“I am just speaking the truth,” he replied. “You are radiant, my bride.”
“It is the heat.” She chuckled.
“It is you,” he insisted.
Her eyes shone as she met his gaze, her obvious joy making her twice as beautiful.
In truth, he wondered if he ought to thank the meddlers who had sent that letter to her, for if they had not, he would probably never have met her, much less be about to marry her.
“Who is the better partner?” he asked with a smile. “Melody, Lizzy, or me?”
She laughed again, such a glorious sound. “Melody is surprisingly adept, especially when she leads. Lizzy has no patience for it. So, I suppose it is a competition between you and Melody.”
“That will not do.”
Remembering something from foreign country dances, he pulled her closer to him and began to spin her at double the speed. Her eyes fluttered in brief alarm, but she adjusted quickly, her face aglow with giddiness as she turned and turned in his arms.
Gasps and whispers of appreciation rippled through the spectators, for societycouldshow a little leniency to a couple who were already engaged.
Faster and faster they whirled, until Philip grasped her by that temptingly narrow waist and lifted her into the air, still turning all the while. He heard her soft yelp and smiled as her hands braced against his broad shoulders.
“Oh, heavens,” someone huffed from nearby.
There would be plenty for the gossipmongers to discuss, but Philip didn’t care a jot. What was the harm in showing some liveliness with his future wife?
He lowered her back down and slowed the dance once more, delighting in her dizzy breathlessness as they turned their last circles together.
How I wish we were alone.
All too soon, the waltz came to an end.
Reluctantly, Philip released his hold on her and took a polite step back, bowing low to her. Selina, in turn, dipped into a curtsy, so graceful and elegant that she would have rivaled any royal.
Most of the crowd erupted into rapturous applause. A few sour faces were dotted among them, mainly the elderly who were still getting used to the intimacy of country dances and couldn’t adjust to waltzes. The atmosphere as a whole, however, was brimming with congratulation and celebration.
A true end to a silly feud that only a dead man would have been bothered to prolong.
“Thank you,” Selina murmured, taking his arm.
“For what?”
“For making me feel like I belong at a ball for the first time in my life,” she replied.
He smiled and kissed her hand. “Just do not expect to host many balls here. This is the last time I want this many people in my house.” He paused. “Ourhouse.”
She laughed that lovely laugh of hers. “That is a relief, for I have no talent for arranging anything.”
Perhaps they were better suited than he could have imagined. A perfect bride who had come directly to his doorstep, as if fate itself had been ready to end that foolhardy feud.
