Page 49 of Pining for Lord Lockhart
Chapter 13
Charity marched into the ball in the same way she had many times before she’d started acting like a marriage mart debutante. She moved to her favorite corner and started talking about the school. They were in need of a few more donations and hands to help and besides those two purposes, she simply wished to talk about something of substance.
Before too long Lord Granville joined her. “Are you back, then?” His eyes smiled at her.
“Yes, I am, and the children at the schoolhouse could use your support.”
“Excellent.” He grinned. “Tell me all about them.”
Ohers joined. And soon she was happier than she’d been in a long time. “And my lords, that is how you keep your job security.”
“Our job security?”
“Certainly. You’ve seen all these riots? They’re not going to be throwing tomatoes at the ones that vote for change.”
Music for a new song started up. And this time, instead of the whole group uniformly ignoring it, much preferring conversations, they paused, and three lords at once reached for her hand asking her to dance.
She clucked. “Really, you think we should be dancing at a time like this?”
“Well, Miss Charity. We are at a ball. We can converse in the line, can we not?” Lord Granville held out his hand.
“Oh, very well. Shall I dance with the lot of you then?”
The resounding affirmative answers confounded her. “Right then. But I want to see each one of you at the school come tomorrow morning and every day this week.”
Lord Wessex approached. “Might I have the supper set?” He dipped his head, his eyes drinking her in as if she were the most important person in the room.
She wished to fan her face. That Lord Wessex really understood what most men did not—that a woman valued being seen—was his most important asset.
“Yes, you may.”
“I shall be counting the moments until then.”
She laughed. “And so shall I.”
When she turned back to Lord Granville, he was studying her with a serious expression.
“Now, what’s this?”
“His reputation leaves room for everything he says to be suspect. For you to be held in disregard alongside him, forgive my bold manner in speaking.”
He led her out onto the floor.
“And what about you? What is your motivation for asking me to dance?” She curtseyed before him in the line.
“My motivation is simply to enjoy your company, support your causes and learn from you.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“If you were the least bit interested in me in any other way, I would be most pleased, but I know your heart is not inclined toward me. Or at least I don’t have the wiles to win you over like some.”
“That manner of expertise is not needed.” She moved toward him and then away, following the steps in the dance. He’d long been high on her list of most eligible men of her acquaintance. “If I was seeking merely a marriage of people who get on well together, I’d wish for you to speak with the duke right away.”
They each faced the next person in line and would be apart for many more moments in the dance. Charity’s mind was a jumble of emotion and thoughts. She didn’t know how to move forward. Lord Wessex was not the man to make her happy, though he was certainly expert in his methods of wooing a woman. Lord Granville would be an excellent match. She could encourage him. She could get on well with him. He appreciated her conversation and her desire to do good. She turned in a circle, moving toward whoever was next in line and suddenly she was facing Lord Lockhart.
She gasped in a painful breath. Captured by his gaze, she could only stare up into his face, her hands and feet doing whatever they did, she hardly knew.
“Charity.” Her name breathed out of his lips as though long unspoken, as though he hungered for the sound.
