Page 58 of Earl, Enemy, Husband?

‘I expect it is very pretty with all that snow,’ Eloise said.

‘Pretty and magnificent, and very wild. It is a huge country.’

Aware that the country dance had come to an end, he glanced over Eloise’s head to see where Florence had gone.

Aldrich was introducing her to a man he did not know, her hand tucked under his arm.

‘I wish I could see it.’ Eloise’s wistful tone to her voice broke into his thoughts.

‘See…?’

She gave him an irritated look. ‘Canada.’ She briefly glanced over her shoulder to see what he had been looking at: Florence in animated conversation with the two men.

He forced himself to focus on Eloise and her bright smile and questioning expression. ‘If you ever get the chance, you should go.’

She laughed lightly. ‘Perhaps you will show me around.’

Not a chance. Now Florence was taking this new fellow’s arm and he was walking on to the dance floor. Dash it. Who was he?

George said something he did not catch. Everyone in the group was looking at him expectantly. He smiled vaguely.

‘The next dance is a waltz,’ George said.

And his wife was about to waltz with a man he did not know.

Eloise beamed and he stared at her in confusion. George gave him an odd look, with eyebrows raised. He had missed something.

Eloise was looking at him expectantly. Devil take it. George must think he wanted to dance with Eloise. Too many of those present knew of his feelings for her all those years ago. And he had let his attention wander.

‘Would you honour me with this next dance, Lady Standish?’

Eloise placed her hand on his arm. ‘I would love to dance with you, Gray.’

George asked one of the other ladies in their party to dance, but she indicated she was hot and asked him to fetch refreshments instead.

Out of the corner of his eye, Graydon watched his wife smile at the man who held her hand. Damn it. He should have been the one waltzing with her.

‘Is something wrong?’ Eloise said, with a little pout. ‘You seem distracted.’

‘How could I be distracted, when I have one of the loveliest women here in my arms?’ he said mechanically, guiding her through the surrounding dancers, some of whom were capering rather than dancing. It seemed they’d confused a waltz with a polka.

‘Graydon, I was so happy when I heard you had returned to England.’

He gazed down at her. She was looking up at him with a particularly sad expression. ‘Were you?’

‘Of course I was. The last time we spoke, well, I will admit I was terribly unkind, and I have missed you so awfully.’

‘You married,’ he said.

‘I had to. My parents…they insisted.’

She hadn’t seemed to mind it terribly much at the time. ‘That was why I left.’

‘Oh, Graydon. I hoped it was that, but I could not be sure.’

‘You hoped?’

‘Yes. You were always the most devoted member of my court. I could only hope you were nursing a broken heart.’