She was laughing with a group of women, a drink in her hand. Emily was standing beside her, and Blake noticed the slight protective stance of her younger sister.
“You could always ask her to dance,” Nigel suggested, following Blake’s gaze. “She never could resist a waltz, and I believe that is what is next.”
Blake nodded. “I think I will do that. Thank you, Glassley.”
Alexander and Nigel exchanged a look, but Blake was barely aware of it as he made his way across the dance floor towards Jane. His heart thundered in his chest, blood roaring in his ears. He swallowed, putting on a smile as he drew up to the group of women.
The women around Jane all appeared to notice him before she did. Blake smiled at them and cleared his throat, drawing Jane’s attention to him. Her eyes hardened as they met his, and he felt a sudden pang in his chest at the distance in her gaze.
“Might I have the honor of this dance, Miss Pembleton?” He held out a hand to her, bowing as he did so, all the while holding her gaze.
She opened her mouth to reply, and for a moment, he thought she would say no. Instead, she simply nodded and let him guide her to the dance floor.
“You seem quiet this evening,” he murmured as he placed a hand on the small of her back, taking her other hand in his and assuming the starting position for the waltz. “Is something the matter?”
“Must there be something wrong? Perhaps I simply do not have anything to say,” Jane replied, her eyes not quite meeting his, her voice ice cold.
“That is rather unlike you.” Blake canted his head, giving Jane a tentative smile. “You are usually full of things to say.”
She did not smile back. “Perhaps I simply have nothing to say to you.”
“So, something is the matter. You are rarely speechless around me.” Blake frowned at her.
“Well, congratulations, you have finally made me speechless. You must be proud.” Jane shot him a scathing look, but then she looked down almost immediately.
Blake sensed there was something else, something more vulnerable beneath her anger.
“I am not proud, but I am confused,” Blake said simply as he spun her away from him and then back. “I do not understand why you are behaving like this.”
“Behaving like what?” Jane asked in that same dispassionate tone.
“Cold, distant.” Blake frowned at her. “It is as though we are back to the day we first met. You are like a different person.”
“Perhaps I am.” An unreadable look crossed Jane’s face. “But what does it matter to you?”
“It matters to me because I thought things had changed between us.” He sighed and lowered his voice as he said, “After everything that has happened between us, after we kissed… I thought perhaps…”
“You thought what, exactly? What did you think would happen?” Anger and hurt flared in her eyes.
Something in Blake seemed to tighten, and he felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. He felt off balance, as though there was a sword hanging above his head, ready to strike at any moment.
Shaking his head, he said, “I do not know. But I would understand exactly what has led us to this position.”
Jane said nothing.
“Please, talk to me.” Blake’s gaze found Jane’s, and he willed her to see the earnestness of his words. “I want to understand.”
“That makes the two of us.” She laughed bitterly.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“I overheard you talking to the Marquess.” Jane’s eyes were full of accusation and betrayal.
Blake’s chest seemed to constrict, and he almost stumbled. “What did you hear?”
“Enough,” Jane said. She paused briefly before she added, “I heard you tell him that you had no intention of marrying me. That you would not do it. Is that true?”
Blake said nothing. He could see the hurt in Jane’s eyes, even as she tried to hide it beneath a cool, unaffected exterior.
