Page 36 of An Arranged Betrothal with a Beast
“Miss Townsend – Abigail. I cannot find the words to tell you of my thoughts at this moment.”
Miss Townsend blushed beautifully, the curls in her hair a burnished bronze in the candlelight and the green of her gown highlighting the color in her eyes. The way she smiled at him, the tenderness in her expression and the hope in her gaze filled his heart with warmth and this time, though his first response was to ignore it, to press it back and down, he did not let himself do so. Instead, he accepted it and let it flow through him and, to his very great astonishment, a happiness spread all through his heart and his mind, giving him a joy which he had never before experienced.
“You are very kind, Lord Crestwood. I am glad to be here with you this evening.”
“As am I,” he answered, truthfully. “I do hope you will dance with me this evening?”
In answer, Miss Townsend slipped the card from her wrist and handed it to him. “I should be glad to dance any of them with you.”
“I shall dance two, at the very least.” Looking at them all, he lifted his head and smiled at her. “What do you say to the quadrille and the waltz?”
Miss Townsend looked up at him. “I did enjoy our first waltz, Lord Crestwood.”
“Then this one shall be even better.” Leaning closer to her, he smiled into her eyes. “I promise not to turn from you, not to pull my smiles away or to hide my happiness in your company.”
“Then it truly will be a good deal better,” Miss Townsend murmured, quietly, her cheeks still flushed as she smiled gently. “I look forward to dancing with you again, Crestwood.”
He smiled at the intimate way she spoke to him, for there was no ‘Lord Crestwood’ on her lips now but rather only, ‘Crestwood’, just as his mother and sister called him. “Thank you, Abigail.”
“And I do hope you will dance with a Captain?”
Arthur chuckled as Captain Harrington came to join them though Miss Townsend nodded eagerly and handed him her dance card thereafter. “Do you not have enough dances to complete your evening that you must now come to steal them from my betrothed?”
“Your betrothed has more than enough dances to offer,” Miss Townsend replied, as Arthur laughed. “Thank you, Captain, I would be glad to stand up with you.”
It took some minutes for the Captain to choose his dance and when he moved away, Arthur quickly offered Miss Townsend his arm, eager to walk with her for a short while.
“I did have something I wanted to speak with you about, Lord Crestwood.”
Arthur looked to her. “It is no doubt about Lady Clara and the conversation – and situation – you came upon when we were in the hallway this morning,” he began, only for Miss Townsend to shake her head and quieten him. “No?”
“It is not that though it is not to say that I should not be glad to hear whatever it was that took place,” she answered, her free hand reaching across to settle on his arm for a moment as she looked up at him. “That certainly was an unusual circumstance to happen upon.”
Arthur nodded. “I quite agree and I would be glad to explain all to you once we have spoken about whatever it is on your mind.”
Miss Townsend took in a breath, her forehead crinkling as though she wanted to ask about Lady Clara and was fighting to concentrate on whatever it was she wanted to express to him. “It is about Captain Harrington.”
“The Captain?” Arthur repeated, as Miss Townsend’s eyes caught his. “What is it that you wish to say about him?”
“He is a good friend, yes?”
Arthur nodded.
“And you think him a good man?”
“I do.” The response came quickly and without even a speck of hesitancy. “Both he and I fought alongside each other and he displayed more wisdom, bravery and courage than I have ever seen. I think him the very best of men.”
Miss Townsend’s eyes searched his. “And it does not matter to you that he bears no title?”
“None whatsoever!” A little confused at these questions, Arthur fought back the sudden concern that Miss Townsend was asking such things for her own considerations. They were engaged and she had already agreed to wed him so there was no possibility of her thinking of herself, surely?
“Then I shall have to be bold and ask whether you would be contented with the Captain courting someone close to you.”
Arthur’s eyebrows shot towards his hairline. “I beg your pardon?”
Miss Townsend laughed at his surprise, though her face was a little flushed still. “Have you truly not understood what it is that I am speaking about as yet?”
Hesitating, Arthur let his thoughts run over what she had asked him, only for his memories of how the Captain and his sister had occasionally shared a look or a small smile.
