Page 24 of Taming a Beastly Duke
Their arrival forced the respective couples to keep a respectable distance from one another, and Edith could not help feeling a bit disappointed when Thomas shifted away from her.
“This is sure to be a wonderful evening,” Helena said, beaming at her niece. She cast a glance at Marcus, then looked back at Adelaide, who blushed and gave her aunt a shy smile. It seemed, at the very least, that Adelaide was attracted to Marcus. Edith bit her lip to keep her delight from showing. It would not do to let Marcus know that she suspected a budding romance with Adelaide. It might put him off the idea and make him push her away.
***
Lady Beatrice’s townhouse was welcoming from the first moment Adelaide saw it. Its warm beige bricks were perfectly pristine and lined with sconces which held brightly burning torches. She had decorated the front of her home with purple garland and green wreaths with pink flowers. Even the butler and footmen, who were greeting the guests and escorting them inside, were wearing small yellow flowers pinned to their coats.
Guilt crept up within Adelaide as their group entered the townhouse. The entryway and corridors were as warmly decorated, and the guests were greeted kindly by servants who were assigned to attend to them for the evening. It seemed that Lady Beatrice’s events were as warm and inviting as she seemed to be. Adelaide wondered if she had been wrong to be so distrustful of the woman who had birthed a gentleman as unsettling as Lord Edwin.
Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow over the elegantly appointed music room. However, she did not have much opportunity to admire the surroundings, as she traversed the remainder of the townhouse. Murmurs in the crowd were soon audible, and she saw many pairs of eyes turn their attention to the duke, who had tried to slip away to a darkened corner of the room.
“The murderous beast…” said one matron, whispering behind her fan at a volume that might as well have been shouting.
Adelaide twisted her fingers in her skirts as the Duke’s expression tightened.
“Even Bath’s waters cannot wash away such sins,” said another, her gaze unabashedly fixed on the duke.
The warning message she had received burned in her mind, now fueled by the glances and whispers, which increased with each second that passed. It was easy to believe that the words were true when so many people seemed to concur. Yet when the Duke met her gaze at last, she saw nothing more than theman who quotes poetry with her with surprising sensitivity, whose kisses made her forget everything but the taste of his soft, decadent lips.
Adelaide was relieved when Helena and Edith chose to sit on either side of her, as the intimate setting forced all the guests to sit close to one another. The Duke stood near the doorway, for which Adelaide could not blame him, given the sour reception he had received. His large frame was rigid and tense as he tried to ignore the curious glances and continued murmurs from the other guests.
Adelaide wondered again about Lady Beatrice and why she would ask her nephew to expose himself to such cruelty for the sake of her gathering. She wanted to believe that it was because she and her son were certain of the duke’s innocence. But even as everyone chose their seats, Lord Edwin gave the Duke a cold, sidelong smirk. Adelaide did not know how to make sense of the duke’s more distant relatives. By all appearances, they were kind and loving, and Lord Edwin seemed very concerned about his cousin’s well-being. However, she did not believe that truly doting relatives would behave so oddly.
“Who would like to begin this evening?” Lady Beatrice said once the quiet conversations began to die.
Everyone looked at each other, some gesturing for others to volunteer. Adelaide was still distracted when Helena gently rubbed her back.
“Darling, why don’t you perform on the pianoforte?” she asked, handing Adelaide a stack of sheet music. “It has been so long since I last heard you play, and I would love to remedy that.”
Adelaide blushed, looking around the room. She had gained a few suspicious looks, but most guests were looking at her with mild curiosity. She glanced at the duke, whose stern expression had softened imperceptibly at her aunt’s request. Could he be interested in hearing her play?
Lady Beatrice waited a moment for objections or alternate suggestions. When none came, she smiled warmly at Adelaide, motioning for her to join her.
“Come, Miss Barrett,” she said. “If you are agreeable, we would be delighted to hear you perform.”
Adelaide took a deep breath as she rose from her seat. Her aunt and Edith gave her encouraging smiles, but her nervousness was overwhelming. She had not performed publicly for some time now, and she was among people that, apart from her aunt and the duke’s family, she did not know.
She timidly approached the white pianoforte, her heart beating wildly as she took her place on the bench. Playing the pianoforte was one of the few accomplishments from her mother’s strict training that she truly enjoyed. However, she had only ever played in front of people who were affiliated with her family in some manner.
She looked through the sheet music her aunt had given her, choosing Mozart’s Andante grazioso from his Piano Sonata No. 11. With a nod of approval, she placed her music on the stand of the pianoforte, trying to hidethe tremble in her hands. She took two deep breaths, avoiding looking at anyone as she began to play. However, as the first notes of the piece filled the room, Adelaide lost herself at once. She allowed herself to imagine for a moment that she was the only one present, relishing the euphoric rush as her innate love for music returned to her.
When she dared to look up through her lashes, she saw that the duke had become transfixed. He watched her with his lips parted as if he were struggling to keep his jaw from falling. His usual harsh mask slipped to reveal the raw yearning she had seen just before he kissed her. The intensity of his fervor struck her so fiercely that her fingers faltered, blundering a couple of notes.
She guided her fingers back into the proper rhythm, daring another look at the Duke. The amazement in his eyes fueled her musical joy, and all at once, she was playing for him alone. She could not forget the warning note, no matter how hard she tried. Yet it conflicted with the way his gaze caressed her, just as his hands had, with as much fire as tenderness and making her chest tighten with all her uncertainty. How could a man with blood staining his hands look at her with such gentle fondness?
Chapter Eleven
The entire room erupted into applause as Adelaide finished playing her Mozart piece. Helena held her head high with quiet pride as everyone murmured their amazement to one another. But Adelaide paid little mind to the reactions of everyone else. There was only one person whose reaction caught her attention.
The Duke’s eyes still held the desire to which her body never failed to respond, yet there was a depth to it now as if he were truly seeing her for the first time. He smiled slowly at her, waiting for the applause to cease before moving closer to her and speaking.
“I have never heard such a meaningful performance,” he said softly.
Adelaide blushed, all the physical sensations she always felt when she was near him returning with a quickness that rendered her breathless. They were not to have a moment alone, however. Just as the refreshments were being served, Lord Thomas approached with Edith, both of whom were smiling warmly at Adelaide.
“Your playing is more spectacular than any professional musician’s I have ever heard,” Edith said, embracing her tightly.
Adelaide smiled at her friend, dipping her head sheepishly.
