Page 45 of Disguised Desires of a Scarred Duke
That she’d shared that kind of intimacy with the man of her dreams was proof of luck being on her side. Maybe that luck would hold out long enough for Margaret to quit her ridiculous plans to bring Cecil Phillips into the Whitfield fold.
She thought about how swiftly this wild London season was going thus far and realized her birthday was coming up quickly. Was that the date that Margaret was focusing on as the deadline for Eleanor’s marriage to Cecil? If so, what significance could Eleanor turning five and twenty have to do with it?
Those were questions to be answered soon, for certain, but right now, she wanted to enjoy her time alone with Anthony as much as possible.
He was the only man that mattered right now.
“The hunting party will be back soon. I’ll ask Mr Charter to review this list again with me after dinner. Until then, please keep your eyes open to any suspicious behaviour. And let’s keep these worries to ourselves, for now, ladies. No sense in ruining the rest of the week without knowing yet whether we have a thief in our midst or not,” Lucy said. She folded her guest list, and the three women hugged each other.
There was time to rest before dressing for dinner, and Eleanor desperately needed it.
…
When she finally saw him again after the hunters provided their evening meal, Anthony was the picture of almost regal masculinity. How he looked more handsome in his formal coat and white gloves than he had every other time they’d danced before must be because of the intimacy they shared last night in his bed.
At least, that’s what Eleanor told herself as she studied him with unmasked joy. Anthony held his hand out to her from the middle of the dance floor, beckoning her to him with one smouldering look.
His obsidian eyes gleamed when she placed her hand in his. “I missed you today, Miss Whitfield. How are you feeling?”
Eleanor bowed and then followed his lead as the musicians played a familiar waltz. “I am quite well, Mr Black. Better than well. I am the picture of health and happiness.”
Anthony laughed. “My, that is splendid, Miss Whitfield. I am glad to hear it. I am particularly happy and healthy, too.”
His happy tone was a bit shocking for the usually brooding man who was moving her around the dance floor. “I’m not sure how I feel about you making polite and silly small talk, Mr Black. I think I prefer your fiery disposition and its heated aftermath.”
Anthony pulled her closer and grinned. “As my mother used to say to me as a child, you better watch what you wish for, or you just might get it.”
He winked at her and growled, then spun her around right into the arms of Cecil Phillips.
“May I cut in, Miss Whitfield? I believe you promised your mother that we would dance at this party, did you not?”
Eleanor backed away from Cecil just enough to send him a message without alerting the other guests to her discomfort.
“I made no such promise, Mr Phillips, despite what she may have told you. And many other ladies are waiting to dance. I already have a partner, as you can see.”
Anthony held tightly to her hand but said nothing yet. She was glad to be allowed to speak for herself before anyone intervened on her behalf.
Cecil needed to hear directly from her, as many times as necessary, that she would not let his plan come to life. She was a strong woman and would protect herself and her sister from this man, whether he believed it yet or not.
“As you wish, Miss Whitfield. A pleasant evening to you.”
Eleanor wasn’t sure if Cecil gave up so easily to avoid the diversion, but she was grateful for it, whatever the reason.
“Handled beautifully, Miss Whitfield,” Anthony said, then asked her to rejoin the dance.
“I believe I’d like to take a turn in the garden instead, Mr Black. Care to join me?”
Eleanor winked at him, then walked confidently through the waltzing dancers and out of the ballroom. Without looking behind her, she knew that Anthony was close by the sound of his boots on the echoing marble floors.
She kept walking until she reached the opening of the maze on the far side of the pond. People were milling in and out of it, many of them laughing with obvious relief at finding the opening again.
“Care for a challenge, Mr Black?” Eleanor said without turning around.
“Always,” he replied. “Lead the way, m’lady.”
She could feel him standing very close. His hypnotizing cologne had notes of citrus that drifted lightly on the summer breeze. She could hear his breathing grow quicker again, as it did the night before as she’d undressed in front of him for the first time.
Goosebumps formed on her arms that made Eleanor shiver. It was a warm night, but the man behind her was causing every cell in her body to vibrate.
