Page 29 of Evie and Louis: The Story so Far

The dance could not end quickly enough, and Georgie was grateful to discover the comte guiding her back towards Evie and Rochford.

“Good evening, your grace.” The comte smiled and bowed to Rochford politely, though there was something unmistakeably cool and brittle in his gaze. Rochford hardly looked any friendlier, glowering at the comte. The atmosphere between them prickled. Evie looked at Georgie in alarm, clearly not having a clue what the problem was.

“Thank you so much for the dance, your grace,” Evie said, smiling as she addressed the duke. “You will be pleased to know my neck has survived without incident.”

Rochford took her hand and kissed her fingers, and Georgie was certain he’d done it with the sole intention of riling the comte. Sadly, it made her stomach squirm too.

“I am relieved to hear it, Miss Knight, though the pleasure was mine. Perhaps you might brave the ordeal again, in that case?”

“I might indeed,” Evie said with a laugh, only to give a little squeal as the comte took her arm and pulled her away.

“My dance, I believe, Miss Knight,” he muttered.

Evie, with little choice in the matter, hurried after him. “No, it isn’t,” she hissed. “Louis! Louis, I’m supposed to be dancing with—”

The rest of the conversation was lost as they disappeared into the crowd.

Evie kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet up on the settee, balancing a plate of food on her knee and holding a glass of wine in one hand. It was her third glass, which was very bad of her when she ought to stick to lemonade, but she was thirsty, and the server had been close at hand. She gave a little sigh of relief and sipped at the cold white wine with pleasure, her muscles relaxing as the alcohol entered her blood. The glow of an oil lamp plus the flickering firelight warmed the room, the flames leaping back to life since she’d stirred the coals and got it blazing again. It had been a long night. Not that it was quite over. People were still dancing and making merry, but Evie had danced until her feet hurt and she was worn out. It had been a marvellous evening, though, and she had enjoyed it very much, except… she was vexed and puzzled over Louis’ odd behaviour. What the devil had got into him tonight? Sighing, she considered the plate of food before her and picked up a delicate mushroom tart. She was about to devour it when the door opened, and she stiffened in alarm.

This was one of the family’s small, private parlours, well away from the ballroom. She’d thought she could hide here safely enough.

“Oh,” she said with relief as Louis appeared in the doorway. “It’s only you. What a relief.”

He sighed. “You devastate me, ma petite. Only you could set me down and shatter my confidence with so few words.”

“Don’t be silly,” she said crossly. “I only meant I was glad it wasn’t someone come to cause me trouble.”

“Like I said,” Louis muttered dryly, closing the door behind him.

He stayed where he was, leaning against the door, watching her.

“How did you know I’d be here?” she asked, regarding him warily. He was in an odd mood tonight. Was he foxed?

“I looked everywhere else.”

“Oh.”

“I believe Mr Hadley-Smythe is searching too, hoping you’ll grant him the last dance.”

“Is he?” Evie said, brightening. She had liked the young man very much, for he was rather sweet. He’d also seemed very taken with her, which was flattering.

“Ah, this pleases you,” he said, and she frowned, unnerved by his tone. How could she know this man so very well for so long and yet suddenly not understand him at all? “He’s not the only one, you know. I was right about that gown, was I not? You’ll have besotted suitors queuing up to call on you in the coming days.”

“You were right about the gown, but there’s no need to exaggerate. Besides, I’ve always had suitors,” she retorted, a little stung. “It’s just they’ve always been lured by my enormous dowry before, not my….”

She paused, deciding she’d best not be indelicate and refer to the amount of cleavage on display, even with Louis.

He snorted, amused. “Well, I can assure you they’re now lured by all the other delicious temptations you have previously hidden so well.”

Evie frowned but put the tart in her mouth and chewed rather than comment.

“I see you’re still cross with me.”

He pushed off the wall, moving about the room, inspecting the pictures, and picking up a small china shepherdess to study it. She watched him set it down and move to a large bookcase, selecting a title and running an elegant finger along the spine. For some reason, she shivered.

Evie sighed. “No. I can never stay cross with you, you know that. Only you did vex me rather. You’ve been acting very strangely tonight.”

His eyes glinted at her from the darkened corner of the room. “Have I?”