Page 70 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
‘I will not be a coward in front of him.’
Drew cleared his throat. Rob met his gaze and he realised Drew had seen Kilbride too.
‘Shall I fetch you a drink, Caro?’ Rob offered.
‘Do not leave me,’ she whispered to Rob as they reached the large group of his family.
The women fussed over Caro, congratulating her on her courage. He turned away but remained close to her.
The notes of the current dance ceased, ending with a short applause, muffled by the gloves the dancers wore. As the orchestra struck up a new tune, Rob turned to Caro. ‘We are dancing, I believe.’ He bowed slightly, ignoring their audience. Hedid not realise how much he had longed to dance with her again until she accepted his arm.
‘Overwhelmed?’ he asked as they walked away.
‘Absolutely,’ she answered with a quick smile.
Her bosom lifted, pressing against her bodice when she took a breath.
‘It will be easier by the next ball.’
‘I am not convinced. I am terrified Albert will speak to me.’
‘The anteroom he walked into is the card room. He will probably be there a while. You may forget about him.’
‘I will try. I shall look at you and not think of him.’ She smiled.
A ripple of increased sound passed about the room. It was voices, but the sound seemed to follow a wave of movement. People were turning to speak to others, some covering their faces with their fans or hands. They looked at Caro, their eyes widening with disbelief.
Rob smiled, as Caro walked a yard away to stand opposite him in the middle of the rows of male and female dancers who were forming a set. He had chosen a position in the middle of a long set, in the middle of the room, to make it harder for people to stare.
He could tell by the stiffness of Caro’s movement she had noticed them gossiping too. But her chin lifted defiantly, denying their judgements, whatever they were.
It never occurred to him it would be like this. He had not imagined people would recognise her so easily, and yet, as she said earlier, in her former marriage she would have stood in receiving lines welcoming these people to a house as grand as this.
She forced a smile on her lips; her bravery had grown since he last saw her.
He smiled too as the song began.
‘What have you done to progress your hopes in politics?’ she asked as they held hands and moved closer in the opening pattern of the dance.
‘I will tell you when we go out for our carriage ride,’ he answered. He was certain she would be included in his plans.
38
Caro’s gaze remained on Rob as she followed the steps of the dance, praying she would not trip while everyone stared at her.
Rob spoke when they were close enough, but she could not digest his comments, or reply, her mind had turned to chaos. All she knew when the dance came to a close was that she had neither caught a toe in the hem of her dress, nor stood on Rob’s foot. Yet as the song stopped, the crowded room closed in on her.
Rob’s hand cupped her elbow. ‘Save me the supper dance. I shall not hover by you when you return to the family, but I will not be far away in case you need me. Simply give me a sign.’
Drew came forward before she reached Rob’s family and took her hand for the next dance. Her chin lifted as she smiled, denying the looks of the people staring at her. As she turned with Drew to take a place for the next country dance, Albert walked out from the card room, his hand rubbing his jaw, a gesture that was as familiar to her as it was to drink or eat.
He looked the same, exactly the same.
A blush warmed her skin. If Albert saw her, he would know he had unsettled her.
She looked firmly at Drew, as the music began, until they performed a circle with the couple beside them and she faced in another direction?—
Albert stood at the front of the people at the edge of the room, looking through the dancers. Someone must have told him she was here and he was looking for her.
