would not be forthcoming. Perhaps he ought to speak to someone who knew her well.
A sister perhaps.
His gaze moved to settle upon Lady Leonora, her dark hair in stark contrast to Louisa’s glowing appearance. She stood with her younger sister Lady Christina, no doubt offering some counsel before she was asked onto the dance floor, leaving her elder sister behind.
Seeing his chance, Phineas approached her. “Good evening.”
Her dark eyes settled upon his, a calculating frown coming to her kind face. “Good evening, Lord Barrington.”
He chuckled, “Your sister always calls me by my name. She only ever uses my title when she wants to insult me.”
The lady’s eyes briefly dropped from his. “I apologize, my lord, and assure you that my sister…” She broke off, unable to give that sentence a truthful ending and refusing to lie all the same.
Phineas appreciated that. “Do you know why?” he asked without preamble. “Why she seems to loathe me like no other? I admit,” he chuckled uneasily, “I do not know what I might have done.”
Lady Leonora heaved a deep sigh, her gaze becoming distant as though she was searching her mind for an answer to his question. Then she looked up and met his eyes. “I’m afraid I do not,” she replied, a hint of disappointment in her voice. “In fact, I’ve wondered about it myself. It is odd, is it not? Strong emotions deserve a valid reason.” She shook her head in that rational way of hers, disappointed that her observations did not add up.
Phineas once more cast a glance at Louisa as she allowed Lord Hastings to guide her across the dance floor. “Do you think,” he began carefully, feeling a little unsettled to be uttering this question, “that you could find out?”
Lady Leonora’s eyes narrowed slightly as she watched him, not unlike a scientist observing a new specimen; Phineas almost squirmed under her scrutinizing gaze. “Do you care for her?” she asked bluntly, open curiosity upon her face.
Again, Phineas felt the urge to squirm, to turn away, to deny what her words suggested.
Her head cocked sideways a little, her curious eyes sweeping over his face. “Indeed, your interest in knowing the reason suggests that she means something to you, that you find her reaction to you bothersome.”
Phineas chuckled, trying to hide the fact that she was right. “Who would enjoy being loathed by another?”
Her seeing blue eyes remained locked on his face for a long moment as though she paid attention rather to his thoughts than his words. Then she nodded, a gentle smile coming to her face. “I promise, I shall speak to her; however, knowing my sister, I cannot promise that she will answer me anymore than she answers you.”
Phineas cast her a grateful smile. “I thank you for your efforts,” he told her honestly, for once not feeling the need to jest or say something to make light of his words. There was something deeply honest in her eyes that compelled him to speak what was on his mind without concern to have it ridiculed or twisted in some way or used against him. It had been a long time since he had felt this at ease in another’s company.
Chapter Eleven
Words of No Consequence
Louisa did her utmost to ignore the man standing on the edge of the dance floor, his dark, almost black gaze lingering upon her. She could feel it, like a touch upon her skin, as though his fingertips were gently grazing the line of her neck. A shiver went down her back, and she forced her eyes to settle on the man who held her in his arms. “You’re a marvelous dancer, Lord Hastings,” she exclaimed with more enthusiasm than she had intended.
Lord Hastings beamed at her. “I’m delighted to hear it,” he replied, new eagerness coming to his gaze. “However, your own proficiency far exceeds mine.”
Louisa smiled at him gratefully, unable to keep her eyes from darting over his shoulder in the next instant, once more settling upon the man with the most infuriating smile she had ever seen.
To her utter shock, she found him standing with her own sister, their heads bent to one another as words left their lips. Louisa’s heart jerked at the sight, a cold shiver now replacing the tantalizing memory of his searing gaze. What was going on? Never had she seen the two of them converse. Who had sought out whom, she wondered, wishing she could hear what they were discussing.
For a shocking moment, the thought that Phineas Hawke might have taken an interest in her sister crossed her mind. It made her feel ill, and she felt the sudden urge to run to her sister and chase him away. Never in a thousand years would she allow that man to fool tender-hearted Leonora into believing that a true and live heart beat in his chest. For she, like no other, knew that it was not the case, that it could not be.
Fortunately, the music drifted away, its last notes lingering upon the air as the dancers slowed their movements and then stopped. Lord Hastings once more complemented her before offering her his arm.
Accepting, Louisa allowed him to guide her off the dance floor, her gaze unerringly returning to her sister, surprised as well as relieved to find her alone once again. “Pardon me, my lord,” she addressed the man by her side. “I’m afraid I must see to my sister. She seems unwell.”
