“Aye, perhaps she just isn’t ready …” Charles sighed heavily and added, “More is the pity …”
***
Lady Babs noted to herself that the duke singled her out for his first dance, and that a waltz, which she decided was most significant. She wondered if he had in fact come to the ball to just to see her? Impossible, she told herself—foolish, schoolgirl dreams. What would someone so sophisticated want with her?
However, something inside her tickled a hope, and when she looked up during the steps of the dance and discovered his deep blue eyes, she traveled to a place she never knew existed until that moment.
She tried to snap out of it. He surely was only amusing himself. His heart was well guarded, and she did not have experience enough to tear down his defenses. She was sure that even if she were to flirt outrageously … she wouldn’t be able to follow through. What did she know about such things?
She attempted to look past his shoulder and pretend his hand on her waist wasn’t making her tremble. This proved impossible as his shoulders were so much higher than her eye level; she succeeded only in staring at the black velvet of his coat.
He called up her eyes as he whispered low, and his voice sent a thrill through her system. “You look enchanting, my lady.”
“Thank you, your grace. You look rather enchanting yourself …” Oh my goodness, she thought. That didn’t just come out of my mouth!
He chuckled and said with a chin towards Otto, “I see your friend has suffered no ill effects from his experience yesterday.”
She threw her head back and giggled. “Otto? Oh no. He is forever doing something of the sort. They call him Deathwish on the hunting field.”
“Deathwish, eh? They should call him Lucky,” the duke said on a quiet note.
“Well, that depends on how you view it all. One could say he was unlucky to find so many unfortunate situations—”
He cut her off, as when he bent to whisper in her ear she lost all train of thought and ability to speak. The softness of his husky breath near her ear actually made her close her eyes. “No, I meant lucky to call you friend and have you with him so often.”
“Ah …” She managed to sound cool in spite of her trembling knees. “Here it is, that deadly charm Chuck warned me about.” She had to keep control over herself. She would not turn into a schoolgirl in this man’s arms—she would not, she told herself roundly.
He laughed and said, “Acquit me, child. I meant the compliment, truly.”
“Oh … then you are not flirting with me?” she teased.
He cocked his head. “It would be my pleasure to do so, if I believed you wished it.”
“And what woman would not? After all, you are a handsome duke with a worthy reputation,” she said naughtily. “But then, what did you call me … ah yes, child? So I suppose you do not think me a … woman?”
“Not think you a woman?” His smile was devilish and devastatingly winsome. “Ah, but I see that you are the most dangerous kind.”
“How so?”
“You creep up on a man, just when he thinks he is safe in your hoyden company,” he said.
She laughed and said, “Touché!”
He twirled her one last time before he brought her up close, too close, only to stop and bow, for the music had ended. He offered his arm and said, “Shall I return you to your papa …?”
“I think not …” She eyed him coyly and indicated with her chin. “I do believe Otto has been trying to get my attention.”
He stopped her then, for they were out of the crush of people, and said, “You would be in your rights, you know, to put up your chin and turn me up cold for calling you a hoyden.”
“Would I? But …” She laughed and said, “’Tis what Papa always says. You see, I learned early on that boys are able to do so many more famous things, sooo …”
“So … you very naturally adopted their manners?” He quizzed her.
She felt the blush burn her cheeks, but Sir Charles was at that moment closing in on them. She made the duke a small curtsey. “Thank you, your grace …”
He smiled wide and bent low over her fingers. “The pleasure was all mine.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she answered roguishly, turning away to greet his cousin Charles, who was saying something about the country dance. “I had quite a bit of pleasure, myself.” She gave him an impish smile and went back onto the dance floor with Charles. From the corner of her eyes she noted with no little satisfaction that the Duke of Barrington watched her departing form.