Page 53 of Dancing with an Enigmatic Duke
“You just seem as though you want to say something.” Emmeline watched him closely. “If you will not tell me what it was, then perhaps you should dance with me, Your Grace.”
Lord Torrington looked around at the couples forming at the edges of the dance floor. He conceded by leading her towards the edge of the floor, where they took their place among the couples. They waited for the floor to be opened for dancing and then Lord Torrington led her onto the floor.
He truly was an exquisite dancer, even if he did not much enjoy dancing. She leaned on him as much as the dance allowed and let him lead her in the steps. The music was lively as they spun, the other couples dipping in and out of her vision as they too twirled around them.
By the time they finished the dance, Emmeline could feel her cheeks had reddened with the exertion. She laughed as they stepped out from under the chandeliers that lit the dance floor. She could feel Lord Torrington’s hand lightly at the base of her spine in such an intimate gesture that she wondered if he were doing it deliberately to take the steam out of the rumours about Lord Hawley.
“Refreshment?” Lord Torrington looked at her questioningly.
Emmeline placed her hand over her chest and nodded. “I think I might need it. That was a very rousing dance. I do hope they have some slower ones or we might all perish.”
“Well, no one said you had to dance every dance, Lady Callum,” Lord Torrington said with a chuckle, “But yes, I do believe they will have some slower ones as well.”
Emmeline followed Lord Torrington to the refreshment table and accepted the drink he offered her. “Hmm, that has a very light fruity taste.”
“I thought you might prefer that to the house punch. It is rather strong.”
Emmeline gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you for that. I can actually smell it from here.”
“They are a little heavy handed,” Lord Torrington agreed. He took a cup of the same drink he had given Emmeline.
She spotted Lord Hawley, who looked at her and then at Lord Torrington. She too looked at Lord Torrington, who was sipping his drink watching the couples meander along the edges of the dance floor bantering to see who would dance with whom and for which dance.
She wanted very much to talk to Lord Hawley, but she also liked spending time with Lord Torrington. For his reputation of not having much interest in womenfolk, he was actually rather a gentleman when it came to his manner. She forced her mind away from him as it threatened to go back down the path Francesca had sent her on at the start of the season.
Lord Torrington and she had struck up a deal. She would see that the deal was maintained. That was all.
“What are you thinking about?” his voice interrupted her thoughts.
Emmeline was thinking of how he would be as a husband, but her mouth said, “I thought that I should talk to Lord Hawley soon. He keeps looking this way.”
“Does he?” Lord Torrington peered in the direction that Emmeline was looking, but she hit him on the arm. “Fair lady, why do you accost me?”
“Hush. You might think yourself clever, but others are likely to only see it as a foundation of another rumour. I need no more of those.”
“What rumour would it be? Lord Torrington makes jest at would-be suitor of his betrothed?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
Emmeline sighed. “Firstly, we are not betrothed yet.” She held up her hand when he went to speak. “Secondly, Lord Hawley is my friend, and I will not have him made fun of.”
“I am sorry.” Lord Torrington said, which was so out of character for him that she stopped and stared at him. “I shall make myself scarce so that he will not be afraid to appear.”
Before Emmeline could say anything else, he left. She looked around to see if anyone had noticed their exchange, but they all appeared to be engrossed in their own conversations. She breathed out and tried to relax, but she was very nervous about the fact that Lord Hawley might have been avoiding coming over for more than just another man’s presence.
She waited a long while and finally gave up that he might approach her. She walked to the entrance to see if she could find her brother, but a voice called out. “Lady Callum!”
“Lord Hawley,” she said in surprise as she turned. “I thought you might have been avoiding me.”
He looked down at his feet. “I thought perhaps the same for you. I noticed that Lord Torrington stayed by your side, so I figured that perhaps he had heard the rumours.”
“Oh, we have,” Emmeline said softly. “Lord Torrington is not easily threatened by such things. We understand each other, and we know our minds, so it little matters what others say. I was worried that perhaps it was you who wanted to stay clear of the rumours.”
To her surprise he chuckled. “To tell the truth, it is such a foreign thing for me to be the talk of anything it is really quite a novelty. Besides, as long as it does not hurt you, then I do not care what they say of me.”
Emmeline smiled. “In that case, do you wish to escort me onto the dance floor?”
“I would be honoured.”
Emmeline was struck by the differences in Lord Hawley and Lord Torrington once again as they danced. Lord Hawley made her smile. She could let her guard down around him, but there was something she could not quite place about the feeling that he provoked in her. Even as he led her off the dance floor, she found herself still trying to define what this man was to her. Was he a suitor? Did he feel that way about her? He certainly seemed to.
