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And she stayed for an hour, curled into the softness of the sofa, while the earl sat in the high-backed chair before the fire, his legs sprawled in front of him, gazing into the flames. During which time Verity had her book open, reading into the stillness of the night, ignoring the lump forming in her throat and the unusual ache stirring in her soul for James.
Lady William’s ball was a crushing success. Laug
hter and facile conversation floated on the air, and the vividly colored ball gowns, dancing slippers, diamonds, pearls, and rubies shone iridescently under the candlelight of the crystal chandeliers in the glittering ballroom. Verity had been at the ball for more than two hours, and the heat of the packed ballroom was stifling. James was in attendance, but they had carefully maintained a distance. She had not been introduced to him, and he had not sought it.
James mingled with the crowd, and from the many smiles and approving nods, Verity suspected he charmed them. The dowager duchess of Middleton introduced him to her daughter, whom if Verity recalled correctly, was nineteen, and an heiress. Soon James was leading the Lady Anna to the dance floor, his poise one of supreme confidence. He was beautiful, in a way that was uniquely male, and she was not the only lady noticing. Many not on the dance floor discreetly watched the earl and Lady Anna as they twirled to the sensually freeing waltz. For such a large man he appeared light and graceful on his feet, and Lady Anna’s face glowed as she peered up at him. Many in society noted it was the earl’s very first dance, the whispers buzzed and speculation grew.
“It’s his first dance of the season!”
“They do look splendid together.”
"The rumor says he is looking to settle down."
"Perhaps there is some sort of tendre, and they've been very circumspect about it!”
Many fans were opened, and the whispers abounded. The speculation would also spill onto the scandal sheets and newspapers. Verity knew what they all wondered. Why was Lord Maschelly paying attention to Lady Anna Covington? Did they sense a match in the air?
"There is a rumor he offered for the silly girl, and she refused him? An earl believed to have an income of fifty thousand a year, and one so very large and handsome."
This was murmured with an undertone of envy and frustration.
Verity glanced at Lady Susanna, to whom that particular piece of fluff referred. Susanna stared at James and Lady Anna with an expression akin to envy. And Verity felt a pang of regret for her. The more she watched James dance, a hollow sensation burrowed its way into her heart, and she admitted she wished with every fiber of her being he was dancing with her… soaring across the expanse of the dance floor.
“Your earl is quite dashing and very different tonight,” Caroline said, coming to stand beside her and looping their hands together. “He is normally often brusque to the point of incivility at these events! But now he is positively charming everyone! Even the Grande Dame has smiled at him. Can you imagine that querulous biddy smiling?”
Verity laughed at Caroline’s silliness.
“You are being excessively impertinent, Caroline,” Verity warned.
“They would not suit,” her friend whispered.
Verity glanced around. “Who?”
Caroline’s eyes lit with mischief and a good deal of speculation. “Lord Maschelly and Lady Anna. I am sure there isn’t anyone more amiable and obliging than Lady Anna. That man…is a lion. And he will need a fiery and feisty lady to walk by his side. Say, like one who has been spending an inordinate amount of time with him and who is not afraid to learn to fight.”
Verity flushed and ignored that pointed bid for more information. Feeling in need of a breath of fresh air, she promised Caro to see her before leaving. Verity then discreetly left the public rooms and made her way to the smaller drawing room which had not been opened specifically to the guests. She went over opening the tall French doors that led outside and toward the gardens at the back of the townhouse. The paths were well lit with lanterns, but empty of guests. There was a small alcove at the end, with a fountain, and a bench. Once there she breathed a soft sigh of relief to be away from the stifling heat and the surprising pain of seeing James touching and smiling down at another lady. In the privacy of the alcove, it was hard to stop the lone tear which slid down her cheek.
“Verity.”
She gasped, pressing a hand to her chest, and glanced up. “James! I hadn't thought anyone would notice I slipped away. The crush is so overwhelming, and everyone was so diverted by the entertainment.”
“You were discreet, I was simply aware of you,” he murmured, the gleam in his eyes hard to interpret. “I am sorry I frightened you.”
He sat beside her on the stone bench, staring into the surprisingly clear star-studded night.
Did he feel the same longing she endured? Or did James only see them as friends? These were questions she longed to ask but did not broach, for his answer had the power to wound her heart. Verity had tried to examine the feelings she owned for the man before her, but she had been unable to shape them into any semblance of clarity.
She placed her hand in the small space between them, and he covered it with his. Even through the gloves they wore, she could feel the warm vitality of James. She was very much aware of the strength and power of the shoulder that flexed each time he shifted, as if restless.
“May I kiss you, Verity?”
The earth shifted and took very precious moments to align. “And we return to friends in the morning?” she asked in a deliberately thoughtful tone.
Her pulse had quickened alarmingly, she felt achy, terrifyingly breathless and she struggled to retain her equanimity. She had always believed that once she met the man she would eventually marry, she would recognize him immediately. His affability, polished manners, humorous anecdotes would have instantly captured her attention and heart. It had been the reason she had not been overly interested in any of the four suitors her brother had lured her way since the start of the season. They had been handsome, wealthy, amiable, and they had lavished her with extravagant praise and flattery. But Verity had been unmoved and quite confident none of them would become her future husband.
And then James…
The rumble of his voice pierced the frantic whirl of her thoughts.
