A small low sound rumbled in his throat. Everything inside him screamed to pull her back. Instead, he watched as the other man led Cordelia away.
“Lord Malicorn,” Minnie said as she tugged on his jacket.
He turned to Cordelia’s cousin, hating to take his eyes off Cordelia even for a second. “Yes?” His voice came out gruffer than he’d intended.
“I don’t like the look of him.” Minnie leaned closer. “I know that you’ve been tasked to keep an eye on Cordelia to ensure she doesn’t spill the secrets of your club but would you be so kind as to watch over her this dance? Something doesn’t feel right to me.”
Malice pulled his head back in surprise. “With pleasure,” he answered as he nodded to Minnie. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t move a finger out of place.”
Minnie gave him a warm smile. “Thank you.”
There was no need for her thanks. He had every intention of keeping Cordelia in his sight. He might be afraid of his own feelings but he was even more wary of this dandy pursuing the woman he’d marked for his own.
* * *
Cordelia drew in a deep breath, wishing she’d had a bit more time between sets. Lord McKenzie danced as she would expect, with clean, crisp lines that spoke of beauty but they left little room for rest. And there was nothing intimate or soft in his embrace. Unlike the Marquess she’d rejected.
She caught Chad stalking through the crowd of bystanders to her right, his eyes on them even as Lord McKenzie spun her around so that she lost sight of her not-quite suitor.
By all accounts, McKenzie would be cast in the role of hero. But for her, the sight of Chad helped her relax a bit. He was the one who made her feel safe.
“Lord McKenzie, I’ve not seen you at many events. Do you attend often?”
He shook his head, staring down at her. “I’m not one to participate in society.” He pulled her just a touch closer and she found herself resisting the tug, attempting to keep space between them.
“I understand. Society can be…”
“Exhausting.” He filled in with a chuckle.
“Most definitely,” she replied. “So how do you find yourself here tonight?”
His dark eyes glittered in the candlelight. “I intend to marry soon. One rarely finds a proper bride anywhere else.”
“Oh,” she whispered, heat infusing her cheeks. “Then I am doubly sorry that you ended up with me as a dance partner rather than my sister.”
“I’m not,” he replied quickly. “But tell me why you say that.”
“She will be at many events this year. With my sister Emily newly wedded, it will be Diana’s first season.”
He quirked a brow, spinning her again. “Will your parents insist that you wait to marry until she’s made a match?”
Cordelia’s blood froze. This was a rather intimate conversation for a first dance. Why was that stranger so interested in her? She swallowed. Hopefully by the end of the night she’d find out. “I have no idea. I don’t think they’ve considered the possibility, to be honest.”
“And Lord Malicorn. Is he also a contender for your hand?”
Contender? “I don’t…that is to say…I’m not entirely clear…” She ceased talking. Had Lord McKenzie noticed Chad’s gaze upon them?
“I’ll take that as a yes. Coupled with the fact that you danced with him twice and your stumbling answer, he must have expressed some interest.”
Cordelia licked her lips, a nervous habit she often indulged in. She was not certain if she should confess that Chad had already proposed. Somehow, she didn’t think she should.
“May I call upon you, Lady Cordelia?”
“Of course,” she answered, her breath catching in her throat. This had to be a mistake. She didn’t actually have two suitors, did she?
As Lord McKenzie escorted her back to her party, her hand slipped around his elbow. He was leaner than Chad, and she had to confess that she rather liked Chad’s muscles. Still, she was wanted for the first time in her life by not just one man, but by two. Her head was light with giddiness.
She already knew that neither was likely a good match. Lord McKenzie lacked a warmth that she’d need and Chad…despite his offer, he held back from her. She knew what she wanted. A man that would be her knight in shining armor. Chad Malicorn wouldn’t be that for her, he only wanted a suitable bride.