Olivia had never been more grateful to anyone as she was in this moment. While it appeared Mr. Walker’swarning to Lord Pressley to leave her alone was working, she didn’t trust the young lord. He watched her incessantly, and it made her uncomfortable.
“Are you enjoying the house party, Mr. Walker?” she asked.
He nodded. “I am indeed. Lord Fleming and I have quite a bit in common. He has a keen interest in investing and has invited me to return in the fall to discuss some opportunities I know about.”
“I’m glad to hear it. It’s a beautiful estate.”
“It is indeed.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lord Robertson escort Miss Bartlett back to Lady Bartlett and Lord John before heading back toward her.
“I do believe I’ll take my leave now, Lady Armstrong,” Mr. Walker said with a bow.
“Thank you, Mr. Walker,” Olivia said.
Robertson stopped in front of her and nodded to his friend. “Thank you for escorting the lady.”
Mr. Walker nodded and walked to the other side of the room to talk with Lord Fleming.
“Lady Armstrong, would you do me the honor of partnering with me for the next dance?”
She looked up into his expressive brown eyes, and her heart melted. She knew she needed to protect her heart from this devastatingly handsome man or shecould be in big trouble, but tonight, she wanted to dance with him. “I’d love to, my lord.”
Robertson took her hand while Bett played the opening strains of a waltz. He winked at her before pulling her close.
“Did you arrange for a waltz to be played next?” she asked.
“I did indeed, and Lady Williams was quite accommodating. I couldn’t wait to dance with you, my sweet Olivia,” he whispered in her ear. He swept her around the room, and she was dizzy with the excitement of being in his strong arms. She hadn’t felt this safe since she was a small child, and she liked it. “My lady, I need to kiss your sweet lips again,” he said as he spun her.
His hot breath on her neck made her shiver with delicious anticipation. “After this dance, I’m sure to need a bit of fresh air,” she said, surprising herself with her boldness. What was she doing? One minute, she was trying to protect herself from falling for the earl, and the next, she was inviting him to kiss her again. It was all so confusing. She’d never had a Season, so she had no experience in the rules of courtship.
Wait?
Was Everett courting her? Or was he merely playing with her because she was convenient? All thesethoughts rolled around inside her mind as the last strains of the waltz faded away.
“My dear, your dancing is divine. Would you care to take in some air?”
“Yes. I’m feeling quite flushed.” What she didn’t say was that it wasn’t the dancing that made her hot and bothered but the man himself. For so long, she’d kept herself hidden from any undue attention. She had felt numb after Armstrong’s death, and it’d taken her a full year to even enjoy the simple pleasure of riding around the estate again.
Lord Robertson had upset her careful balancing act, and she was powerless to stop seeking his company. Her nerves were on edge, and she blurted out the first thing that came to mind as they walked outside. “Miss Bartlett seemed to enjoy your dance together.”
Robertson chuckled. “Funny thing about that. The young lady told me in no uncertain terms that she prefers Lord John to me.”
“What? Is that so?”
He nodded. “It is indeed. She seems determined to thwart her mother’s insistence that she spend time with me.”
“Bravo, Miss Bartlett.”
“My dear Olivia, I didn’t bring you out here to talk about Miss Bartlett.”
“No?”
They’d walked to the far end of the balcony. The moonlight lit up the garden, and the flowers scented the air. It was a perfect night.
“May I kiss you, my dear?”
She didn’t want to waste any more time, so she leaned into him, pressing her lips against his. This was what she’d been missing—desire—the desire to be with a man who made her heart race and sent shivers down her spine.
