Page 8 of The Reclusive Earl's Scandal
“We both went for the same glass,” she noted, her voice slow yet calculated, as if she thought hard of what to say before she said it. “How unusual.”
“Indeed.” He went to move away, but she shifted with him. “You may have it. I must return to...”
“Or perhaps we could share,” the lady said quickly. “We could stand here for a moment and greet one another over a glass of wine?”
Edward glanced around, noticing how more people looked at the lady than him. It relieved something in him, and hesitantly he nodded. “Yes. Yes, that would be nice.” His answers sounded stiff, but he forced himself to try to relax. “After all, I was going to return to my mother, but she is no doubt already discussing my poor behaviour tonight with the rest of the matrons.”
“Poor behaviour, my lord?”
“Her opinion of that is mostly me not being the first man to dance with a lady,” he muttered. “So, no, not poor as such, but to her I am definitely not exemplary tonight.”
“Well, you could always ask me to dance. We will not be the first couple, though, of course.” When he paused, she extended a hand to him. “Lady Catherine Browning.”
Edward’s brow raised. “You are Lady Catherine? The Marquess of Barrickshire’s daughter?”
“You speak as though you know me.” Her eyes lit up. “I do hope for good reasons.”
He thought of his promise to his sister. “It is rather amusing, actually, for I promised my very eager sister that I would meet you tonight.”
“Lady Elena,” she filled in, surprising him. “The two of us are good friends. We have met several times recently. All tohave our womanly gossip, of course.” Lady Catherine’s eyelashes fluttered up at him. “There are many things that appear to be lining up in a very destined way, Lord…”
“Lord Thornshire,” he told her. “The Earl of Thornshire.” It was a good thing that she knew his sister because they could let people believe that they knew each other in order to avoid the scandal of being introduced alone.
Understanding at once flared in her expression, and she nodded. “Well, Lord Thornshire, it is most lovely to meet you. Perhaps we can fulfill your promise to your sister while we dance?”
She was trying hard, even if she was charming, clearly able to work her way into being considered by him. Edward gave another moment of thought before nodding. After all, his mother would see him making an effort as he had promised, and he could tell Elena he had done the one thing she asked.
“Allow me,” he said, offering his hand.
Besides, with everybody looking at Lady Catherine, it would take some of the pressure and attention off him. They would wonder about her successes, her previous Season, and not Edward’s tendency to be a recluse. Or perhaps they would...
“You look lost in thought, Lord Thornshire,” she noted, lifting a delicate, pale brow. Heavens, she really was pretty, and Edward did admire her, but she rounded her eyestoomuch, as if her beauty was an emphasized effort when she was really quite naturally lovely. He knew not to say such a thing, though. The ladies all had their ways of wooing a man.
“I am,” he admitted. “I… Well, please do not think I am too presumptuous, but I was thinking about how people might look at us and wonder. I heard that your previous Season was cut short, and I have been reclusive since...”Since the death of my father.The words got stuck, and he managed to say, “for a while.”
“Perhaps we are well-matched, then,” she suggested, once again segueing into another forceful effort of matching them too soon, too quickly.
Edward gave a quick smile before he spun her around the next curve of the dance floor, guiding her back down the length of it. “I do miss the countryside. I have been in London scarcely a full week and already miss Thornshire Hall.”
“What do you miss most?”
“The peace and quiet,” he answered, laughing quietly. “Everything here is too loud. Somebody is always yelling something or other. Mostly that is my sister, though.”
Lady Catherine’s laugh was too high for the meager jest he had made, and Edward had not even quite intended to be funny, but he gave an awkward chuckle in tandem.
“So, you prefer your solitude?”
Edward nodded. “But I did miss the cakes at balls, I must admit. One can pick plums in the countryside, but nothing compares to the plum cakes here.”
Again, Lady Catherine giggled, her response too great for the thing she had replied to. Edward frowned, glancing away. Perhaps she thoughthewas trying too hard to be humorous, and she pitied him. The thought sent a claw of anxiety striking through him. Perhaps she simply thought she had a role to play: humor the suitor, make him feel as though he had done everything right.
Yet he knew of the games ladies had to play as well as his own, so he let it slide, and could only hope her more genuine side would emerge the longer they spent together.
“It has been so long since I have danced, I half feared I might forget how to,” he noted, peering down at his polished boots. He stepped well, confidently, and he ensured he kept a good grip on Lady Catherine to support her.
“You dance excellently, Lord Thornshire,” Lady Catherine praised. “Although I indeed understand the worry of forgetting the typical pace of a ball. As you mentioned, I did leave my last Season. I am certain you have heard enough rumours.”
There was a flicker of dismay in her eyes, and he caught hold of that fleeting moment, hoping for a spark with the genuine lady beneath. “I have, but I dismiss them quickly, Lady Catherine. Rumours are tedious things. I do prefer true information coming directly from the person involved, so do not fear that you have been prematurely judged.”
