Page 35 of Enamored with a Brooding Earl
“I am sorry for the times you have been rejected or made to feel as though you are worth nothing because of what you bear upon your cheek,” Lord Calverton finished, taking a small step closer to her, his voice only a little louder than a whisper now. “I can assure you, I am not someone who would ever do such a thing. I think very highly of you indeed, Lady Temperance. I think you are the most marvelous creature I have ever had opportunity to meet and I count myself blessed for the time we have spent together thus far.”
Temperance lifted her chin, Lord Calverton’s words bolstering her courage. “Then Ishalldance,” she stated, taking her dance card from her wrist and offering it to him. “Though it has been some time since I have stepped out and therefore, I am a little concerned that I might make some mistake!”
“Ah, there you are!”
Temperance’s hand froze on her dance card as she held it out to Lord Calverton, her stomach twisting hard as Lord Barlington came to join them. He reached for the dance card only for Lord Calverton to quickly take it from Temperance’s hand.
“I believe that Lady Temperance was offering her dance card tome,Lord Barlington,” he said, a little smartly. “You would not be rude enough to snatch it from me, I am sure!”
“Oh, of course not.”
“And as Lady Temperance has just stated, she may only wish to dance once or two dances.” Lord Calverton quickly wrote his name down on two dances and then handed the card back to Temperance, his gaze steady as he gave her a small nod as though to encourage her to remain steady against the face of Lord Barlington’s insistence. “Which, of course, is the lady’s prerogative.”
“And I have no wish to dance with you, Lord Barlington,” Temperance interjected, looking into the face of her once-betrothed and lifting her chin a notch. “I have no interest in even continuing a conversation with you, which I am certain you understand.”
“I do not understand in the least!” Lord Barlington exclaimed, his expression growing dark with either confusion or anger. “I have done all that I can to beg for your forgiveness for my foolish actions and yet, you seem determined to hold it against me! You will not even tolerate my presence? How can that be?”
“Because you hurt my heart a great deal, you pained my soul and the consequences of your actions lingered long into my life. Though I have begun to recover from it now, thanks to new acquaintances.” Temperance let her gaze drift to Lord Calverton and, seeing his hazel eyes soften, let herself smile. “I look forward to our dances, Lord Calverton.”
“As do I.” He smiled and then offered her his arm. “Since we are at the ball together, Lady Temperance, might you walk with me around the room? It would be of interest to me to see which of the other gentry are present.”
She nodded and took his arm at once, not so much as glancing at Lord Barlington again. She heard him make some sort of guttural exclamation, something deep in his throat, but she did not so much as throw him a look. Instead, she felt her heart fill with a great and almost overwhelming respect and affection for this gentleman, the one who had – yet again – protected her from Lord Barlington. Not only that, he had given her the courage to speak openly, honestly and firmly and, in doing so, had helped her push Lord Barlington as far back as she could.
Whether Lord Barlington would be willing to give up as yet, she did not know.
Chapter Twenty
“How are you finding the evening?”
James grinned at Lord Thurston. “I think it is an excellent evening thus far. I have been able to see Lady Temperance push Lord Barlington away and have seen the frustration in his expression when he has been unable to get what he wants. I believe that he hoped this ball would bring them back together again, that they would, somehow, find a way to return to the close acquaintance they once had. Now, however, it surelymustbe clear to him that such a thing is not meant to be! She has rejected him – ”
“And accepted you,” Lord Thurston interrupted, his eyes twinkling as James’ grin grew wider. “You are aware of that, are you not? There is clearly a connection between you, something which neither of you seem to have spoken of as yet but which is very obvious to not only myself but also to my wife.”
“I think very well of Lady Temperance, if that is what you mean,” James answered, only for his friend to guffaw and whack him on the arm. “Very well, very well! Yes, I will admit that there is… something… within my heart, though I do not know what it is.”
“Affection?” Lord Thurston tilted his head. “Love?”
The word struck James hard in the chest but he did not immediately agree. Instead, he only ran one hand over his chin and considered. He had always been someone who gave great consideration to almost everything that he either thought or felt and this was no different.
“She has said that she is contented in her situation, as I am sure I have said to you before.”
“Ah, but you have not offered her adifferentfuture from the one she is presently contented with,” Lord Thurston interrupted. “She may be contented, yes, but that does not mean she is happy. It may very well be that whatsheis hoping for, is that you might be truthful about your own affections and step into the void which she has still within her heart.”
James pressed his lips tight together for a moment, the music of the ball continuing to swirl around him. He had danced only once with Lady Temperance already and the second dance,the waltz, was still to come. His heart was filled with an excitement, an anticipation of what it would be like to hold the lady in his arms. What was such an emotion, such a sensation? Was it love? The very beginning, the first strains of such a deep and all-encompassing emotion?
“Do not think of it too long, else you will find yourself quite tied up in knots,” Lord Thurston laughed, reaching out to take a brandy from the nearby table and handing it to James. “If you have an affection for her, then why do you not speak to her father and ask for his permission to court her? It might show the Duke of Danfield that he will not have to force his daughter to wed a gentleman she does not care for in the least.”
Considering all of this, James shook his head. “I should like to speak with the Duke of Danfield, were I to do such a thing, but I think I should first like to ask Lady Temperance herself. After all, there is very little reason for me to ask her father about such a thing if she herself would not be willing to accept me!”
Lord Thurston’s smile grew broad. “I am sure that she will accept you regardless of your worries.”
“You cannot be sure of that.”
His friend shrugged. “Mayhap but I can tell you what I see when she looks at you. I can see the tenderness in her smile, the hope in her eyes. If that is not reason to believe that she will accept you, then I do not know what is.” He spread out his hands. “What reason do you have to hold back?”
James took in a deep breath, then lifted his shoulders and let them fall. “No reason at all, I suppose.”
“And you are still to dance with her again?”
