Page 74 of The Lord Next Door
She oozed a compassion so sugary that it set Victoria’s teeth on edge.
“For I was the second woman to have to refuse him.”
Victoria must be falling in love, because her heart hurt for poor, proud David. What would make any family refuse a future earl, especially someone as wonderful as he was?
But Lady Sarah was no lady, to discuss such things with David’s new wife. The woman was waiting patiently like a spider for Victoria’s reaction.
“Lady Sarah, though it was such a dreadful thing to happen to you, do tell me you have found a husband at last.”
The woman’s smile grew faintly pinched. “I have. I’m engaged to the Marquess of Cheltenham.”
“Then I hope you are as happy as I am with my dear husband. No man could be as sweet. Do thank your father for saving David for me.”
“Did I hear that someone saved me?”
Victoria gave a start as David took her elbow. He looked between her and Lady Sarah with interest.
Lady Sarah only curtsied and moved away at a pace that tried for languor but only showed speed.
David looked down at Victoria, one brow raised in question.
Victoria smiled. “I told her to thank her father for saving you for me.”
He only had time to betray surprise because dinner was loudly announced.
“I have to escort someone else to the table,” he said in a low voice, bowing over her hand.
“That’s all right, David. I understand how important rank is. I’ll join you after dinner.”
~oOo~
Victoria was relieved when David rode inside the carriage with her, leaving his horse to be tied up behind. She’d hoped they could speak about the evening, but instead the strained silence between them was dreadful. Throughout dinner, although they had sat almost a table length apart, she had an unimpeded view of him. And he had a much closer, unimpeded view of Lady Sarah.
No wonder he didn’t like to attend these events, when he had to meet up with women who’d rejected him.
“David.” She said his name softly, her voice stark in the dark carriage. Did she dare put her hand on his arm?
But it was as if he was just waiting for her to speak, for he stiffened and said in a low voice, “When I first arrived, I noticed that Wade was ogling your breasts.”
Stunned, she stared at him. “This is what you want to talk about first?”
“Might as well begin at the beginning of the evening,” he said.
“David, I am short. All men look down at me when we speak. Besides, Lord Wade is your friend after all. And I did not ask the dressmaker to lower this neckline!”
He roughly turned her toward him and parted her cloak, baring her upper bosom to his angry gaze.
“I let it go because I thought I could view you in private,” he said.
She remained still, letting him look his fill. “Then did you expect to keep us both locked away, where no one would ever see me dressed for the evening?”
After a frozen moment, when his hot gaze remained on her chest and she wondered with a thrill of excitement what he meant to do with her, he looked up at her face.
“All right, I’m not making sense. You know I haven’t kept you locked in the house. I’ve even purchased an opera box because I know how you like music.”
Oh, David,” she whispered helplessly.
“But tonight, I had to chase you down. I felt like a fool.”
