Page 23 of The Duke Who Loved a Widow
He laughed, eyes widening as he smiled. “I am confident we will not collide with the other couples dancing. And I’d rather you were silent and avoided treading on my toes.”
“I shall do my best and have done my best to warn you of the danger.”
“Very well, let’s take a risk and step out onto the dance floor?”
Arabella nodded and almost jumped in surprise at the sensation that spread up her arm and through her body as the duke held her arm. She stood still for a moment, causing him to raise an eyebrow and look at her quizzically. She smiled back at him, stepping forward as he guided her into the dance.
He seemed a different person to the man who had berated her when he fell from his horse. She sensed he had a sense of humour, which somehow surprised her.
He was surprisingly adept as they danced the reel, elegantly circling around before crossing hands and spinning in a circle. Arabella was relieved that her feet remembered the steps, and she avoided treading on the duke’s toes.
As the music faded away, he spoke close to her ear, “Let’s stay for another dance. I seem to have escaped unscathed from that Scottish reel. You’re a fine dancer, Lady Farrington; there was no need to worry.”
“Why thank you, Your Grace. I’m just a little rusty.”
“It sounds like the next dance is a local favourite. You’ll easily follow the steps as it’s based on a simple pavane.”
The slower melody of the Yorkshire Lass gave her time to recover her breath. The duke held her close as they twirled to the slower, sad tune. At first, she felt comfortable in his arms, as if she had found a safe harbour, then as they dipped and glided in time to the music, his eyes met hers with an intensity that caused her to take a sharp inward breath. They moved apart, twirled, and returned to the centre. As he took her hands again, she felt a quivering sensation in her arms and legs.
How strange, she thought. It must be because I am not used to dancing.
Those eyes, like aquamarine pools glinting in the sunshine, caught and held hers, and she felt spellbound in his arms as the music faded and the dance ended,
Her uncle’s voice rang out. “Keep your partners for our favourite country reel,” he told them, and everyone stayed on the floor. This time, Arabella twirled around, feet flying off the ground, and almost collapsed in her partner’s arms at the end of the set.
‘Until next time,” he whispered in her ear so softly she thought she might have imagined his words.
Chapter 9
As he walked away from his partner, he knew he needed some cool air. Unsure what was happening, he knew his whole body was responding to Lady Farrington in a way unlike anything he had ever experienced before, including his ill-fated, passionate liaison with Rosalind.
I’ve been out of society too long. I need to meet more ladies and go to more balls. He refused to believe these feelings were only for Lady Farrington.
He found the air in the hallway refreshing and took in several deep breaths. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see Sir Joseph.
“Your mother has taken over from my wife on the pianoforte,” Sir Joseph said, patting Robert on the back. “I can escape for a few minutes and hope no one notices. It seems you had the same idea.”
“My mother is playing for the dancing?” Robert asked incredulously.
“Indeed, and her fingers are flying through a Scottish reel as we speak,” replied Sir Joseph.
Robert heard the music. He knew his mother was an accomplished pianist, but she rarely played anything beyond sedate classics. This was proving to be an evening to remember.
“Come,” said Sir Joseph. “Let’s find some cognac in my study.”
“Here you are,” said the older man, handing Robert a crystal glass filled with amber liquid. “All the way from France.”
“We must talk about that shipping contract for my wine soon,” said Robert.
“When you’re ready, there’s no hurry. Let's not discuss business on such an enjoyable evening,” said Sir Joseph. “There is something that interests me, though, and I’m going to be brave enough to ask. When I mentioned the summer fair and whether you would be there, you seemed to react strangely. I’ve only been here a couple of years. Is there something I should know about?”
Robert paused and warmed his glass in his hands. “It’s something I need to get over,” he said eventually.
“A few weeks before I attended my last summer fair, I was courting a woman I believed I loved very much. In fact, I asked her to marry me. I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else.”
“She turned you down?” Sir Joseph asked.
“No, she accepted me. We became betrothed, and the wedding was planned.
