Page 35 of The Lord Next Door I Wished For
And everyone was happy to let her do so. It seemed to be a given that her mother was responsible for this shocking coup. Several ladies in attendance even felt compelled to point out just how shocking it was.
“Why, we all thought Northbridge would wait to choose a bride,” one woman said through a strained smile. “At least until the Season began and he was able to see his options, as it were.”
The woman laughed, and the other women joined her.
Jane couldn’t so much as summon a smile.
“She’s just jealous,” her mother whispered. “She’d hoped her own daughter might be the one he chose.”
“Oh don’t look so peevish, dear,” the first woman continued, addressing Jane directly this time. “No one’s insinuating anything…untoward. It’s a perfectly logical choice, of course.”
The woman beside her was quick to agree. “Oh yes, Northbridge shows he has the same good sense as his father and grandfather by choosing to bind himself to your family.”
Jane ought to hold her tongue, but the women and their comments…
She wasn’t sure if what she was feeling was hurt pride for herself or defensive anger for Luke. But she managed to keep her temper in check enough to smile as she said, “North.”
All of the ladies around her blinked in confusion.
Her mother’s smile grew tight and small. “What was that, dear?”
Through gritted teeth, Jane managed, “He prefers to be called North.”
“Really, I don’t think it’s your place to—”
“My fiancée is correct.” Luke’s low, commanding voice behind her was accompanied by his large hand on her lower back. A show of support that made her anger disappear and an odd sort of relief flood through her. “I do prefer North,” he continued with a smile that made every lady around them sigh and smile in return. With a wink, he added, “Northbridge was my father.”
“Of course, of course,” that first woman said, her tone so ingratiating it hurt Jane’s ears.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Luke continued smoothly. “I’ve come to see if I can persuade my bride-to-be to dance with me.”
Jane blinked up at him. The music hadn’t even begun, but he nodded toward the quartet in the corner and the opening strains of a waltz began straight away.
“What a lovely couple,” one of the women murmured as Jane allowed Luke to lead her away.
“You saved me,” she murmured as he pulled her into his arms on the dance floor, the small crowd around them turning to watch their every move.
He smiled. “Funny, I was just about to say the same.”
She arched her brows in surprise and he clarified. “I’ve never had anyone stand up for me before.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to—”
“I quite liked it,” he finished. His crooked smile made his eyes gleam in the candlelight and she had to swallow down the urge to weep.
Which was ridiculous. Obviously. Why would his handsome, charming smile make her want to cry?
Oh goodness, she could really use Jocelyn and the others right about now. Whenever he was around she couldn’t begin to make heads or tails of these overwhelming emotions. All she knew was that when he held her like this, she felt like she fit, and when he talked to her, she felt understood, and when they laughed together, she felt like she was with her dearest friend, and when he looked at her lips as he was doing right now…
She stumbled over her feet but he caught her and without missing a beat had her back in sync.
When he looked at her like this, she wanted to press her lips to his and forget that the rest of the world existed.
She gasped and pulled back slightly.
“Jane?” He peered down at her, seeing her in that way that only he ever seemed to see her.
As if he saw her—all of her.
