Page 65 of Intolerable
“Are you all right?” Ruark asked, concerned at what looked like pain in her features.
“Does lively mean he stepped on your foot?” Miss Lancaster asked, seeming to already know the answer.
“Twice,” Cassandra confirmed as she lifted and extended one foot, the dark pink of her slipper appearing beneath her hem. Shaking the appendage, she looked to Ruark. “He’s not as good a dancer as you, I’m afraid.”
The urge to sweep her onto the dance floor, to put evidence to her words was nearly overwhelming. Instead, he forced a tight smile.
His mother clasped his arm, and he instantly knew what was coming. “You should dance with her, Ruark.”
“I’m afraid I already have a partner for the next set,” Cassandra said, flicking him a glance that clearly told him she wished she didn’t. Damn, this was even more difficult than he’d imagined!
Before his mother could suggest a later set—and she most certainly would have—Kat arrived. Alone.
“Where is your partner?” their mother asked, looking past Kat.
“I told him I could find my way after thanking him for the dance.” Kat shook her shoulders and wriggled her arms. “He was too touchy.” She made a face, much to their mother’s horror. Ruark could tell she wanted to say something but held her tongue since they weren’t alone.
“Oh, I loathe when they’re like that,” Cassandra said to Kat, who stood next to her.
Kat turned her head, and her reaction made it clear she hadn’t realized Cassandra was even there. “Lady Cassandra! I’m so glad to see you. Yes, grabby gentleman are awful. Unless you invite them to grab.”
“I sincerely hope you don’t do that,” their mother admonished. Ruark could hear the silent “anymore” she’d added onto to the end of that in her mind.
A smile teased Cassandra’s lips, and Ruark wanted to coax it forth and devour it whole. “I would agree that inviting a gentleman’s attention should be done with great caution.” Her gaze nearly strayed to Ruark, but she jerked it back to his sister. This was hard for her then too. Ruark wasn’t sure if he was glad to know that or not.
Kat edged closer to Cassandra. “Do you really have to accept every invitation to dance?”
“Typically, yes. It’s considered rude if you don’t.”
“Why are men allowed to grab and we can’t even say no when we know they’ll behave poorly.” Kat crossed her arms over her chest.
“You might want to keep your voice down,” Cassandra suggested with a smile. “On second thought, don’t bother. You make an excellent point.”
Kat’s face lit and her eyes glowed. “Thank you.”
Watching Cassandra talk with his sister, and—even better—understand her filled him with joy.
“They don’t even want to talk about birds or horses,” Kat moaned.
Cassandra stared at her with rounded eyes. “You’ve found gentlemen who don’t wish to talk about horses? How can this be?”
“Well, they want to talk about how tall they are or how well matched they are or how fast they are.” Kat rolled her eyes. “I want to discuss their mating habits, how long they should be in service, what can be done to ensure their quality of life—”
Their mother laughed. “Kathleen, you are a dear, but I’m sure Lady Cassandra doesn’t want to discuss those things either.”
“I would in fact,” Cassandra said with a warm look toward Kat. “That all sounds fascinating.”
Ruark’s mother seemed surprised. She blinked before gently clearing her throat. “How nice.”
He could see the appreciation in his mother’s gaze. Kathleen more often annoyed people. Seeing Cassandra engage with her so fully had to make her heart happy. It certainly made Ruark’s.
He knew he loved her. He just didn’t know if it would last. What if he wasn’t capable of loving her forever?
Excusing himself, Ruark beat a hasty retreat from the ballroom and didn’t stop until he was outside in the dark away from anguish.
And temptation.
Cassandra watched Ruark weave through the crowd of people until she could no longer see him. She might have gone after him if she didn’t have another dance coming up.
