Page 24 of Stolen by My Knave
CHAPTER NINE
Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder. Where was he? Her mother had pulled Jack out of the ballroom an hour earlier. She had returned, but Jack was still missing. Had he decided to stay away? She’d been looking forward to their dance together. It was the last one before supper—the next one, actually, and he wasn’t anywhere to be found.
She’d never experienced anything like it... No one pushed her to the side and ignored her. Rejection was entirely new to her. The feeling wasn’t at all pleasant either.
“Is someone missing their dance partner?”
Elizabeth turned to meet Hyacinth’s gaze.Drat. She didn’t like her much, but had to be polite to her. Hyacinth’s uncle was good friends with Elizabeth’s father. She didn’t know what Hyacinth had against her, but the girl had always been hateful. At least toward her; everyone else saw a much pleasanter side of her.
“I couldn’t possibly understand what you mean.” Maybe if she pretended to be ignorant, Hyacinth would leave her be. “I’m waiting to go into supper. I’m positively starving.”
“At least my dance with the duke isn’t until after supper.” She lifted her nose into the air. “I’m sure he won’t snub me. I didn’t practically beg him to dance with me. I overheard you demand he sign your dance card—quite rude of you.”
Elizabeth forced herself not to roll her eyes. No one forced Jack to do anything he didn’t want to do. She also doubted Jack promised to dance with Hyacinth at all. He was supposed to dance with Lady Bianca though... When in the set was he supposed to have claimed a dance? Surely he wouldn’t stand up Lord Clifton’s sister. There had to be a reason he’d approached the lady for a dance.
“How is your brother doing these days? Is he attending the house party with you?” Hyacinth’s brother was the Earl of Havenwood. Elizabeth doubted Elijah—it was so hard for her to think of him as Havenwood—was at the party. He was free from mourning the passing of his father and most likely enjoying all that entailed.
“Are you already looking for another suitor?” Hyacinth laughed. “As if my brother would have you. He has better taste than that.”
Elizabeth sighed. There was no helping it. Hyacinth was determined to be a harpy. The question was if she wanted to stoop to her level or not. “I’m not in search of a suitor of any kind.” She smiled congenially. “As you’re well aware, I’m friends with Eli. I’ve no desire to marry.” At least not to him...
“You’re getting rather old,” she replied. “I doubt you’d say that for long. Every one marries at some point. You’re no different than the rest of us.”
Hyacinth was under the impression most people in society were, that she had to marry an eligible gentleman to survive. They didn’t have Alys Kendall, the Duchess of Weston, as a mother. Since the day she was born, an account was set up with her name on it. Upon her twenty-fifth year, if she was still unwed, the money would go to her to spend as she saw fit. She could move to the coast and buy a cottage or continue to stay at Weston never touching the money at all. No one was likely to kick her out. Her mother wanted to make sure she had choices in a world that didn’t give women many. Elizabeth was never more grateful than that moment to have them.
“I’m not you, Hy,” she said. “I don’t need a man to define me.”
Hyacinth lifted her nose upward haughtily. “We’ll see who has the last laugh when you’re miserable and alone,” she said cruelly.
In that regard, Hyacinth might be right. She’d believed for a while that there wasn’t a gentleman out there for her. With a heavy heart and resignation, she’d accepted that fate. Until Jack... Once she glanced his way, everything had changed. She had to convince him they were as inevitable as she already acknowledged.
“If that makes you happy, who am I to judge?” She wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of realizing how much her cruel words hurt. “I’m content with what may or may not lie in my future.” Seriously, where the hell was Jack? The strands of the dance were ending and soon would start up before the dinner waltz. She wished he’d make an appearance. She’d have to replace him with a different partner. If not for Hyacinth, she wouldn’t care, but Elizabeth would be damned before she let her discern she’d been right in any way.
Hyacinth scoffed. “How dare you imply I’d be happy at the misery of others! I’m a lady and wouldn’t ridicule a soul.”
Was she serious? Good God, she was. What the hell did she think she’d been doing the entire time they’d been conversing? Elizabeth was at a loss as to how she should respond to such blatant ridiculousness. There wasn’t a person around who’d be able to make her understand what had transpired. Hyacinth was—there were not any adequate words to describe her. There wasn’t a point in even trying. Instead, she’d find someone else to spend the remaining time with before they went in to eat.
“Pardon me, Lady Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth was almost relieved to be spared the duty of responding to Hyacinth, but managed to suppress a cringe when she realized who’d interrupted. “Lord Redmayne,” she replied. “What may I help you with?”
“Are you here to claim her for the next dance?”
Damn Hyacinth to hell and back! She did not want to dance with the earl. She’d make the blasted girl pay for such treachery. Surely she was aware how much the earl wanted to court her? Did she believe she did them both a favor by encouraging such an action? After all that nonsense about Elizabeth living a lonely existence, she doubted she did it out of kindness. She turned toward Hyacinth and glared. The lady smiled at her with triumph. Definitely was done intentionally.
“Yes,” Lord Redmayne said. “It would be my pleasure to dance with Lady Elizabeth.”
Of course it would.Bloody hell. How was she supposed to turn him down now? She had no choice. Hyacinth had effectively backed her into a corner. “That would be lovely.”
“Replacing me already,” Jack asked. “The dance hasn’t even started.”
Elizabeth spun on her heels and met his gaze. She wasn’t sure if she should slap him for his impertinence or be ecstatic he showed up in time to save her from having to dance with Lord Redmayne.
“Is the next dance yours?” She lifted a brow. “I thought it unfilled on my card.”
“Easy enough to discern,” he replied and snatched it off her wrist.
Why was he so handsome? She really wanted to lift her hand and let her palm meet his high cheekbone. It would probably feel amazing, and undoubtedly would sting too.Would be so worth it to wipe the smugness away...
