Page 16 of Ravishing His Wicked Lady (The Shadows 4)

After a moment of brief enjoyment, Sebastian’s brain returned to its functioning self, and he took the young lady by her arms and pushed her away from him.

“It is truly unbecoming how brazen young ladies have become in pursuit of a title,” he said as he pulled his frock closer together to avoid the young lady seeing the effect she’d had on him.

“Pardon me?” Her voice was breathless, and she seemed truly confused.

“You are pardoned,” Sebastian said drily. “But please, make haste and find your chaperone before we become miraculously compromised.”

“I beg your pardon?” the lady repeated again, but this time louder, her expression growing astonished. “Are you insinuating that I came here in hopes of ensnaringyouas my husband?” She waved her hand toward him, and her face held a note of confusion.

“Are you professing your innocence, then?” Sebastian cocked his head to the side and finally studied the woman in front of him.

She was a tiny little thing. Her head barely reached his sternum. But she was deliciously rounded in all the right places; her breasts almost spilled out from her bodice, her body was tightly hugged by the fabric, and although he couldn’t see it, he was certain her bottom was filling her skirts perfectly, too. No wonder his body had reacted to her the way it had. She was every man’s dream.

Her face was shaded so he couldn’t tell exactly what she looked like, but the light from the ballroom outlined her in such a way that would make her a perfect subject to paint. The glowing curls on her head crowned her face just so, the golden line of light emphasized the side of her neck and traveled down to her milky white breast tops, illuminating the perfect little birthmark, just above the edge of the bodice, leaving the mind to imagine what view awaited him under the clothing.

“Let me assure you that marriage, especially to you, was the last thing on my mind upon coming here.”

Sebastian’s eyes snapped back into focus as he met the lady’s defiant gaze. “Then why did you come here, unchaperoned, to a balcony clearly occupied by a lonesome gentleman?A marquess.”

The lady crinkled her nose adorably. “I have not seen you, and contrary to what you might believe about yourself, there is no halo around your head with the word marquess written over it.” She gestured with her hand, exactly where in her opinion that writing should have been located. “The truth, however unpleasant to you, yet clear to everyone else, is that you are just as invisible as any other mortal man. I have not seen you before entering the balcony and I wish I wasn’t seeing you now.”

A halo! What a wonderful idea. Sebastian could easily imagine it being painted over the lady’s head. Come to think of it, the lady would be a perfect model for an angel, leaving out the fact that she was currently aggravated, and her words resembled a devil’s more than an angel’s. However, Sebastian was not angry with her anymore.

Perhaps she came here to ensnare herself a rich husband. Could he fault her? No.

But should he stand here and contemplate her heavenly visage and her viper-like sharp tongue? Probably not. That way lay disaster.

“Let me disappear out of your way then,” he said and stepped toward the doors.

“Splendid,” she bit out and leaned her hands against the balustrade.

She didn’t even glance his way. Perhaps it was true. She hadn’t come here seeking him out. She came here seeking solitude. Just like he had.

Disappointment filled Sebastian’s chest.

Why disappointment? Wasn’t it what he had wanted? To be invisible to marriage-minded misses?

In this case, for some unfathomable reason, he wished it was the reverse.

* * *

The sound of footsteps and the swishing of a skirt alerted Lavinia that someone had entered the balcony. A female someone. The scent of lavender preceded its owner. Lavinia wiped her tears discreetly just a moment before Annalise appeared by her side.

Thank god it was Annalise and not some gossipy matron bent on chastising her for leaving the ballroom, or worse yet, Caroline.

Something squeezed at the center of her chest just thinking of that possibility.

“I am sorry this is so difficult for you,” Annalise said quietly.

Lavinia swallowed the bitterness inside her. “I wish I did not feel this way. I want to be supportive of Caroline, I really do. I haven’t even congratulated her on the wedding. I am such a terrible friend. But I can’t… I just can’t look at her at the moment.”

Annalise stared into the void for a moment before saying, “You are not being a terrible friend. You need to take care of your feelings, too. Caroline is very understanding, trust me. Whenever you’re ready, she will hear you out.”

That just made it worse. Of course, Caroline would be understanding. Of course, she didn’t approach Lavinia, because she knew Lavinia needed space. Of course. Caroline was perfect. While Lavinia… Well, at the moment, Lavinia was bitter, and she loathed herself for it.

Why can’t I be just a little bit like Caroline?

“But I saw you talking to Lord Roth,” Annalise added cheerfully.

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