Page 51 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
Following the inclination of his aunt's head, James caught sight of the sly feline of a woman standing across the dancefloor. She was indeed perhaps one of the most beautiful women in the room and yet there was a danger to that beauty for he saw what lurked beneath. Like the quiet surface of a lake, her beauty hid the beast beneath.
"I shall not consider it," James insisted, shaking his head. "I shall distance myself from her entirely."
He would have liked to do so physically as Lady Florence seemed to be drawing closer with every minute that passed, looking as though she was awaiting the right moment to strike.
"If you will not consider her and the others are not to your liking then your final option is Miss Petunia Blackford," Lady Fyling suggested and James was shocked to hear the all too familiar name of Miss Thornton's closest friend.
Though he had met her only in passing, he had heard a great deal of her during his conversations with Miss Thornton. And as he followed his aunt’s gaze over to the Blackford daughter, he half hoped that her friend would be standing loyally at her side.
When he did not find her there, he felt a wave of disappointment. It crashed over him and threatened to knock him off his feet. What was worse was the clenching he felt in his stomach when he overheard a conversation being had nearby.
"Have you heard? They say the Colton wedding may be brought forward!"
The words clawed at his insides and made him feel sick. Even worse were the words that followed.
"You don't suppose they are hiding something do you?"
James did not need to hear anymore to know what the two gossiping hens meant.
Though he could see why they would think such a thing about the daughter of a scandal who had been of interest to nobody and then suddenly was being married off. To have anyone speak in such a manner about Miss Thornton, to have anyone question her innocence and virtue, he felt as though he might begin a scene if he remained there even a moment longer.
"Forgive me, Aunt, I feel I am in need of some air," James said abruptly without any response as to her indication about Miss Blackford.
He turned on his heels and started across the dancefloor. Even when he heard someone calling his name, he did not look back. He could not bring himself to speak with anyone. He was all talked out and the very last thing he wanted was to have to plaster a smile upon his face after having just heard Mr Colton's name uttered beneath his aunt's roof.
He would have been glad to leave the entire sorry affair, but he had only himself to blame for being there in the first place. After all, he had been the one to promise his aunt that he would begin taking courtship seriously. He had all but signed a written permission paper for her to host such an elaborate ball; one so clearly marked for courtship upon his behalf.
A walk in the gardens would have to suffice.
Chapter 28
Melody never should have attended the Fyling Ball. She knew that from the moment she set foot in the ballroom. Feeling the eyes of nearly every other guest on her, she had quickly separated herself from Petunia to prevent her from feeling the brunt of the gossip that surrounded her.
But in doing so, she had left herself a target for one guest in particular.
"Cousin." the word was spoken politely and yet Melody could still hear the malice seething just beneath the surface.
Turning from where she had just approached the refreshments table, she came face to face with Lady Florence.
The woman, as usual, was quite exquisitely dressed in a pale peach silken gown, the jewels in her tiara perfectly matching the colour of her garments. The very same gemstones decorated her ears and her wrists and though Melody spent a lot of time with her nose in books, she could not have said what stone they were with such a peachy colour to them.
Perhaps they were not gemstones at all, but some fakery made of glass. She couldn't truly imagine that the daughter of an earl would ever wear such a thing, but it did give her a little amusement as she faced down her cousin's confrontation.
"Can I help you, Lady Florence?" Melody asked, forcing herself to curtsey even though she thought that it was the very last thing the woman deserved after all she had heard in the modiste's shop.
"I was just wondering, cousin," Lady Florence said, drawing closer, her gloved hands clasped before her and a pursed-lipped smile on her face. "Why have you bothered to show your face here this evening?"
"Pardon me?" Melody gasped. Though her cousin had always cornered her at social events such as these, there was something decidedly more sinister this time. Lady Florence barely appeared to be attempting to keep her voice down.
"This ball is being held for The Duke of Haston to consider a bride," Lady Florence pointed out with a shrug of her shoulders. She glowered at Melody even as she added, "And since you are already spoken for, there isn't much reason for you to be here, is there?"
"And I should think there is little reason for you to be here either," Melody said before she could stop herself. "Given all that has occurred between you and he, and yet he has still to propose."
Melody bit the inside of her lip immediately upon seeing the fury rush to her cousin's cheeks. It was too late to take back the words now.
Lady Florence looked as though she might scream but instead, she leaned in so close that Melody felt her hot breath upon her ear. "Stay away from the duke,cousin. Stick to your Mr Colton. The two of you are perfectly suited to each other."
What is that supposed to mean?Melody thought though she did not ask the question aloud for that would leave her stuck there to continue the conversation.Does she know something?
