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By who, she could not say. Lady Maria looked please. And Matilda had taken a generous step back, giving Evelina and Thomas space to move onto the dance floor.
“Of course, Your Grace,” Evelina said, her voice raspy with nerves as she slipped her hand through Thomas’ offered arm. Her fingers felt especially dainty against the strong forearm concealed by his jacket.
Thomas walked with reassuring confidence as he led Evelina onto the dancefloor. She loved the way he moved. The way he guided her into position, and then into the initial steps of the waltz, caused her to feel as though she could surrender her body in its entirety to this man. In time, he would come to know her movements as well. Evelina knew she could trust him to lead her anywhere, to send her heart and soul spinning with a single, intention-laden touch.
“You’re more bashful here,” Thomas murmured to her, when the dance brought them particularly close.
“It’s different now. With all these people watching.”
“Hm…typically, I would attempt to reassure you by saying that everyone is too concerned with themselves to pay attention to us.” Thomas guided Evelina’s body away from his, then closer once again. “Yet the way you carry yourself is unprecedented, Lady Evelina. Your captivating nature would render such reassurances inarguably false.”
Evelina felt herself blushing at both Thomas’ words and proximity. The past two Seasons, whenever suitors had sought to compliment her appearance, they usually referenced the rich texture of her hair, or the gray-blue color of her eyes. It was a small detail, yet it meant the world that Thomas had instead chosen to focus on the detail of how Evelina chose to move through the world.
A nearby couple briefly lost the timing of the waltz. Thomas had to pull Evelina slightly closer to avoid a collision.
The motion made Evelina’s breath catch in her throat—how was she to ignore the heat of him? The way her body longed to press against his once more, desperate to surrender itself to his embrace?
Their faces were close. So, so close. It was a small miracle Evelina managed to keep herself from leaning in and allowing Thomas to claim her lips for his own. She longed to knot her hands into his hair, to nuzzle against his neck, to breath in the scent of him…
The music had stopped.
Evelina came back to herself as Thomas gently extricated his hands from hers. Thankfully, after running her thoughts back through what had actually transpired between them on the dance floor, Evelina knew she had done nothing outwardly untoward.
Thomas bowed to her. “My Lady.”
Shaking slightly, Evelina lowered herself into what she hoped was an elegant curtsy. “Your Grace.”
Evelina was about to suggest that Thomas accompany her to meet her mother and sister. She had met Thomas’ mother now, after all, and if they were to continue onwards, it made sense to take care of all of this now.
The opportunity escaped her, however, as Thomas’ brother Gerard chose that moment to re-connect with his brother. “Thomas,” he said, coming up alongside them. “I hate to interrupt, but I need to borrow you.”
Thomas’ eyes tightened, but his smile remained. “Gerard, may I introduce Lady Evelina, the daughter of the Duke of Alderleaf?”
Gerard, still on the impatient side, offered Evelina a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. “Lady Evelina and I have already had the pleasure of making one another’s acquaintance.”
At this, Thomas’ eyebrows shot up. “Is that so?”
“I shall regale you with all the thrilling details at a later date. For the time being, I truly do need you for an urgent manner.” He turned his eyes on Evelina. This time, at least, he looked genuinely apologetic. “I do hope we shall have the opportunity to become further acquainted, My Lady.”
“And I as well,” answered Evelina. Regardless of her slightly negative first impression of Gerard, he was Thomas’ brother, which almost certainly meant she had to have been mistaken.
Gerard nodded his thanks, then shepherded Thomas away before he or Evelina could say another word about it.
Evelina watched the brothers go. No sooner had they disappeared from view than her eyes landed on Jerome, engaged in what appeared to be a very serious conversation with Evelina’s mother across the room.
