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A loud laugh from Aunt Sarah dragged her attention sideways to where her aunt had cornered Mr. Wilde, who had a huge collection of cats which apparently warranted her aunt quizzing him about them. Although perhaps she was being unfair to her aunt. The man appeared quite animated in telling Aunt Sarah about his many, many animals.
The distraction lasted only moments. Her gaze inevitably strayed back to Luke.
“He never changes,” Eleanor declared.
Cassie glanced at her sister. Eleanor tended to avoid dancing at balls too if she could help it, but if Cassie had perfected her observational skills over time, Eleanor was a natural, and with Cassie’s continued looks Luke’s way, her sister would know something was going on. She needed to be more careful.
“I do not know why Anton trusted him to keep an eye on you.” Eleanor made a disgusted sound. “Surely he is precisely the sort of man Anton would wish you to stay away from?”
Cassie offered a vague sound of agreement. She could not even bring herself to argue that Eleanor made her sound entirely out of control and incapable of making sensible decisions, but kissing Luke had hardly been a moment of self-control had it?
As though he had overheard Eleanor’s dismissal of him, Luke looked their way. He uttered something to the women surrounding him, who all appeared disappointed indeed, then headed in their direction.
Cassie planted her feet firm and fought the desire to dash out of the doors toward the gardens. People would certainly notice if she hastened away from him, especially Eleanor, and she did not want her sisters to have any inkling of the troubles she faced. This had to be done alone—or at least appear to be done alone—or else they would never let her help again.
He greeted Cassie and her sister with a brief dip of his head. A knot gathered in her throat at the sheer handsomeness of his appearance. Her gaze lingered on his lips and warmth flowed steadily through her once more.
Good Lord, she needed to get a grip on herself.
She forced her gaze to his eyes and offered a stiff smile.
“I was hoping to request a dance.” He glanced at her ridiculously empty dance card. “And it seems you are free right now.”
She lifted the card and grimaced inwardly. The daughter of a duke never had an empty dance card, but it seemed she had declined far too many offers tonight. She stretched her smile and offered a hand to Luke. “Of course.”
He led her out onto the dance floor, and they took their positions. “You have been avoiding me all evening,” he murmured when she moved past him, their palms briefly touching.
“Not at all.”
“Has anything else occurred? Any more threats?”
She peered around, grateful for the close proximity of this dance and the music and footfalls that would drown out their conversation. “No, no threats.”
“And you are well?”
She swallowed and smiled broadly. “Quite well.” If one did not count obsessing over a kiss.
“No injuries from the fall?”
She shook her head and pivoted around him. Their hands came back to touch. They had danced many times over the years. Goodness, being such a close friend of the family, Luke had been one of her first dances upon her debut, but the tightness that lingered in her chest as they moved about each other was entirely new.
What had she done to herself?
***
LUKE SHOULD BE ashamed. He should regret how Cassie could scarcely look him in the eye. Regret how if they’d been caught he’d have ruined her and consigned her to a life she did not deserve. A life with a mere Viscount, a life with a man likehim.
Yet he swore as long as he lived, he would never forget it—his one taste of perfection.
Her cheeks were rosy, her lips pulled into a tense line, highlighting the determined point of her chin.
Well, he might loathe that she wished to avoid him, but she could not do so forever. If this stubborn woman insisted on helping her friend, she would not rid herself of him.
“You know, I cannot protect you if you avoid me.”
“It might not happen again.”
He caught the lie in the slight tremor of her tone. She had been frightened enough to accept his aid and confess to the nature of her investigations and he did not think her fear had vanished overnight.