Lord Hastings mumbled something that might have been concern, his gaze obliging, before Louisa hurried away, leaving him behind without another thought. She r
eached her sister’s side in record time, trying to catch her breath, doing her utmost to appear nonchalant. After all, it would not do to let Leonora see her thus. Her sister’s mind was already most curious, her eyes always watchful, and she would no doubt see that something had deeply unsettled Louisa.
Curse that man!
“Do you not also wish to dance?” Louisa exclaimed with a joyful smile as she sidled up to her sister. “You must be utterly bored to be standing here all evening.” Although Louisa could not help but feel annoyed with this charade, she felt that it was necessary to better hide her true intention.
Leonora returned her smile, her blue eyes lingering in a strange way though. “Oh, I assure you I am far from bored,” she replied, an odd tone in her voice. “In fact, I find it most fascinating to be observing all the comings and goings, to try to judge by the look of a face what kind of heart beats in that person’s chest. It is a study in psychology, is it not? Livelier than a lecture, but equally interesting.” Her gaze once more swept the crowded ballroom before she glanced at Louisa. “Would you not agree?”
Louisa could not help but feel a slight tingle snake its way down her spine, warning her that her sister had an ulterior motive, that her eyes were more watchful than usual. “And what have you discovered?” she asked, almost bursting with curiosity to find out what Leonora and Phineas had been speaking about.
A slight chuckle rumbled in Leonora’s throat before she turned toward her sister, her blue eyes open and seeing. “Is that truly what you wish to know?” Her eyebrows rose challengingly. “In fact, what I have observed is your own reaction to seeing me here, in this very spot, speaking to the very man you cannot bear lay eyes upon without muttering insults. Then,” she continued with her observation, “you hurried over here as though the devil himself were behind you.” Leonora smiled up at her. “And now you attempt to draw me into a conversation when it is most obvious that there is a question burning on your mind. Would you not rather ask it?”
In utter shock, Louisa stared at her sister. Never in her life had she known Leonora to be this observant when it came to those around her. Certainly, her sister had always been taken with the sciences; however, she had never known that Leonora’s interest stretched to observing the nature of human behavior. What else had her sister gleaned in the past months?
For a second, Louisa was tempted to pretend that she had no clue what Leonora was referring to; unfortunately, one look into her sister’s eyes told her that it would be a futile attempt. And so, she huffed out an annoyed breath, rolled her eyes for good measure, and said on an exhausted sigh, “Very well. If you must know, I was simply wondering what on earth you and that man were speaking about.” She swallowed hard, inexplicably nervous suddenly. “After all, you have nothing in common. So naturally, I am puzzled.” She shrugged. “Can you blame me?” There, no one could have possibly conjured a better denial out of thin air! Louisa was strangely proud of herself.
A soft grin came to Leonora’s face as she watched Louisa, her head shaking from side to side in a rather endearing gesture. “You are undeniably the most stubborn woman I have ever met,” Leonora commented with a chuckle, warmth shining in her deep blue eyes, “and I do mean this as a compliment.”
Louisa felt her nerves settle, her heartbeat resuming at a more normal pace. “How sweet of you to notice,” she laughed, reaching out and squeezing her sister’s hand affectionately. “Well?”
Leonora inhaled a deep breath, her eyes briefly darting across the ballroom, not lingering anywhere, but rather as though looking for someone. “Well,” she finally said when her gaze returned to meet Louisa’s, “we were speaking about you, dear sister.”
“Me?” Louisa barely noted the shrillness in her voice as she stared at her sister in disbelief. “Why on earth would you…?” Her eyes narrowed, a dark thought taking on shape in her mind. “What did he say about me?” Fear slowly crept up her spine; what if he had told Leonora about her…her secret?
Her sister’s brows drew down slightly. “Are you all right? You suddenly seem tense.” Leonora took a step closer, her soft hand coming to rest upon Louisa’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Do you honestly believe that he said something to your disadvantage? In fact, he did not. He merely asked a question.”
A deep breath swept from Louisa’s lungs, and she almost crumpled to the floor in relief. “What question?”
“The question you seem to be determined not to answer, no matter who asks it,” Leonora stated, pausing for a moment, her eyes still lingering upon Louisa’s face. “He wished to know why you dislike him so, something—I admit—I have wondered myself many times.” A questioning look came to her eyes.
