Page 12 of The Uncompromising Marquess
“Wait, if you please.” It was more of a command than a request, even though he had not meant it to be so. Reaching out one hand so that she could not turn away from him fully, Joseph’s fingers caught hers for only a moment, his hand quickly falling away as she pulled back sharply, her eyes rounding. Joseph cleared his throat, sensing the need to apologize for having touched her hand but choosing not to. Emily’s words rang in his mind, and he winced, looking away from Lady Florence. He would certainly be deeply critical ofanygentleman who took the hand of a lady in such a way as he had done, but Joseph was not about to speak any words of apology. It was not something he had ever done.
“Lord Applegate, I must go to Lady Wickton.” Lady Florence looked away from him, only throwing a glance back in his direction. “If you will excuse me?”
“I do hope that you are all right.”
When Lady Florence’s eyes darted to his, Joseph grimaced at how ill-considered his words had been. He had thought he would speak with a little more refinement and consideration.
“I did not mean to strike you,” he said, choosing his words with a good deal more care this time. “It was an accident, as I am sure you understood.”
Lady Florence blinked, then pressed her lips tightly together. Tightening his jaw, Joseph’s conscience began to push down hard upon his heart, and he grimaced, turning his head away from her so that he would not have to look into her eyes.
“I…” Trailing off, Joseph closed his eyes briefly, his hand curling into a tight fist as he fought against his conscience. Whenhe opened them again, Lady Florence was looking at him with curiosity in her gaze, though she quickly tugged it away when their eyes met. Her light brown curls danced as she twisted her head away from him, her hands together in front of her.
Joseph let out a sigh. “I am sorry, Lady Florence.”
The moment he spoke those words, Lady Florence seemed to stand a little taller. Her head lifted, and she looked at him again, and this time, she managed to keep her gaze upon him. An uncomfortable sensation began to prickle up Joseph’s spine, an awareness that what he had said was not only discomfiting but brought with it a lightness that he had not expected.
“I thank you, Lord Applegate.”
Joseph cleared his throat and nodded, his task done and his conscience no longer burning. “But of course. As I have said, it was an accident, but I ought to have been a little more aware of your nearness to me.”
The corner of her mouth edged upwards, and Joseph’s heart slammed into his ribs at the sight. It was a most peculiar reaction, one that he had not expected and certainly did not want! Rubbing one hand over his eyes, he nodded and then turned swiftly away, marching to the door and pulling it open hard.
The wind snatched his breath away and nearly took his hat with it. Joseph grabbed onto it and slammed it back on his head, heedless now to the snow and the sleet. The feelings that had arisen when Lady Florence had smiled at him – and smiled only just a little – were more than a little overwhelming. He was not at all pleased with them and did not want them to linger at all. Thus, he strode into the wind and the cold, pushing them all from him and making his way towards the carriage. He had plenty of other things to be thinking of, and none of them included Lady Florence.
6
“Do you think that I cannot see the mark on your cheek? Your maid has set a curl very prettily over it, but it is there nonetheless! Might you explain that to me?”
Florence swallowed tightly. “Mother, that was not my doing.”
Lady Grangemouth snorted. “A most unlikely story! You know as well as I that you are as clumsy as a donkey, and I have no doubt that this mark has come solely because of your own failings.”
There was nothing that Florence could say to this. Her mother was quite determined to believe that this was all Florence’s own fault. The carriage rolled on, and Florence shivered, the cold air swirling onto her skin as the disbelief from her mother sent ice over her heart.
“I shall, no doubt, hear everything that took place,” Lady Grangemouth continued, as the carriage began to slow. “Thetonwill be whispering about it, just as they whispered about your previous mishaps. I told you distinctly that there was to be no more of this, Florence, and yet you have deliberately disobeyed me!”
A streak of anger shot up Florence’s chest, and she sat up straight, her head lifting. “Mother, I can prove to you that it was not my fault. Mayhap then you might be willing to trust me even a little?”
This was said with more strength than Florence had ever previously expressed towards her mother. The shock of what she had said and the fervency with which she had said it not only struck Lady Grangemouth but Florence herself, who swiftly snatched in gasp as her mother’s eyes widened. Where had such strength come from? Turning her head away, she looked out of the window but saw nothing but blackness, the heart quickening suddenly. A thought of Lord Applegate returned to her mind as her mother lingered on in silence, reminding her of how he had apologized to her the previous day in the bookshop. That had been most unexpected, but mayhapthatwas where her sudden determination had come from. She had, up until that moment, been berating herself for what had occurred, but when Lord Applegate had offered her a sincere apology, that weight had lifted. For what was the first time since she had set foot in society, she had been told directly and without hesitation, that it hadnotbeen her fault.
“I must say, I did not expect you to speak to me in such a manner.” Now, it was not only the air that was cold but also her mother’s voice. “I am astonished at you, Florence. Do you truly think that any London gentleman will be willing to consider you with such an attitude?”
Florence took in a deep breath, steadied herself, and then looked back at her mother. “Will you listen to Helena, Mother? She will tell you –”
“Your cousin?” The disbelief, even a hint of mockery in her mother’s voice, made Florence wince. “Ofcourseshe will say that it was not your fault! I am very well aware that Helena is doing all she can to support you, and whilst I am somewhatappreciative of her efforts, I do not think for a moment that she would be honest with me were I to ask her.”
Again, the memory of Lord Applegate apologizing to her came to the forefront of Florence’s mind. With that memory came a sense of defiance, something that Florence had never truly experienced before this moment. For the last few months, she had accepted that every mishap, every clumsy step, and every accident had been her own fault, but on this occasion, she hadnotbeen responsible. Lord Applegate had proven that to her by apologizing and, in doing so, had seemingly lit a fire in Florence’s heart that was not about to be doused.
“Then I will introduce you to Lord Applegate,” she said stoutly, as the carriage stopped entirely. “That way, you will hear fromhislips that he was the one who caused this mark on my cheek. You will hear that it had nothing whatsoever to do with me and –” She stopped, hearing what she had been about to say ricocheting around her mind. Dare she be bold enough to say such a thing? Dare she have the strength to expect an apology from her own mother?
“And,” she said again, gripping her hands tightly together as she forced the words out, “I should like you to recognize that you were wrong in doubting me so.”
A snort came from her mother. “I do not know what this nonsense is, Florence, but I have no doubt that the gentleman will tell me that something happened thatmadeit your fault. Recall that I have seen every previous mistake you have made, I have witnessed it all, and have had to bear the shame of it. I cannot believe that this was not your doing.”
Florence said nothing more, stepping out of the carriage and walking straight towards the townhouse, a fresh purpose in her steps. Of course, she had no certainty that Lord Applegate would be present this evening, and she could not think about what she would say to have him express what she wished,but her determination lingered all the same. Mayhap she was a little tired of her mother’s continual admonishment. Mayhap the Marquess’ apology had spurred her to speak back to her mother about it. Whatever the reason was, Florence had only one intention in mind for this evening. The sheer amount of courage and composure it would take, however, was not at all insignificant, and as she crossed the threshold, Florence felt the familiar grip of anxiety take hold of her heart.
“Haveyou seen Lord Applegate this evening?”
