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She turned and walked away, leaving Norah with her mouth dry at the thought of dancing with Simon.
Would he ask her?
*
Simon scowled, wishingNorah’s sister hadn’t suggested a dance. He had to believe it wouldn’t go well given his lack of practice. What could he do but ask Norah?
He turned to her, surprised to see a lovely blush tinting her cheeks. “May I have the honor of this dance?”
“I should like that very much.”
Perhaps this wouldn’t be so terrible, he thought, as he offered his elbow and they started toward the dance floor.
“I must warn you that it’s been some time since I danced,” he murmured. “I can’t promise not to step on your toes.”
She smiled with genuine warmth, and the nerves beginning to stir inside him calmed slightly. “Duly noted, though I can’t imagine needing to worry about it.”
“Trust me. You should.” He faced her as they took their positions for a waltz.
Norah met his gaze, her smile still in place. “I do trust you.”
His breath caught as his chest expanded in an alarming manner. Those simple words meant so much. Too much, perhaps. It was just that in his solitary existence, he rarely heard compliments of any sort.
Then the music began, and there was no time to ponder his reaction. Not when his entire focus was needed to take the proper steps. He counted silently and watched his feet, certain they wouldn’t move where they were supposed to.
“Simon.”
He looked up, fearing she would tell him he’d already taken a misstep.
“You have nothing to worry about.” Her grey-blue eyes glittered with confidence. Confidence in him. “Just listen to the music.”
Only then did he realize he hadn’t been. Once he did, he was surprised by how much it helped. But looking at Norah was what truly aided him. In the deep recesses of his memory, the movements were imprinted. Shifting his attention to the beautiful woman in his arms, along with the music drifting through the air, caused his worries to ease as his feet kept moving.
How had he never realized how enjoyable dancing could be? At least, it was with Norah. The waltz gave him an excuse to not only hold her but to look at her as well.
She was even more graceful than he’d realized. Her posture was impeccable, her steps fluid. She followed his lead, fitting perfectly in his arms. As he was contemplating whether he should attend another ball soon just so he could dance with her again, he was bumped from behind.
“Vanbridge, is that you?”
Simon turned to see Viscount Ludham, a man he’d never cared for, staring at him with a frown. “Ludham.” He bit back the urge to apologize. He didn’t think it had been his fault, or had it been? He didn’t remember taking a misstep.
“What has you emerging from your dusty old museum to attend a ball?” Before Simon could answer, Ludham’s gaze took in Norah. “Pursuing one of the Wright sisters?” Ludham chuckled. “Surely you don’t think they’d be interested in the likes of you.”
Norah stiffened beside him. In an instant, Simon was transported back to his school days, when younger versions of people like Ludham had teased him as if somehow sensing his vulnerability. He’d hated it then and hated it now.
Yet his mind was blank. No quick retort that would set the viscount in his place came to mind, much like in his youth.
Ludham’s partner, a dark-haired lady with an unfortunate nose, looked back and forth between them as if uncertain what to make of the situation. She wasn’t the only one. Other people slowed their dancing, partly because the four of them stood in their way and partly from curiosity, based on their watchful gazes.
Simon felt a familiar, prickly heat on the back of his neck. The urge to take Norah by the hand and lead her away from this spectacle nearly overwhelmed him. Instead of taking any action, he just stood there, glaring at Ludham.
Then he felt a hand on his arm—Norah, offering her support. To his relief, she didn’t say a word, as if realizing that would only make the situation worse.
“The lady is capable of making her own decisions,” Simon managed. “And the museum is not dusty.” With that, he turned and led Norah off the dance floor.
“Ludham is ridiculous,” Norah whispered as they walked away.
Simon couldn’t respond. Not when he realized what he’d said.And the museum is not dusty. Truly? Of all the ways he could’ve responded, that was what his brain had settled upon? He nearly groaned at the idiocy of the remark. Simon was surprised he couldn’t hear Ludham laughing from across the room.
