Page 21 of The Duke's Second Bride
“Just as I was saying, Your Grace,” Vincent replied smartly, giving Christian a raised brow as if to say,See? It’s not just me who thinks so.
“A ball is a time for pleasure!” the older woman continued, gesturing at the ballroom, “not for business! Let your work matters fall to the side just for this one evening, my child. Enjoy yourself; have a drink; dance with a lady.” Here she paused to give him a cheeky nudge in the side. “It’s not right for a man tobe alone when there are so many lovely women in attendance waiting to be asked to the dance floor.”
Christian maintained his composure, though he could not entirely keep his eye from twitching.
Sophia, perhaps noticing this, touched her husband’s arm. “Vincent, darling, perhaps you should take a turn about the room with the duke? You could help him look for his business partner. Surely the sooner he is done with his work, the sooner he can properly turn his attention to the efforts of fully enjoying the festivities, like the rest of us.”
Christian recognized that she was offering him a chance to escape the dowager duchess’s insistence on inundating him with questions, and he gave her a nod of silent thanks.
Vincent nodded. “Of course!” As soon as they were a little way away from the ladies, he lowered his voice and said to Christian. “Business, eh? Is that really why you are here? Or is there perhaps a certain lady who has caught your eye?”
Christian glared at him. “Leave it alone.”
Vincent laughed. “All right, all right. Very well. How is Luke, then?”
“He is as well as always.”
“Is he faring well with the new tutor?”
“Seems so,” Christian said blandly.
“That’s good, that’s good,” Vincent said.
Before he could say anything more, Christian’s eyes fell on Lady Dunfair across the room.
She looked ravishing, her figure caressed by a satin gown the color of rich forest moss. A few tendrils had escaped her meticulously pinned hairstyle. He had the urge to watch her take down her hair, to see it tumble down over her shoulders. Her lips were pink and plush, and the exposed column of her neck was almost too much to bear.
If they were alone, he would scarcely be able to wait five minutes before tearing that beautiful dress from her, he thought. What soft skin and luscious curves must lie beneath? He longed to know the taste of her skin. He ached to feel himself slotted between her thighs.
He was doomed, he realized. As long as Lady Ava Dunfair was in London, she would continue to torment his every thought any time he saw her irresistible beauty.
“Ah, Lord Barringford! Just the man we were looking for,” Vincent exclaimed.
Christian was shaken from his lustful reverie and tore his gaze away from Lady Dunfair.
He cleared his throat. “Yes. Good to see you, Barringford. I was hoping to discuss whether you had any news of …”
As the conversation continued, Christian only found himself with a moment to glance back at Lady Dunfair.
But when he looked at where she had been standing a few minutes ago, she was gone.
Soon enough, the musicians started up, and the dancing was in full swing. No sooner had the first waltz been announced than a young man approached Edith and Ava.
“Good evening, ladies,” he said with a bow, before extending a hand to Edith. “I would be most pleased, Madam, if you would give me the generosity of sharing the first dance with me.”
Edith’s eyes lit up. Ava knew how much her friend loved dancing. But then Edith hesitated, looking at Ava. Ava gave a little gesture indicating that Edith could go.
It’s all right, she tried to say with her eyes.
Edith smiled and left with the gentleman.
Watching her friend begin to whirl around the room, Ava looked about, hopeful that perhaps someone would ask her to dance, too. How long had it been since she had been asked to dance?Surely not for many years. The last time she recalled dancing with William was at their wedding, and that had been eight or nine years ago.
But no gentlemen approached. Not a single one.
She tried to temper her disappointment.
“… really, poor Lady Dunfair. Have you heard the awful things people have been saying about her?” came a whisper from a few steps away. “It is ridiculous. How could anyone be so silly as to spread around such foolish trollop?”
