Page 6 of Redemption of a Marquess

Chapter Two

As soon as Valan arrived at Lady Douglas’s ball, he began to think that his steward had erred in suggesting he attend—until he spotted the same dark-haired beauty he’d seen at Lady Peddington’s ball two nights ago. He retired to the shadows of one of the ballroom’s ridiculous columns and watched the beauty dance a reel with Viscount Chilson. When she began a second dance with the viscount, Valan knew he had made a dishonest woman of her. Chilson was short and stout. A dishonest woman would no doubt prefer a tall, handsome lover—if only for an evening.

The music rose above the murmur of voices as the dancers’ steps picked up speed.

Chilson wouldn’t last more than two sets. Already, his face was flushed. As was his habit, he would play cards and lose five hundred pounds before the night ended.

“Northington, I thought that was you.” The Earl of Davon stopped in front of him. “I thought, perhaps, you were hiding here,” he said.

Valan kept his eyes on the dark-haired beauty. “Yet you came to speak with me.”

“Well, yes—surely you aren’t truly hiding?” the earl said. “I was only joking.”

Valan sighed. “Of course, you were.”

“Here, now,” Davon said. “There’s no need to be rude.”

The dark-haired beauty disappeared behind a cluster of dancers. The dance would last another three minutes.

Valan looked at the earl. “You are right, of course. Was there something you wanted?”

The man blinked. “Well, no. I was just being friendly.”

“Thank you,” Valan said. “If you will excuse me, there is a lady in need of my services.”

“Your services?” he began, but Valan left him standing beside the column and headed for the opposite side of the room.

He reached the spot where Viscount Chilson had exited the dance floor with the lady on his arm.

“Of course, my dear,” Chilson was saying. “You may have all the champagne you like.” He tweaked her nose. They reached the refreshments table. The viscount picked up a glass of champagne and handed it to her. “You may rest with the other ladies,” he said, and added in a whisper, “Remember, you’re my cousin’s daughter visiting from Bath.”

So that was the excuse he used to explain his mistress’s presence at a society ball. He had no wife to complain of his indiscretions. Still, the story wouldn’t gain them entrance to more than two or three parties, for no reputable hostess wanted her party sullied by the presence of a man’s mistress.

Valan chose a glass of champagne and faced the dancers. From the corner of his eye, he observed Chilson guide his young mistress to a chair near a corner occupied by other ladies. He tweaked her nose again and Valan couldn’t help but envision the earl tweaking her nose while he puffed, out of breath, on top of her. Valan half wandered if the earl had yet deflowered her.

Chilson left and no one spoke to the girl. No doubt, many knew what she was. Valan finished his champagne, then placed the glass on a nearby table and strode toward her chair. Her head snapped up and she looked at him, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“Would you care to dance?” he asked.

She glanced uncertainly in the direction Chilson had disappeared. “I do not know.”

Her voice, low and sultry, matched her dark beauty. He might have to steal her from Chilson. “Have you promised this dance to another?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“You do dance?” he asked.

She nodded.

He lifted a brow. “Do you speak?”

Her cheeks colored. She started to nod, then stopped, and said, “I speak.”

“And you dance?” he said.

“And I dance,” she replied.

He extended a hand toward her. “The set will soon begin.”