Page 68 of Leap of Faith
“Of course.”
He led her into the study and realized she was still wearing her mask. “Would you not be more comfortable without your mask?”
“Of course, but the tie became knotted in my hair. The maid can help me later after we have spoken.”
Dominic frowned, then stepped behind her. “Nonsense. I know these are not comfortable, and I prefer to see your face when we talk.” As he worked, however, he found such a simple task to be terribly intimate. The feel of her silky hair through his fingers and the scent of her soap intoxicated his senses. Disturbed by the domestic image, he released the knot and stepped away.
“Thank you,” she said, pulling the mask away and turning to face him. “What did you wish to speak to me about?”
“I wished to know your opinion about Vauxhall before I consult with my friends. Is it widely known that you intend to be there?”
“I could not say. I believe your brother arranged it.”
“Ashley is not one to prattle, and he would have consulted my mother.” He wrinkled his brow in thought. “Perhaps I should consult him. He will be bringing my mother home soon. On the one hand, it galls me to think of rearranging anything for the sake of Sir Julian, and drawing more attention to the situation. On the other hand, I wish to protect you and your sisters from harm, and there is little doubt left in my mind that is what is intended.”
“Surely your credit will see us through?”
Poor innocent. She did not understand that more than his credit would be necessary to redeem her if Sir Julian succeeded. “The only thing that redeems a ruined lady is marriage.”
She nodded, but he could see her fighting some emotion. “Why is he doing this to me? And how could someone be so full of malice?”
Dominic hated to disillusion her, but the world—London, at least—was full of people who had no conscience at all. He stepped closer and tilted her chin up. “It has little to do with you.”
“The consequences certainly do!”
“Undeniably, they will affect us both,” he murmured, wondering what he was about.
CHAPTER16
Faith had difficulty sleeping that night for the troubling thoughts she could not banish from disturbing her peace.
Sir Julian’s desire to ruin her was deeply upsetting when she had done nothing to deserve to be the centre of such cruelty. Her leaving would also affect her sisters by turning them away from their first Season when they were enjoying it so much.
What her thoughts kept returning to was her reaction to Lord Westwood. He meant nothing by it, but the simple gesture of removing her mask had upset her equilibrium greatly.
It had made her feel things—had even made her a trifle warm and dizzy, truth be told—and stirred her thoughts in a direction they had no right to go. Why was his touch so different from a sister’s or a maid’s?
Westwood was a determined bachelor and flirt, and she needed to distance herself from him before she lost her heart to someone who could not reciprocate the feeling. Becoming his latest flirt would be the nadir of humiliation.
Faith needed to remove from London for more than one reason, and perhaps it would be best if only she and Joy went away. There would be less talk than if all of the sisters went at once. Especially since the wager only seemed to involve her.
But she wished there were somewhere else she could go besides one of Westwood’s properties. She loathed being beholden to him and completely at his mercy. Hopefully, at least being distanced from his person would help her regain her equilibrium. The worst thing would be if he knew how he affected her. She’d never been good at disguising her feelings, and that would be the most lowering thing of all.
She threw back her covers and walked to the dressing table, then absently picked up a brush and began to run it through the tangles she’d formed in her restless night.
A knock on her door interrupted her maudlin thoughts.
“Enter,” she called, expecting one of her sisters.
Lady Westwood looked inside. “I hope I did not wake you.”
“Not at all. Is something wrong?”
Lady Westwood looked much younger in her dressing gown with her hair in a plait, and was still very beautiful.
“I do not think so. I have just received a note from Dominic. He says the gentlemen will still escort your party to Vauxhall tonight.”
“Oh?” Faith frowned. It was not at all what she had expected him to decide and was concerned.
