Page 65 of Five Nights with a Rakish Duke
Tonight, he had intended to ask Penny to come back for their fifth night together. He had already planned out what he was going to say, asking her if she would court him in the interest of marriage.
It’s a gamble, but I am ready to take it.
“I am sorry to hear that,” he said, looking away from Lady Margaret and across the room.
“Well, let us talk of something else instead. I have no wish to talk of my cousin for long,” Lady Margaret’s words made him narrow his eyes and look at her, sensing the jealousy she was clearly trying to keep at bay. “Shall we dance, Your Grace? I have longed for another dance since our last one.”
Here was a turning point. Asher could either accept Lady Margaret’s offer and push their courtship further, or he could take a decision to step back from her now. He felt in his gut what he wanted to do. How could he dance with Lady Margaret when the only woman he wanted to dance with wasn’t there?
“I hope you will excuse me, Lady Margaret, but I am not inclined to dance tonight. I have injured my ankle.” The lie rolled easily off his tongue though it still offended her. Her lips parted in surprise. “I beg you would excuse me; I need to talk to our host.” He bowed to her politely and stepped away.
Only once he was across the room completely did he glance back to her, watching as she was approached by her brother. Lady Margaret and Lord Larson had their heads bent together, deep in conversation for some minutes. Both seemed agitated at each other with Lady Margaret clearly very upset indeed.
I will have to apologize to her later.He made a promise to himself to do just that at a later date, just as soon as he had spoken to Penny.
“Well? Is she here?” The Dowager’s voice stopped his turmoil of thoughts, and he turned around to find his stepmother at his side.
“No, she is at home with a headache,” Asher said, feeling the disappointment grow in his stomach.
“Hmm, and you claim to not really know what love is.” The Dowager laughed softly as she lifted her punch glass to her lips.
“I beg your pardon?” he asked, turning his head to her.
“That sadness you’re feeling now, the one that is making your expression so sour,” she said, pointing to his expression, “that’s caused by the acute pain that comes with loving someone.”
“That is why I wanted to avoid this,” he said bitterly, but his stepmother just continued to smile.
“Wait until your love tells you they love you too. Believe me, that is worth all the pain in the world,” she said, turning to look at the dance floor again.
The words made an image settle in Asher’s mind. He was imagining hurrying to Penny’s house and declaring that he loved her, how much he cared for her, and that he wanted to marry her. The imaginary Penny responded with open arms, deep kisses and a heartfelt yes. Just the idea of it made a feeling spread through Asher as though fireworks were going off in his chest.
“I need to see her,” he said softly.
“Then go see her,” Lady Josephine encouraged him.
Before he could make a decision to go any further though, a footman approached him. “Your Grace?” he said.
“Yes?” Asher turned to the footman.
“This was left for you this evening by Lady Penelope.” He passed a letter into Asher’s hands. Asher took it eagerly.
“Thank you.” As the footman bowed and hurried off, Asher turned to his stepmother, ready to open the letter when she pointed across the room.
“Who is that young lady that your friend is dancing with?” she asked. “A beauty indeed!”
Asher looked up, feeling his eyes widen when he noticed the lady dancing with Dorian. Tall with fair hair and startling blue eyes, she was the lady he had courted before who had left and broken his heart.
“It’s Lady Isabella Morton,” he said with surprise. “A fine debutante.”
“Your friend does not look particularly happy to be dancing with her.”
“He is guarding his heart, that is all,” Asher answered honestly, seeing the way Dorian seemed to be looking at anything but his dance partner. This lady had broken Dorian’s heart once before; he wasn’t likely to let it happen again. “If you would excuse me, I need to read this.”
She smiled and waved him off. As Asher walked across the ballroom, determined to find a private room to read his letter from Penelope, his eyes kept slipping across the ballroom, back to where Dorian was dancing.
* * *
“It is for the best, Penelope, you know that.” Veronica’s words were little comfort, even if Penelope knew she was right. She pushed the cards across the table without enthusiasm as Veronica balanced her pipe between her lips and gathered the cards together, shuffling them for the next hand.
