Page 10 of The Rake and the Muse
Eliza huffed. “I don’t know. Nick is everywhere I turn, and I don’t know what I feel with him so near. I’m still thinking about it.”
Juliet suspected her friend had much stronger feelings for Nick than she was ready to admit, but Eliza would have to work through it on her own.
Their hosts, Lord and Lady Ockham, began leading the party to reconvene in the dining room for dinner. Lord Irvine appeared to escort Eliza. Juliet followed, and an electric shock coursed through her body before shelooked to her left and realized that Theo stood next to her, extending his arm.
“You looked in need of an escort, my lady.”
She smirked at the return to formalities while surrounded by the other guests. “Haven’t you been my hero enough times today?”
“What can I say? Perhaps saving beautiful young ladies is my new calling.”
“If you need a reference, I’d be happy to give one,” she replied, smiling up at him. She had never flirted with a gentleman before, and she found she quite enjoyed it. Perhaps too much. Or perhaps it was him that she enjoyed the most.
He seated her in her place in the dining room, then took his own seat, which was directly across from her. She would spend the entire meal with him directly in her line of sight.
Theo glanced across the table at her and appeared as if he were contemplating something. He didn’t speak with anyone and seemed to work something out in his head. She forced herself to look away so he wouldn’t think she was staring at him. Even if she was.
Lord Duncan was seated to her right, and he wasted no time starting up a conversation with her.
“I hope you are feeling well after getting caught in the rain, my lady.”
“I am well. Thank you for the concern.”
He smiled at her. “Glad to hear it,” he said. “I believe there will be a trip to the village tomorrow. I hoped you might accompany me.”
She glanced at Theo, who was looking down at his plate. Lord Duncan was handsome but not nearly as much so as Theo. There was something about Duncan that made her uneasy, even though he had technically done nothing that was untoward. Other than constantly stare at her chest, she reminded herself. She supposed he also tried to make Theo look bad in her eyes, which wasn’t well done of him.
“Of course, my lord.” It was polite to accept him, even though she wasn’t certain she preferred him as her escort. “I hope you won’t mind if Lady Eliza joins as well. She will wish to attend with me.” She could have Eliza assess him as well and see what she thought about the man.
“Not at all. I would imagine Lord Irvine will join our small party from the looks of things.”
Juliet glanced down at the other end of the table and saw the pair in conversation. “You may be right about that.”
Dinner passed by with nothing of note. Polite conversation from those who were seated around her. She couldn’t help but notice that Theo remained quiet unlesssomeone spoke directly to him, and part of her wondered if something was amiss.
The ladies departed the dining room to leave the gentlemen to enjoy their port. They decided they would take turns playing the pianoforte and singing for the group once the gentlemen arrived. Juliet and Eliza would perform a duet they had played together a few times before.
Once the gentleman arrived, she watched the door for Theo to enter. When he did, she continued watching him as he grabbed a tumbler of brandy from the sideboard.
When the first woman took her turn at the pianoforte, she glanced at him again and noted that he stared at his glass, not paying attention. He did the same with the next performer.
Eliza grabbed her hand and pulled them both to take their seats on the bench. They didn’t need sheet music since they had performed the song so many times, so they played and sang. Juliet’s fingers were comfortable and familiar, moving across the keys. She glanced up and caught Theo staring at her. Her voice almost caught, but she recovered and kept singing. She glanced at him again, and his gaze remained fixed on her.
Her entire body thrummed. The place between her thighs was damp, and she clenched them together, attempting to ease her discomfort. She closed her eyes,singing and trying her best not to think about straddling him.
When the song was over, the room erupted into applause. Lord Irvine approached the bench and took Eliza’s hand, leading her to the terrace.
An outstretched hand appeared to her right, and she knew without looking up that the hand belonged to Theo. “My lady.”
She clasped his large hand, allowing him to help her stand and move away from the pianoforte. He shifted her hand to the crook of his arm.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” he asked.
“Embroidery,” she deadpanned. “I’m atrocious. I shan’t ever stitch you a handkerchief.”
“Noted,” he replied. “I shall have to settle for the plain white ones.”
Another performer positioned herself at the pianoforte and began playing. Juliet stood there, attempting to listen, but her attention was continually drawn to the feel of Theo’s firm bicep beneath her fingers.
