Page 4 of A Duke's Sinful Bargain
“There is a certain lady here in attendance that I have not been yet acquainted with.” He spoke calmly, refusing to acknowledge the hastening of his heartbeat. “My humble request is for you to introduce us.”
“Why, of course!” She waved her hand dismissively at him. “And here I was, thinking what this request could be!” She chuckled at her own words, looking around her. “Who is it, Your Grace?”
He leaned closer to her, not wanting anyone to overhear them. “The lovely lady with the limp.”
“Anna?” Lady Pentor’s eyes widened in surprise.
He was certain there was only one lady with a limp in attendance that evening, but he didn’t say any such thing. In fact, it was already rude of him to have referred to her in such a way, but this was the quickest way of separating her from all the other ladies who were there that evening. Alexander had already lost enough time, and he refused to waste any more by having to explain in any other terms.
“I suppose it is her.” He nodded. “You should know.”
“It can only be Anna.” She hastily nodded, looking about and finding the woman in question, who had huddled into one of the most secluded corners of the ballroom. “I see that she is keeping herself out of sight.”
Out of sight, but not out of mind,Alexander thought as Lady Pentor locked arms with him and started guiding him toward the lady in question.
As they navigated their way through the crowd of chattering people, his steps mirrored the quickened rhythm of his heartbeat. He had always considered himself a man accustomed to navigating the refined intricacies of high society with stoic composure, but now he found himself in the uncharted territory of nervous anticipation.
An air of excitement mingled with the nerves that fluttered in his chest. The dim glow of chandeliers overhead cast a warm illumination on the grandeur of the ballroom, where laughter and music intertwined in a dance of opulence. Yet, amid the splendor, the elusive presence of the mysterious woman held his attention.
“The lady you seek is just ahead.” Lady Pentor, obviously attuned to the subtleties of such encounters, observed his demeanor with a knowing glint in her eyes, which he immediately recognized.
As they approached, the mysterious woman turned toward them, her eyes meeting Alexander’s with a curiosity that mirrored his own. The emerald green of her gaze seemed to hold the promise of secrets waiting to be unveiled.
Alexander, for a moment, felt the weight of his title and the expectations that accompanied it. Yet the thrill of the unknown and the prospect of encountering someone genuinely intriguing eclipsed any reservations. He was impatient, like a small child, eager and curious. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this way about anyone. Perhaps never.
Lady Pentor executed the introduction with practiced finesse, seamlessly blending formality with a touch of playfulness.
“Duke Alexander Blackthorne, may I present Lady Anna Ravenscroft,” Lady Pentor announced, allowing the two to exchange polite nods, clearly proud that she had brought them together almost as if it was her own idea.
Alexander, usually reserved and composed, found himself momentarily at a loss for words. The chatter around him seemed to fade into the background. Only the woman’s name echoed inside his mind.
Lady Ravenscroft… it can’t be. It can’t be…He kept repeating inside his mind over and over again, but he knew Lady Pentor would never make the mistake of misidentifying someone.
No. This was trulyhiswife. And Alexander had no idea how to react to this sudden and unexpected realization.
Chapter 3
Should he just ask her outright? Perhaps there was another Lord Ravenscroft to whom this enchanting woman was married. But Alexander was not that fortunate. There was only one Lord Arthur Ravenscroft, who had died recently and owed Alexander a shamefully large amount of money, having lost it during a particularly bad game of cards. Did Anna know of her late husband’s dealings with him?
“My pleasure, Lady Ravenscroft,” Alexander said, bowing before her, deciding against mentioning anything.
“Likewise, Your Grace.” She smiled back, and as she did so, he couldn’t help but marvel at her simple yet exquisite gown, a refreshing departure from the ostentatious displays of wealth that surrounded them.
“You know, Anna has been of great help with renovating the old orphanage,” Lady Pentor pointed out, obviously hoping to steer their conversation in the right direction, and Alexander’s curiosity was piqued.
“Is that so?” he asked.
Anna frowned, but that smile still lingered even behind it. “Lady Pentor flatters me too much. All I did was donate some old books from my late husband’s library, that is all.”
“That is most certainly not all,” Lady Pentor refused to agree.
Up until that moment, Alexander’s uncertainty regarding Lord Arthur Ravenscroft’s past with him lingered, but now, everything was obvious. She was truly this man’s wife. And if she had known that her late husband owed him such a grand amount of money, she would not have spoken to him with such ease. He would need to speak to her with finesse.
“She has come and read from those same books to the children, who adore her,” Lady Pentor explained, and Alexander noticed how Anna blushed immediately upon being complimented for her kind deeds.
“Reading has always been somewhat of an escape for me,” Anna continued. “Especially now… in light of everything that has happened.”
“Yes, you poor thing.” Lady Pentor nodded sympathetically.
