Page 10 of Awakening a Lord's Desires
“I hope I can always be complimentary to any one of my acquaintance,” he said back.
“Well, that is a task, certainly.” She sighed and looked about them. With a whisper, she added, “There are ever so many people in the world whom it is hard to like.”
He laughed, amazed at her openness. “I agree with you wholeheartedly, Miss Turner.”
She blushed a little after she said that. “You must think me quite the menace.”
“Hardly. In fact,” he pulled her closer and thought he heard her soft intake of breath as he did, “I think you refreshing. Far too many people hide their true opinions, and I think it a shame. If only we spoke more of what we really felt, then perhaps there could be more accord, more peace in the world. Or perhaps more happiness.”
Perhaps you might be able to tell a young woman just how utterly delightful you find her.
“And here you are, complimenting again, Lord Spencer. You shall be the talk of the country ball in the morning, I am sure of it.”
He grinned at that, and he found he rather liked her bold way of speaking. All the women his mother had paraded before him had done their best to do whatever it was they thought he might like, without doing whatever they wanted to do. Their sole purpose had been in attracting him, and he had been able to see through it all.
He had been unable to wait until the end of the Season, and eventually, by the end of it, he’d been so tired that, on occasion, he’d absent himself from certain social gatherings to avoid his mother. She’d been disappointed in him, but the Season was soon over, and she had known she would have to wait until the next one before she could again beg him to consider matrimony.
As the song ended and they slowed, he said, “I hope not, for even though we are in the countryside, I was hoping to come and enjoy a little bit of anonymity.”
They parted, and he bowed while she curtsied, and when he looked upon her face again, she was smiling. It also looked like she was trying not to laugh.
“What is it?” he asked as they walked together to the edge of the dancing area to meet the other people in the crowd.
“It is only that since you are not as well-versed in the countryside as I, I should warn you that if you have come to the country to have anonymity, then I’m afraid you have chosen the wrong place.”
For some reason, that didn’t bother him as much as it might have in the past. He found that he rather enjoyed the place where he had chosen to spend the next few weeks.
“Here, everyone enjoys talking about everyone else,” Miss Caroline said. “And I’m afraid since you are a newcomer, you already saw what your arrival did to cause a stir in the crowd. It will continue to be the same throughout your stay.”
“Oh, I see,” he said, glad that they were still walking together towards the refreshment table. At least he had a few more seconds with her, if not a few more minutes. “Well, I suppose I should embrace it. Is that your suggestion? In fact, I should ask you in general, what does one do to entertain oneself in the country? Especially when one does not know many others.”
“Well, you know me now,” she said softly, and then when their eyes met, she coloured again.
“Yes,” he answered, unable to look away from her. “I should very much like to know you more, Miss Turner.”
His statement seemed to bring an even more heightened colour to her cheeks. And then, realising that he had perhaps been too forward, he turned to pick up a glass of champagne and put it in her hands.
“You will have to teach me country ways, Miss Turner,” he said, reaching for his own glass. “For I’m afraid that London has made me far too bold and tempestuous. As you saw yesterday, I was riding hastily and haphazardly without thought to anyone else who might cross my path.”
“Yes, well, I suppose now you know that you must look upon the path as you ride, however haphazardly that might be. That is a simple lesson perhaps not easily learned.”
His eyes once again flew to her mouth as he watched her take a delicate sip. Clearing his throat to remember to focus, he said, “Well, that will be far easier now to look upon the path ahead of me. If there is someone like you upon which to look.”
She blinked at him for a few moments, her lips parting in a slightly surprised “o.” He chastised himself yet again for being too forward, and he was just about to apologise when another young man came to ask Miss Turner to dance.
“Yes, of course,” she said politely, and then, saying goodbye to Charles, she turned away, leaving the champagne glass to a passing servant.
Charles blew out a breath, watching her departure. He knew what it was: jealousy. It made no sense, but he felt it anyway. He was angry at practically any young man in that room who deigned to ask her to dance. He hated the fact that society bid him only ask one time or else cause a scandal.
He had had the most refreshing conversation that he’d ever had in the whole of his life. It had been witty, entertaining, and humourous. He couldn’t wait to speak to her again. Hopefully, there would be another ball soon.
I never thought I would say that in all my life.
Chapter 10
“My goodness, whoever could that have been?” Matilda asked as soon as Caroline was able to free herself from the last gentleman’s clutches.
Caroline could feel herself blushing for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. Matilda had asked her about gentlemen many times in the past. It was not unusual, and it should not have been unusual. And yet, she was still breathless from the encounter. She had never had a conversation like that with a man before.
