Page 99 of Nothing Compares to the Duke
Louisa was right. As of yet, this evening hadn’t been entirely dreadful. She’d stuck to her rules and, though the night was still young, the ball had proceeded without incident.
When Bella looked out on the kaleidoscope swirl of ladies in lavish ball gowns and men in ebony black, she saw only the visual puzzle she’d just been concocting in her notebook. It would be a matching conundrum that would test both memory and organizational skills.
After a second meeting with Mr. Peabody, he’d offered her a contract on her first manuscript and insisted that he wished to see another and consider a series of puzzle books.
“I’m going for the next dance,” Louisa told her before heading off to find another of the bevy of gentlemen on her dance card.
The corner Bella had found to tuck herself into was well hidden but poorly lit. She tipped her notebook toward a wall sconce and bent to scribble down her idea before it slipped from her thoughts.
Her pencil skidded across the page when the pianist began playing a waltz. Memories flooded in, so sharp she could almost feel Rhys’s arms around her and smell his scent in the air.
Louisa approached a few minutes later, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. “I’ve changed my mind. There is one problem with this ball.”
“Which is?”
“Do you know whose town house is across the square from this one?”
Bella gripped the pencil so hard, the lead tip snapped against the paper of her journal. She knew, and she’d done her best to not let her gaze wander to Claremont House. Most of all, she drove away thoughts of making love with Rhys in his elaborately furnished bedroom.
“I know, Louisa.”
Was he at home? Did he think of her as often as she thought of him?
“Maybe you should see the rest for yourself.”
Bella tipped her head and stared at her cousin quizzically. “What is there to see?”
It had been dark when her aunt and uncle’s carriage deposited them at the ball. She’d only glanced at the windows, wondering if he was at home.
“Come with me,” Louisa urged.
Bella followed the girl across the hall into an empty drawing room. Louisa immediately went to the window and pulled the curtain back for Bella to see.
Across the square, one town house, his town house, had six long windows on the front facade and every single one of them was ablaze with light. Beyond gauzy curtains on the ground floor, Bella could see couples milling and on the upper floor a dozen people were dancing.
“One of his infamous parties,” Louisa whispered.
Bella swallowed past the painful lump in her throat. “He didn’t wait.”
“What was he waiting on?” Louisa settled in the window seat to peer out toward the Claremont town house, and she looked so tired Bella couldn’t bring herself to chastise the girl for wrinkling her dress.
“For me.” Bella hadn’t divulged what happened with Rhys to everyone. To anyone. “He said he’d wait for me.”But not forever.
Louisa’s eyes grew bigger. “What was he waiting on from you?”
“An answer.” Bella took a step closer to the window and stared across at Claremont House. She realized she was looking for him, hungry for a single glimpse of him.
“I don’t understand.” Louisa had stopped looking out the window and was staring at Bella.
“I’m not sure I do either.” Bella settled her backside against the cushioned arm of a settee. “He asked me to marry him and—”
“You refused?”
“I didn’t give him an answer at all.” Bella gestured in the direction of Claremont House. “And as you see he’s simply gone back to being the devil-may-care Duke of Claremont.”
“But why in heaven did you not say yes?”
Bella planted her hands on her hips. “He doesn’t seem like the ideal husband.” She nudged her chin toward the window. “Does he?”
