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He sounded angry with himself and she forced a smile.
‘It did not hurt. I don’t wish to dream of him. I am happy as I am right now.’
His hands softened on hers, his thumb shifting to brush the heart of her palm, but if he meant to soothe her, it had the opposite effect. Even that tiny caress poured heat through her, making her arm shiver. How could he not know what he was doing to her? What every word and touch were wreaking? She was accustomed to thinking that her thoughts and emotions and very existence were invisible to the world, but surely some of this storm inside her must be visible?
‘I am glad.’
He didn’t sound glad, he sounded as raw as she and she made herself look up again, even at the risk that he might see what she was feeling. She was greedy, she wanted to capture this image in her mind—his hand holding hers, his body so close to hers she felt his heat engulf her like the waves had, and just as dangerous to her well-being. But mostly she wanted to fix in her mind the stark lines of his face and the green storm within his eyes. They were narrowed and shaded, but she could see the fierce heat was still there. Unwanted but there and she felt a primitive shiver of victory.
‘Jo.’ His voice was so low she felt rather than heard the word, as it reached her through his hands on her and the air around them. She could hardly feel her feet on the floor. Had no idea if she was dancing or suspended in his arms like a rag doll. All she could do was feel him, that she was already part of him.
Then the music slowed and the world returned—noisy, colourful, buzzing with words and laughter and the scuffing of shoes on the floor. It sounded strange, unrelated to her. When his hands left her she made her way towards where Ewan stood overseeing his small army of footmen. She had to be useful. Useful was where she was safe.
But she had not quite reached Ewan when a tentative voice behind her stopped her short.
‘Mrs Langdale?’
Jo turned and smiled reflexively at the woman who was to become Benneit’s wife.
‘Lady Theresa.’
‘Could I beg you for a moment’s help? My ribbon has become hopelessly tangled and every time I try to loosen it, it draws tighter. I don’t want to bother Mama or my sisters because they will preach I have been carelessly clumsy once again.’
‘Of course.’
She led the younger woman to a small room by the withdrawing rooms which Mrs Merry had prepared for just such eventualities. A sewing kit was open on the table besides a tray of refreshment and three lovely fans that might once have been the Duchess’s. Lady Tessa picked up one of the fans and unfurled it absently in a shimmer of sky-blue silk.
‘I was hoping to see Jamie. But he will be coming with Lochmore when they visit us. You will come, too, won’t you, Mrs Langdale?’
‘I don’t believe so, Lady Theresa.’
‘Oh, do come and please call me Tessa. Theresa sounds so prim and I always hated that name. I was named after my aunt and she is frightful, but thankfully she lives in Aberdeen. Are you enjoying staying at the castle? It is much larger than ours and I always found it a little...intimidating.’
The ribbon, a lovely pink silk threaded around the high waist, had tangled into a knot under Lady Tessa’s arm and Jo removed her gloves to work it free. This was a servant’s task, but for some reason she did not find the young woman’s request insulting. This was not one of Celia’s commands as requests, but a transparent manoeuvre to have a tête-à-tête and Jo wondered why. Surely this lovely girl, with her voluptuous figure and hair the colour of a sunset, would have no reason to be concerned about the presence of a widow well past her first blush, with no countenance or fortune?
When the ribbon was freed Lady Tessa sank on to one of the chairs with a sigh and adjusted a thick curl of hair. Its colour was not quite as red as Angus’s, something between amber and auburn, and though it should clash, Jo had to admit she would look marvellous dressed in the Lochmore colours. Far better than Jo herself.
‘Thank you, that is much better.’ Lady Tessa smiled. ‘Did you know my maid is Beth’s cousin by marriage? She said Jamie dotes on you. Will you be staying at Lochmore or must you return to England?’
