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If anything, she was going to excuse herself and disappear back into the depths of the house as soon as her mission here was completed. There would be no need to stay on further, after all.
On her approach, her father had readily accepted her by his side without question. From beside him, she’d continued to survey the party, waiting earnestly for the Earl of Rockgonie’s arrival. His name hadn’t been announced yet and she was growing restless.
If she was being honest with herself, she was also listening for another announcement, the Marquess of Walsrock. She’d seen the guest list and realized that he had been invited. She didn’t know what he looked like or whether he was even going to honor the invitation, seeing as he was her father’s political rival.
However, when an announcement rang through the ballroom that began with or included the phraseThe Marquess of—, she noticed that her heart fluttered. Her brother must have noticed her unease because she turned at a point and caught him observing her keenly. There was no way he could tell what was causing her restlessness, so she ignored him and continued to listen to the announcements.
And yet, hours later, long after the announcements had ceased, neither the Earl of Rockgonie nor the Marquess of Walsrock had shown up.
Her father, sensing her disappointment, had tried to cheer her spirit with the occasional attempt at a joke. He must have been feeling antsy as well, with the absence of Lord Rockgonie, even though he was able to mask his emotions better than she did. The Earl of Rockgonie was going to need to offer a solid explanation for his absence when he eventually materialized. In the meantime, she just had to stand there and try her best to look cheerful while the ball progressed.
The conversation of the gentlemen around her father intrigued her in no small measure. As expected, they had been talking politics since she arrived and hadn’t deviated from the subject for a moment. However, she was unable to contribute aspoliticswasn’t meant to be a lady’s concern.
Even though her father indulged her political conversations in private, she knew well enough not to partake in such conversations in public. She had no other recourse but to remain silent.
My exit is going to be sooner than later, after all.
And just when she’d decided to make her exit by beginning her plethora of goodbyes, the air around the room changed suddenly.
As the crowd merged and parted, she noticed that the attention of virtually everyone in the room had fallen on a new entrant, one who she didn’t remember the details of his introduction and announcement. He’d stood stationary for a moment, as if trying to assess the room and to find the place where he ought to be, and then his gaze had settled on her group.
He began to make his way toward them, just as she realized that this gentleman was by far the most handsome man she’d ever seen. The closer he came, the more enhanced his features appeared to be. He was tall and statuesque, with brown hair and a strong physique. Even the steps he took were confident and elegant and suddenly he had arrived in front of her.
She was unable to tear her gaze away from him for even a moment, even as he greeted the gentlemen in her father’s company.
Who is this?
She wondered, as thoughts of both the Earl of Rockgonie and the Marquess of Walsrock had been relegated to the back of her mind.
Her attention returned as she heard her father announce her to this handsome guest and realize that they had just been introduced. Yet she wasn’t closer to knowing who the gorgeous stranger was as she hadn’t heard a word of the introduction.
Suddenly the stranger had her hand in his and she was curtseying as he asked her if she would like to dance. A slight nod of approval from her and she found herself floating beside the handsome stranger on their way to the dance floor.
As they took their leave, she heard her father addressing the prestigious Duke.
“The Marquess is a fine young gentleman, Your Grace. His weird political views seem to be the only imperfect attribute he possesses,” her father remarked.
Her gaze returned to the stranger beside her. Surely he had heard her father’s remarks. If the stranger had felt offended by the remark, he didn’t show it as his mood and expression remained the same.
They arrived at the dance floor and began waltzing slowly to the music. For several minutes, she continued to stare into his eyes as they danced in silence.
He has got pretty brown eyes.
“You have got pretty green eyes,” he said, finally breaking the silence between them.
“Thank you,” she said simply as she fell back into silence.
She continued to stare at this stranger in whose arms she waltzed and suddenly remembered the harsh remark her father had made.
“If you are still feeling awkward about the remark your father made—” he chuckled and his laughter was a harmonious melody to the strings of her heart.
She all but melted in his arms again as they continued their dance. She knew the whole room was looking at both of them but it didn’t matter.
“What are these views, though?” she asked politely, in a bid to understand why her father had said what he said.
“Well, I have a unique view on certain things thetonfind sensitive,” he responded truthfully.
“Things like?”
“Poverty alleviation, taxation, commoners’ health and welfare, and a host of other topics,” he continued.
“What are the odds? I just recently read a paper from the Marquess of Walsrock and he addressed most of the topics you mentioned. Have you come across such a publication?” she asked earnestly.
The stranger suddenly paused with the dance and stared deeper into her eyes.
“I am the Marquess of Walsrock,” he responded, completely startling her.
“What!” she shrieked.
