Page 12 of The Viscount's Unwanted Bride
His other eyebrow rose. “Touché, my lady.”
“I’m certain I didn’t see you last season,” she said, hoping he might provide a clue as to his identity or what he’d been doing with his life.
He paused before he spoke, and his eyes darted to the left. “I was occupied by my duties to the House of Lords last season.”
She frowned. Was that a lie? Something about his words didn’t ring true.
Was this man some kind of scoundrel?
“You are a lord, then?” she asked.
His lips twisted in a roguish smile. “Do you not recognize me, my lady?” But then, as quickly as the question had come, he cleared his throat and straightened. “Forgive me for being bold. May I get you any refreshments?”
She tilted her head to the side, curious. He was behaving most strangely. “No, but thank you for offering.” She heard movement behind them but didn’t turn to look around. “You are welcome to get something for yourself, though. I’ll be fine here.”
“Perhaps I should….” He trailed off, his eyes widening, lips parting.
She spun to follow his gaze. Standing in the open doorway behind them were Lady Talbot and Lady Bethel, two of the worst gossips in theton. They were staring askance at Kate and her companion.
And that was when Kate realized. The sounds she’d heard earlier had been the other women from the balcony retreating back inside the ballroom, leaving her alone in a dimly lit space with a gentleman she didn’t know.
She was in trouble.
“This isn’t how it looks,” she protested, backing away to ensure that there were at least several paces between her andthe mystery gentleman. “We haven’t been alone out here. There were other women….”
She stopped talking when she realized they clearly didn’t believe her. Panic constricted her chest and she struggled to draw in a deep breath. She met the man’s eyes and he looked as disturbed as she felt. They had to clear up this misunderstanding. Urgently.
“This gentleman was just helping me,” she hastened to add. “I was overwrought and needed fresh air.” A breeze mussed her hair as if to lend credence to her story. She turned toward the man and added, “Is that not right?”
The man’s lips moved in what might have been a silent apology and then he brushed past her, picking up speed until he was running, and within two seconds he’d disappeared inside the ballroom and was gone from view.
Kate’s heart dropped. Ohno. This was even worse than she thought. The fact that he’d run made them look guilty. Perhaps if he’d stayed, they could have talked their way out of this, but how was she supposed to do that on her own?
Lady Talbot tutted disapprovingly but her eyes—those of a vulture—gleamed with excitement. No doubt she was already composing the rumors she would spread throughout theton.
“I expected better of you, Lady Katherine.” Lady Talbot addressed her friend. “Won’t you go and get Lady Drake? She needs to know what her daughter has been up to.”
Lady Bethel snuck a look at Kate and another at Lady Talbot and then obediently trotted away like a puppy eager to please its master.
“Nothing is amiss, Lady Talbot,” Kate assured her.
Lady Talbot looked down her nose at Kate. “Save the protestations for when your mother arrives.”
Kate looked toward the refreshments room. Earlier, she’d been so reassured by the presence of others, but there werecurrently none in sight. A situation that had seemed slightly daring but harmless enough was now far more damaging. She couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if she simply ran away like the gentleman had.
Could she leave all of this behind, or would her name be dragged through the mud, her dreams of marriage destroyed?
The silence between Kate and Lady Talbot was excruciating. Kate didn’t meet her companion’s eyes, but she could feel the woman’s gaze raking over her, searching for anything amiss, any button that might have been opened or fabric that might have been torn.
Never mind that all Kate and the gentleman had done was converse. By the time Lady Talbot was done with her, everyone would believe she’d been discovered half dressed and in a scandalous clinch.
Her stomach rolled, nausea sweeping through her. This was bad. Really bad.
“What on earth is going on?”
Relief swamped Kate as Lady Drake appeared. Her mother would fix this. She’d know that Kate hadn’t been up to anything nefarious.
“Your daughter has been caught in a compromising situation with a gentleman,” Lady Talbot declared.
