Page 20 of The Duke of Ice
They left Nick’s chamber and went down to the drawing room where everyone was told to gather before dinner.
As soon as they appeared in the doorway, Linford clapped his hands. “It’s our resident heroes!”
Everyone joined in with applause, their heads swiveling to the doorway. Nick wanted to melt into the floor. He looked askance at Simon and saw a faint blush at the top of his friend’s neck. Yes, he was enjoying this, and well he should.
Simon flicked his wrist with a flourish and bowed deeply. Nick belatedly copied him, albeit with just a stiff bow.
As he straightened, he scanned the room. Miss Kingman was perched between her two young friends on a settee. Some of the tension left his frame. However, it returned as soon as he realized Violet wasn’t present. Was she ill?
A few of the ladies intercepted them, smiling and preening. They didn’t ignore Simon, but their attention was first directed at Nick.
Lady Balcombe looked up at Nick, her lashes fluttering. “However did you learn to swim like that, Duke?”
“In the ocean,” Nick answered, looking about the room once more as if he could will Violet to appear.
“My goodness,” Lady Adair said. “That must have been terribly difficult. How strong you must’ve been, even as a child. Assuming you learned as a child. I never did. Learn, that is.”
Nick focused on her for a brief, irritating moment. “I live on the coast. Learning to swim in the ocean is rather necessary. If you’ll excuse me.” He stalked to the opposite corner, where he could take up a vantage point from which he could see the doorway. That way, he wouldn’t miss Violet’s entry.
He caught the perturbed stare Simon quickly directed his way and lifted a shoulder in response. He knew he’d been short, but he didn’t want to make inane chitchat, especially about himself.
The expression he’d donned was clearly enough to deter anyone from approaching him. It looked a few times as though someone wanted to come speak with him, but then thought better of it. Mrs. Linford smiled at him and took a few steps in his direction, but stopped abruptly and made her way to another group of guests. And Lord Adair had inclined his head, then angled his body as if he might come Nick’s way. His wife had intercepted him and cast a wary glance at Nick.
Good, he preferred they all stay away.
With each minute of Violet’s absence, his gut churned. Ice spread across his shoulder blades and down his spine. When he was on the brink of quitting the room, she appeared in the doorway. Her honey-colored hair was piled atop her head with a jeweled comb while curls kissed her cheekbones. Her ruby-red gown hugged her frame, accentuating the swell of her breasts and the creaminess of her skin. Her gaze swept the room as his had done, but instead of finding it wanting, she settled on him. A shock went through him as their eyes met.
He’d felt something similar in the lake when he’d pulled her from the water, desperate to make sure she wasn’t going down beneath the boat. Leaving her to save Miss Kingman had been difficult—painful almost—but he’d done what he must. He’d seen Violet safe and gone to help the flailing young woman. But with every stroke, he thought of Violet’s hazel eyes—a beguiling mixture of strength, determination, and vulnerability.
That last one scared him to death.
He didn’t like vulnerability. He’d had far too much of it.
Her lips curved up, and she started toward him. He didn’t want to speak with her. Turning abruptly, he nearly crashed straight into Mrs. Padmore, a matron with sharp eyes and an even sharper tongue. She faltered but steadied herself. “My goodness.” She gave him a thorough but critical assessment. “Are you in a hurry?”
She wasn’t alone. Mrs. Stinnet, another matron but with far kinder eyes and a more retiring demeanor, stood at her side. “Of course he’s not,” she said to the other woman. “He just didn’t see us.”
“No, I did not.” But hehadbeen in a hurry—to escape Violet. “I beg your pardon.” He offered them an awkward bow and attempted to move past them, but Mrs. Padmore moved into his path so that he’d have to barrel into her again if he wanted to leave.
“That was a brave thing you did this morning, jumping into the lake,” she said. “I didn’t see it, but I hear it was magnificent.”
“Yes, quite dashing,” Mrs. Stinnet said with a wide smile. “I’m sorry to have missed it.”
He didn’t like this attention. Or the accolades. “It wasn’t meant to be a show.”
The women stared at him, nonplussed.Good.
Before they could pester him with more nonsense, the butler announced dinner. Relief poured through Nick, and he turned away from the women with alacrity.
He went directly to Linford’s mother, whom he’d escorted to dinner last night at Linford’s behest. Nick had also sat next to her at the table. She was rather reserved and provided an excellent buffer between him and the rest of the guests. Hopefully, he’d be seated next to her again.
Striding to her side, he offered her his arm and looked forward to leaving tomorrow.
* * *
“He’s ruiningmy house party!” Hannah cried as she and Violet huddled together in the corner of the drawing room. “He was supposed to complement the party.Elevateit.”
Violet patted her friend’s forearm briefly. “You mustn’t fuss. Or draw attention,” she murmured.