Louisa felt her shoulders draw back, her chin lift, her hands ball into fists as though she were a warrior, readying herself for battle. “As though he doesn’t know,” she all but snapped, regretting deeply that her sister was the recipient of these words. “He is a most horrible creature, and he does not deserve an explanation. If he does not know, if he does not even remember what he said, then…” Suddenly, tears choked her voice. Louisa cursed herself for showing such weakness, but the thought that the words that had all but destroyed her had not even left an imprint on his mind was crippling.
Leonora’s gaze softened, her eyes searching Louisa’s face yet again. “What did he say?”
Louisa swallowed hard, then shook her head. “It does not matter. It was a long time ago, and I’ve moved past it.”
“That is not true,” Leonora replied, her hands gentle, but drawing Louisa closer, nonetheless. “If it were so, the mere sight of him would not unsettle you as it does. Please, tell me what happened. Unburden your heart, and I promise if it is your wish, I shall never speak of it to anyone. I shall not tell him. I swear.”
Louisa smiled at her sister, welcoming her kindness and her affection, knowing that she was fortunate to have someone who cared so deeply about her, who knew her so well. If only she dared confide in Leonora and tell her everything. How would her sister react if she knew? Leonora of all people was someone who cherished knowledge, the written word and all the wisdom it had brought her as well as all it promised. How would she react if she found out that her sister could not even read? Would she feel compassion and offer her help? Or would she feel pity, shocked to learn that Louisa had not even mastered something so simple, something that lay at the base of all knowledge?
“The words he said were of no consequence,” Louisa explained, cursing herself for not having the courage to at least admit to the flaw that plagued her daily. “He was rude and disrespectful. It was the way he spoke, not the words he said. I now know that he is not a man I wish to be acquainted with. Please, leave it at that.”
Sadness stood in Leonora’s eyes as well as a hint of disbelief; nonetheless, she nodded her head in acquiescence. “If that is your wish,” she said gently. “Nevertheless, should you ever change your mind, please know that I will always have an open ear for you.”
“I know.” Smiling at her beloved sister, Louisa reminded herself that despite her flaw, she was a most fortunate woman. She could call so much her own, a dear family, sisters to share her life with and the freedom to choose her own path. A lot to be grateful for, Louisa reminded herself, determined to never again forget the good over the bad.
Chapter Twelve
A Moment in an Alcove
Ball for ball, Phineas found himself watching the crowd, his gaze sweeping over face after face, looking for her. No one else seemed to matter. All that mattered was her. When had this happened? How had this obsession taken root in his blood? Had it been their kiss?
Exhaling a deep breath, Phineas leaned back against a marble column, his thoughts drawn back to that one moment when Louisa had been in his arms. It certainly was a moment he could not forget. It lingered in his mind often, and, yet again, for what seemed like the thousandth time, he found himself wondering when he ought to repay her for the kiss she had stolen. Indeed, the thought brought a deep
smile to his face.
And then his gaze snapped up and his eyes unerringly settled upon her.
Arm in arm with her sister, Louisa walked into the ballroom, surrounded by the rest of her large family, parents and siblings as well as her dear grandmother, the woman who referred to him as “the wicked one.” The thought made Phineas chuckle. Indeed, he liked the dowager countess for she possessed a dark streak of humor, one not unlike his own, one he had seen in Louisa as well. Phineas could not help but think that her grandmother would not object if he were to…
Phineas stilled as his thoughts cleared, and he finally realized—with no small amount of shock—in what direction they had been going. Was he courting Louisa? Or rather, did he want to? Indeed, she had been foremost on his mind these past few weeks, months even. He had attended a Christmas house party because of her. He had remained in the country at Barrington House simply because she, too, had been there. He had been acting quite unlike himself…and all for her. What did this mean?
Indeed, the answer that lingered somewhere just out of reach brought with it a somewhat terrifying note, and Phineas did not dare dwell on it.
The muscles in his jaw tensed when he saw Louisa accept Lord Hastings’ arm and stand up with him for a minuet. The two younger Whickerton sisters followed onto the dance floor; only the eldest remained behind, faithfully keeping the dowager countess company.
Crossing his arms, Phineas remained with his shoulder rested against the column, his eyes fixed on Louisa as she smiled and laughed. His insides twisted and turned in answer, and he cursed himself for allowing her to affect him thus.
Phineas shook his head, hoping to clear his mind and banish the thoughts of her, but it would not work. His eyes did not dare stray from her for too long, drawn back as though they were two magnets, unable to deny each other. If only she felt the same pull!