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A man who would set her world on fire with a single look.
A man who—
“Lord Barrington is looking at you,” Leonora remarked with no more than a slight suggestion in her voice; indeed, for her, it was merely an observation. Nothing more, and nothing less. Or was it? Louisa had to admit that sometimes she was not certain what hid behind Leonora’s dark blue eyes.
At her sister’s words, Louisa stilled, then carefully glanced in the direction Leonora indicated. Of course, Louisa had taken note of him the second they had stepped into the ballroom.
Of course, she had.
She always did.
Tall, with raven-black hair and devilishly dark eyes, Phineas Hawke, Viscount Barrington, was an imposing man. Often, one could find a bit of a wicked grin upon his face and hear a daringly teasing remark fall from his lips.
Elder brother to Mr. Tobias Hawke, Anne’s childhood friend, Louisa had known him for years; however, they had never spent much time in each other’s company. Lately, though, she had felt his gaze linger upon her.
As it did now.
Louisa inhaled a slow breath as his dark gaze swept over her face before seeking hers with bold curiosity. Something in her stomach began to flutter, excitedly, teasingly, deliciously.
“Do you welcome his interest?” Leonora asked curiously beside her as she brushed a dark curl behind her ear as though it was obstructing her view, hindering an accurate observation.
Louisa sighed, then forced her gaze from Lord Barrington’s. “What interest?” she asked, displeased with her sister’s watchful attention. “He’s merely looking in our direction.”
Leonora’s gaze narrowed before she turned to observe the man in question more thoroughly.
Louisa wanted to sink into a hole in the ground. “Do not stare at him!” she hissed at her sister, urging her over to the side where two large refreshment tables were set up.
“Then youdocare for his attention,” Leonora concluded, her blue eyes settling on Louisa before they narrowed once more. “What bothers you? Your interest in him? Or the fact that I observed it?”
Louisa sighed loudly, “Both. Neither.” She shook her head. “Would you mind seeing to Grandma Edie for a little bit so Jules can have a chance at dancing? The woman will end up an old maid with our dear grandmother glued to her side.”
Leonora nodded and hurried away to where their beloved grandmother sat on the fringes of the ballroom with their eldest sister Juliet—or Jules as their family called her. While Grandma Edie still possessed as sharp a mind as ever, her body was slowly failing her.
While Lord and Lady Whickerton had been blessed with six children, five of them were girls, which was a bit of a curiosity among theton. Indeed, most believed that after welcoming a son, Troy, as their first-born, they had sought to provide a spare after procuring the heir without any difficulties at all. However, five girls had followed and even today Louisa sometimes saw a bit of a pitying glance from an old matron here and there.
Of course—as usual!—people could not be more wrong.
Carefully, Louisa glanced over her shoulder back at Lord Barrington to find him in conversation with another gentleman. A small stab of disappointment settled in her heart that surprised Louisa. Never had she thought of herself as dependent upon a man’s attention; nevertheless, the temptingly dark look in Lord Barrington’s gaze had never failed to stir her heart. Truth be told, she wished she were better acquainted with him. Perhaps Anne would help her in the matter.
At present, though, Anne was following her childhood friend out of the ballroom, a wide grin upon her face as he whispered something in her ear. Louisa smiled, seeing her prediction all but confirmed. If only she could say with the same certainty how the man’s elder brother thought of her.
Gathering her courage, Louisa sidled across the ballroom, doing her utmost to appear inconspicuous. She smiled left and right, exchanged a word with an acquaintance here and there and accepted a glass of punch, her hands grateful to have something to occupy them.
And then, she had reached her destination, her feet coming to stand no more than an arm’s length from where Lord Barrington was conversing with a friend. With her back to him and his to her, Louisa hung on every word as she pretended to observe the dancers.
“How is life treating you these days, Barrington?” the other gentleman inquired, the tone in his voice suggesting the answer to his question was not of great interest to him.
“As expected,” Lord Barrington replied. “And yourself?”
The man sighed before he shuffled on his feet, turning back toward the dancers.
“Is something wrong, Lockton?” Lord Barrington asked, and Louisa noticed him shift from one foot onto the other out of the corner of her eye. She wished she could turn and look at him more directly; that, however, would reveal her interest, and at present she was not quite ready to do so.
“Are you looking for someone?” Lord Barrington asked his friend, a hint of exasperation in his voice as the man failed to answer.
“A moment ago, she was across the ballroom…”
Lord Barrington chuckled, a teasing, slightly dark sound that snaked its way down Louisa’s spine. “It is about a woman then? Who pray tell caught your eye?”
