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Distraction. That is what I had needed at the time.
“Jeremy? Are you well?” Sophia’s gentle hand found his arm.
“Perfectly.” He cleared his throat, hoping it hid his discomfort. “I’m afraid when I went to the continent, I went to distract myself from a sadness.” As he returned the glass to her, he was surprised the words had fallen from his lips. He froze, with their hands connected over the glass and their fingers touching.
I just told her the truth!
It could have been all the wine he had drunk earlier that was making his tongue loose, but he couldn’t help feeling it was something else entirely.
I was not afraid to tell her the truth.
“Sophia?” A new voice joined them. Jeremy felt Sophia snatch the glass away from him, so that their touch was broken as they turned to face the man approaching them.
Ah, I had rather hoped we had escaped him.
Lord Elkins moved to Sophia’s side. He bowed quickly to Jeremy. It was hardly the full bow that many usually gave to Jeremy because of his station, more of a quick nod. There was a silent snub in the movement, for it showed Lord Elkins held him in little esteem. It was clearly not just noticed by Jeremy, for Sophia’s eyes had widened on her brother-in-law.
“Sophia, would you dance the next with me?” Lord Elkins held his hand out to Sophia.
Jeremy felt something in his stomach knot. He didn’t much like the idea of Sophia dancing in that man’s arms. He was cold, as if his body was made out of iron.
“I…” Sophia faltered. She took another swig of her wine, perhaps in desperate thirst. Her eyes flicked down to the hand that was offered to her and then back to the glass.
She doesn’t want to dance with him!
“I am afraid Lady Elkins has agreed to dance the next with me, My Lord.” Jeremy stepped into the conversation smoothly, eager to give her a way out. Sophia’s lips flickered into the smallest of smiles at his words, but it did not last long.
“That would make three dances, Your Grace.” Lord Elkins spoke coldly, barely looking at Jeremy. “I cannot permit you to dance so much with my sister-in-law. People will think you are betrothed. Now, Sophia?” He kept his hand up toward Sophia.
Jeremy cursed under his breath, but he could think of nothing more to say or do to help her. Clearly, neither could Sophia. She returned her glass to Jeremy, thanking him for it, then she took Lord Elkins’ hand and let her lead her away.
* * *
As Sophia waited for her dance with Nick to begin, her gaze was restless. She kept looking away from Nick, toward the edge of the floor, searching out someone else entirely. Jeremy had as good as followed the two of them to the dancefloor.
He is watching us!
He looked as uncomfortable as she felt with the situation.
As the music began and Sophia curtsied to Nick, he stepped forward, taking her into a waltz. The realization she had to be so close to him made her tremble as she placed one hand in his and her other on his shoulder. The moment his palm took her waist, too firmly for comfort, she snapped her gaze to him and away from Jeremy.
“You should be looking at me, Sophia,” Nick whispered to her, showing he had seen exactly where she was looking.
She tried to gulp past her nerves as the dance began. She had never danced with Nick before. He had asked her once or twice, but she had always invented a reason why she could not. It had been easy when her husband was alive, for she had roped him in to dance with her instead. For some reason, the thought of dancing with Nick had always unnerved her.
“You have spent the entire evening looking at one man only,” Nick muttered to her. He led her around the floor, but it was hardly smooth or as elegant as a waltz should be. It was rather stilted at times, and the harshness of his touch on her waist made her spine rigid.
“The Duke and I enjoy one another’s company. We have known each other many years, and it is easy to talk to him.”
“You and I have known each other for a long time too.” The way those light blue eyes stared at her made her rather sick.
Where is he going with this?
“You danced with him twice. Why?” Nick was so distracted, his tone so sharp, that he was clearly not looking where they were going in the dance. Sophia’s back collided with another couple. She winced and backed up from them, apologizing when Nick said nothing to the other couple.
“I’m so sorry. We need more practice.” She tried to laugh off the awkward encounter before she faced Nick once again. This time, he pulled her closer to him. “What are you doing?” Sophia hissed under her breath. She purposefully stepped on his toe and took a step back from him.
“Ow! What was that for?”
