AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Eight
It was him.Him.
Marcella fought to hide her surprise as Lord Reginald, the man from the garden, stood before her. Now, his oddities made sense. He’d not been with thetonfor a decade. Of course, he would act a little strangely and say peculiar things.
But I liked the things he said.
That was a problem. She wasn’tsupposedto like Lord Reginald. He was supposed to be like all the other lords in theton.Marcella tried to smother all the feelings whirling around her head. He was just so blunt and a little improper, and when Marcella thought of their conversation in the garden, her face grew hot.
Reginald led her to the center of the floor, where everyone had gathered around to watch. She tried not to wilt at their gazes. It was just a dance. She was not being asked to wed Lord Reginald at that precise moment, right before everyone she knew. No, this was just a first meeting. An announcement. She still had ample time to take her engagement and bury it in the dirt. Then, she’d be free.
He wasn’t supposed to be so…so interesting, though. So different.
He hadn’t minded that she was outspoken, either. Lord Reginald had just treated her as…as someone who knew as much as he did and who deserved respect. This wasn’t good. Not at all. She must remember that she wanted toavoidan engagement, which meant silencing any confusing, fluttering feelings she might have.
“I’m not entirely sure I remember how to do this,” Lord Reginald muttered. “I’ll try not to step too often on your slippers.”
This was far from a promising start to an engagement, but Marcella could make it much worse. It was time to make Lord Reginald rue the day that he’d met her again.
“I noticed that you didn’t humor any of the requests I made in my letter,” she said. “That was most discourteous of you.”
Curiosity flashed in Lord Reginald’s eyes, as the music began. He took her hand in his, and Marcella tried to ignore the warmth which she felt even through the fabric of her gloves. Lord Reginald’s other hand rested on her waist, lower than it should have.
“I did not fulfill your requests,” he said lowly, “because they were both unreasonable and ridiculous. I suspect you know that already, though.”
Marcella hummed and moved through the steps of the dance. Lord Reginald moved with considerably less grace, and indeed, pain jolted unevenly through Marcella’s right foot, indicating that her partner had trodden upon her slipper.
“You’re trying to woo me. Are you not?” Marcella asked. “I should imagine that you would be more eager to fulfill my requests, then, regardless of how ridiculous they might be.”
“I think I’d do you a disservice in honoring such requests. I’m not quite certain what game you’re playing, My Lady, but I know that the woman I spoke to in the garden would never be won by such extravagance. Not when you lack the slightest interest in these grand occasions.”
“Perhaps I was merely trying to see some effort.”
They continued dancing in silence, Lord Reginald always at least three steps behind. His brow furrowed with concentration, and Marcella felt her face soften. As much as she despised this engagement, it was difficult not to feel sorry for just how hard Lord Reginald was trying.
“I find it difficult to believe,” Lord Reginald said after a long moment, “that you genuinely anticipated my fulfilling any of those absurd requests. You are too reasonable of a woman.”
“Most men would not call me reasonable.”
“Most men are terrible judges of character,” he replied. “At least, most men who you’d associate with.”
Marcella pressed her lips tightly together. He’d caught her. Mostly, anyway. She hadn’t suspected that her intended might see through her façade as a superficial noblewoman. If they hadn’t chanced upon on in the garden, he might’ve been none the wiser.
Maybe it was time for a small change in her plan.
“You seem like a very direct man, My Lord,” Marcella said. “Will you be so kind as to tell me why you wish truly for us to be wed? You’ve only just returned to theton,and we don’t know one another. I can’t imagine that you’d be especially eager to wed.”
They kept dancing, Marcella weaving through the familiar steps and Lord Reginald hastily trying to follow her.
Finally, the music ceased, and they stood watching one another, accompanied by thunderous applause. Lord Reginald still had not released her, and the realization made color blossom across Marcella’s face.
“I think,” he said lowly, “I’ll keep those reasons to myself. It’ll be a mystery for you to solve. Whatever my reasons, though, I do intend to court you properly. We’ll do it all.”
“All being…?”
The music began again, and couples eagerly returned to their dancing. Marcella resisted the urge to seek out Adeline, who had scarcely left Lord Brookshire’s side since the night began.
“All the courtship business,” Lord Reginald said, waving a vague hand. “All those things used to win women.”
