Page 52 of The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter
“I know I should, but I care for her and will not have her hurt by you.” He curled his hands into fists and appeared to be building up the courage to toss a punch.
Alexander knew he would never do it, for the repercussions would be too great. Hitting an earl’s son? George did not have it in him.
“Miss Ruskin does not understand the rules of thesetongames,” he continued, his tone now pleading. “She is naive enough to believe you sincerely mean to court her. But you and I know that viscounts do not marry vicar’s daughters. So, leave her to me. I will be a good husband to her.”
Alexander was furious, but held his temper in check. “Haworth, you know me to be a man of honor.”
“Yes, my lord. I do.”
“Then believe me when I tell you that I will never dishonor Miss Ruskin. You have my oath on it.”
This seemed to allay Haworth’s fears.
“Thank you,” he said, and rushed off to rejoin the festivities.
Alexander was not feeling particularly festive.
As the afternoon wore on and everyone had eaten their fill, the drinking and dancing began in earnest. He wanted to invite Viola to dance, but dared not. He did not care about earning his father’s disapproval. But Haworth’s words had sunk in. If gossip had gotten around the village about Viola been found in his arms, then he was not going to toss more logs onto that burning flame.
Instead, he danced with George’s mother, the wife of the local squire.
He also danced with Mrs. Bligh.
He then shared dances with several of the village girls.
As for Viola, she danced twice with his father…drat the man.
She also danced with the young shepherd lad, Jeremy.
Alexander struggled to suppress his apish jealousy when she danced with George Haworth. Despite their earlier tension, he liked George. The usually mild mannered clot was a decent man and probably would make her a good husband.
Still, Alexander would not hesitate to beat him to a bloody pulp if he dared claim more than a dance from Viola.
He drew a breath of relief when Viola declined a second dance with George, claiming her foot was now a little sore. She then took the opportunity to talk about her mishap and how she would have fallen on her face if he and Mrs. Bligh had not been on hand to catch her.
Gossip dispelled, for the most part.
George was not quite convinced and shot Alexander another troubled glance.
But all in all, Viola had done a thorough job of restoring her reputation, assuming it had ever been in question.
Alexander meant to keep it that way.
He held to his word and did not see Viola again until over a week later when his guests began to arrive for his ill-fated house party. Well, he should stop thinking of it as that. But how could he not?
Despite his wishes, Viola still refused to take that fifteenth guest chamber for herself. Instead, she took over Mrs. Stringer’s quarters.
It galled him.
Truly, it did.
Viola deserved better than to be housed in a cook’s bedchamber off the kitchen.
But he was not going to pursue the matter since Viola and his entire family would be up in arms if he tried to move her upstairs.
Perhaps George was not wrong to be worried.
He had missed her sorely.
