Page 41 of The Duke of Ice
This was met with more laughter. Even Lavinia cracked a smile.
Lady Nixon fixed Violet with a penetrating stare. “You seem quite fixated on the Duke. Is it possible you have a tendre for the Duke of Ruin—sorry,Romsey?”
Violet gritted her teeth. “I do not. However, he’s demonstrated himself to be a kind and admirable gentleman.”
“Besides, it was Ice who kissed her.” Lavinia cringed the moment the words left her mouth. She shot a pained, apologetic look toward Violet.
“Is that so?” Mrs. Law asked in a deceptively melodic voice.
Every head swiveled toward Violet, expectation painted on their faces.
“It was Kiss if You Can, and we drew cards for partners.” Violet’s tone was dispassionate, and she didn’t care. “Oh look, the gentlemen have arrived.” She smirked at Mrs. Law.
“Excellent!” Hannah declared, perhaps a trifle too loudly. “Let us repair to the ballroom for dancing!”
Lavinia jumped up. “Yes, let’s!”
Sarah joined her, looking as if she wanted to flee as quickly as possible from the women flanking her.
The gentlemen joined the women, and Violet heard one ask why the women were all clustered together. She walked away before she could hear the answer. She needed air.
Intending to cut through the adjoining sitting room to reach a doorway to the rear garden, she stalked away from the rest of the guests. Well, most of the rest of the guests. As she neared the doorway, she saw Nick standing near the mantel, his eyes hooded. Tonight was meant for brooding, apparently.
He turned his head, his gaze catching hers. She inclined her chin toward the sitting room, silently asking him to join her.
After hesitating a moment during which her irritation increased, he moved away from the mantel. Trusting that he was going to follow her, she continued into the sitting room.
She turned near the exterior door. He strode toward her, tall and handsome in his black and gray evening attire. Heat dashed through her, bringing every sensation of that afternoon’s kiss to the fore.
“I’m going to take a walk outside.”
He stared at her. “It’s cold.”
“I need some air. And I need to speak with you.”
“You want me to accompany you.” It wasn’t a question.
So she didn’t answer it. Instead, she turned and went outside. To his credit, he followed her.
As soon as they were outdoors, they were plunged into near darkness. Light from the house provided meager illumination, but not enough for her to make out his features. Unless they were close.
He came toward her and shrugged out of his coat, then wordlessly draped it around her shoulders. She was instantly engulfed in his spicy clove scent. The tremors racing through her body since he’d walked into the sitting room behind her intensified.
“I’m afraid our kiss is now common knowledge, but that isn’t why I wanted to speak with you.” She looked at his face, which she could see better now that he was closer. Even so, she couldn’t discern his feelings about what she’d just told him. “I have a plan for Simon,” she said.
“Do you?” The question was equal parts interested curiosity and skepticism.
“He’s already won over the younger set, but Lady Nixon and Mrs. Law are proving rather horrid.” She didn’t bother keeping the acid from her tone.
“They’ve nettled you quite thoroughly,” he murmured.
“They’re the nastiest sort. I plan on telling Hannah that I refuse to attend any further house parties if they’re to be here.” She shuddered, and it had nothing to do with the cold but her ire. She was actually feeling much warmer ensconced in his coat. Or maybe it was just his nearness that was causing her body temperature to rise.
“Perhaps now you see why I avoid such things,” he said softly and with more than a hint of irony.
“Quite.” But she knew he wasn’t the Duke of Ice simply to avoid the likes of Mrs. Law and Lady Nixon.
“What is your plan to do with Simon?” he asked.
