AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She looked at him. His bright-green eyes were studying her with interest. Was he attempting to flirt with her? She didn’t know him well enough to tell. After all, many gentlemen assumed that she was flirting with them, even when she wasn’t.
“Very well,” she said, deciding to take the bait. “What about it?” She looked away from him, her eyes traveling over the gardens, out to the fields, and off toward the small wood in the distance. He was quiet for a long moment. She let him collect his thoughts.
“Do you believe that marriage should be between two people who love each other?” he asked, at last.
“I can’t speak for other people,” she said, coloring. “I only plan to marry for love and nothing less.”
“Then you know—” he began, and she turned to face him.
“That you and Lady Leah aren’t in love?” she asked, pausing. She had figured, in the few moments that she’d seen them together. He looked miserable. To go any further, might be dangerous territory. She looked over his shoulder, where she could see into the house through the French doors, which had been propped open to let air into the ballroom.
“Yes.”
“Why do you ask?” she wondered, looking him right in the eye.
“I—I don’t know.” He looked away, sighing.
“Perhaps, it would be best if we didn’t speak of it.” After all, what good would this do? He was as good as married to Leah, who already had a marked dislike of her. How was she supposed to be a guest in her aunt and uncle’s home if she stole the groom?
“You’re right, of course,” he agreed.
“Let’s head back inside, shall we, Your Grace? Here you are, spending all of this time with me, and you’re neglecting your own guests,” she admonished.
As they headed back toward the doors, there was a tall, dark-haired gentleman, who was just stepping out on the terrace. He raised a glass toward them.
“Hello, there, old bean,” he said to the Duke. Selina looked at him with pleasure. Anyone who wasn’t cowed by the powers of prestigious titles was a good person in her book.
“Lady Selina Drake,” the Duke said. “May I introduce to you my oldest friend, Stephen Cull, The Marquess of Sandbourne.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, My Lady,” Lord Sandbourne said, bowing to her. Selina smiled widely as she gave him a curtsy.
“Charmed, My Lord,” she said. She wasn’t attracted to him in the least. However, he promised to be nothing more than a good conversation and a dance or two. Just enough to get the Duke of Gillingham out of her mind.
* * *
Jasper watched Lady Selina dancing with Stephen. The way that she moved was entrancing, and the way that the light from the candles fell upon her golden hair gave her a bit of a glow. She was easily the most beautiful lady in the room.
“The party is going well,” Lady Leah said to Jasper. As per the rules of being politely engaged, Jasper and Leah had danced two dances together. They were now standing aside, to let other couples take a turn at being the focus on the dance floor. Naturally, Lady Selina was that focus.
“Oh, yes,” he replied, glancing at her. She was beaming, almost glowing with happiness.
“Lady Mortimer particularly likes the floral arrangements,” she went on. “She says we should do something similar for the wedding. She says that they’re absolutely divine.”
“Perhaps we should,” he said. He was feeling worse about the wedding. Now that he’d met Lady Selina, spoken to her, he didn’t want to marry Lady Leah. Was it love? It was too soon to say. To marry someone that he didn’t love—he couldn’t conceive of it. He felt like he should be doing something to stop the wedding from happening. But what? What could he do that wouldn’t be a scandal of epic proportions?
“Selina’s such an abominable flirt,” Lady Leah said darkly. Jasper looked at her in surprise. She was scowling.
“I didn’t find her to be such,” he said.
“Look at the way she’s teasing Lord Sandbourne,” she said. “He looks besotted. All the gentlemen just line up to be led on, and she goes from one to the next. It’ll happen all night.”
Jasper looked at Stephen. He’d seen his friend besotted before, and this was not what it looked like. Stephen threw his head back and laughed at something that Lady Selina said. It merely looked like they were having an enjoyable conversation.
He recalled the way that her smile had faded the moment he began speaking to her of love. She could have flirted then, but she hadn’t. She’d reminded him, gently, that he had a duty. It had been rather…admirable, proper.
The dance ended. He watched Lady Selina curtsy to Stephen, who bowed and offered her his arm. She took it. Stephen’s gaze searched him out, and when he spotted them, he said something to Lady Selina, who nodded. Jasper looked down, his heart pounding as she walked toward him.
“Here they come now,” Lady Leah said grimly.
