Page 79 of The Lord Next Door
He cocked his head. “Do I look nervous?”
“No, but you’re a born performer.”
He laughed. “You are a wonder, Victoria.”
As she smiled up at him, a booming voice said, “Ah, newlyweds. You’ve managed to leave Banstead House, I see, Thurlow.”
It was the duke, and he was smiling at them.
She swept into a deep curtsy, knowing so many people were watching. “It is good to see you again, Your Grace,” she said, before rising.
After several pleasantries that David handled, they entered a crush of people. It was hot and loud, and she felt a drip of wax land on her shoulder from an elaborate chandelier overhead.
David smiled and brushed it off. “Let me know when you want to leave.”
“We just arrived,” she said, as someone bumped into her from behind. “And besides, I haven’t yet begun to make you proud of me.”
Chapter
Twenty
David stared down at Victoria, her determined eyes reflecting the light of thousands of candles. He knew that there had been a time in her life when this would have frightened her to death.
Not anymore. Now she intended to make him proud of her. For a moment he felt a lump in his throat, a feeling of tenderness for her that startled him with its intensity.
Regardless of who was watching, he trailed his gloved fingers down the side of her face, imagined the softness of her skin.
“I’m already proud of you,” he whispered. “Can you be proud of me?”
“Oh, David, maybe we each have to be proud of ourselves first.”
She looked at him as if anything was possible. He gave her a brisk smile and stepped back.
“Are you ready?”
He pulled her hand around his elbow and led her through the room, stopping at occasional clusters of people to introduce his wife.
Victoria was serene and elegant and charmed every person she met. David began to think that it was because of her that he noticed so few undercurrents in every conversation. But he kept waiting for someone to be openly rude, and it could have ruined the evening for him.
But he wasn’t going to let it.
Then Lady Augusta Clifford, whom they’d last encountered at the dressmaker’s, cornered them between a potted fern and the piano.
“Lord and Lady Thurlow, how good to see you again.” She glanced down at Victoria’s gown, and her smile faltered. “How wonderful you look in the garment Madame Dupuy pieced together for you.”
David took an angry breath, but Victoria squeezed his elbow and said, “Thank you so much, Lady Augusta. And I feel wonderful tonight, which is even more important, don’t you think?”
“Hmmm,” the woman said, then fixed her gaze on David. “I have a question that only you can answer, Lord Thurlow. Have you heard of Southern Railway?”
He called on every acting skill he possessed to look at her blankly. “Yes. Why?”
“I’m traveling to Dover in several months, and I was going to use their trains. My husband suggested that since you invested in it, perhaps we should do the same.”
She only wanted to talk about investments, but David’s worst fear about the ruination of all his plans hit him hard. “It is a good investment.” He took Victoria’s elbow. “Excuse us, but we’re both quite thirsty.”
Lady Augusta blinked. “Why—of course.”
David used his height to his advantage and spotted the quickest way to the terrace. After threading his way through dozens of couples, he reached the tall glass doors and pushed them open. The gust of cool air refreshed him.
