A Dash of Scandal(51)
At last he was able to turn to Millicent and say, “May I have a dance, Miss Blair?”
She refused to let her gaze meet his but softly answered, “Yes.”
Chandler looked up to her ladyship and said, “There is a waltz coming up. Has she been cleared to dance it?”
“My, yes. We’ve been most select in our care of Millicent, and she has been afforded all the opportunities as if this was her coming-out Season.”
Millicent lifted her hand and he took hold of her card and signed his name. Afterward, he took a quick moment to turn it over. The back was blank. But of course it would be, he told himself. He had settled for himself last evening that she was not involved with the Mad Ton Thief. She was merely writing down names and facts about people in order to better remember them. Names and titles could be confusing to anyone new to Town.
When he was finished, he bowed and said, “I shall return at the appropriate time and claim your hand.”
“Can you believe it?” Lady Heathecoute said to her husband in as hushed a voice as Millicent had ever heard her speak. “I do believe Lord Dunraven is smitten with her.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” the viscount answered, surveying the dance floor. “He’s never been smitten with anyone in his life, and it’s not likely that he will be with her.”
“She is lovely. And this is the second time he has sought her out and asked her to dance.”
Lord Heathecoute sniffed loudly. “What of it? It’s the third time Sir Charles Wright has asked her.”
“Sir Charles Wright tries to dance every dance no matter who the young lady is. Lord Dunraven does not. Even given his reputation, he’s very choosy.”
“Maybe she has caught his fancy for now, but I’m sure that will soon fade. It always does with him. Don’t worry. I’m certain the earl has no intentions of being leg shackled anytime in the near future. He’s having too grand a life to settle down to the country with a wife and family.”
While the Heathecoutes talked about her as if she weren’t present, Millicent tuned them out and turned away. She was glad she hadn’t told them that Lord Dunraven had asked to call on her several times and she’d refused him. It was best she kept that information for her aunt alone.
If Aunt Beatrice had reason to suspect the viscount and viscountess wanted to take over the column, Millicent should be careful and not discuss anything of importance with them until she had cleared it with her aunt.
She couldn’t deny that Lord Dunraven appeared to be smitten with her, but no doubt it was only temporary. And that was dangerous, since even knowing that, she kept finding herself in his arms. It was time for Millicent to be honest with her aunt and talk to her about Lord Dunraven.
This afternoon she had been a mere glimpse away from her mother’s ill fate of being tossed out of London like dirty baggage. She couldn’t explain it, she only knew she simply had no will when it came to the earl.
Angels above! If she would let him kiss her in a draper’s shop, she could clearly not be trusted in his presence anywhere else in London.
She could not allow herself to become any more enamored of him than she already was, and she must never be alone with him again. But telling herself that didn’t keep the minutes from seeming like hours until he came to claim his dance with her.
It was easy to scold herself and be firm as long as she wasn’t looking into his heavenly blue eyes, as long as he wasn’t caressing her with his mesmerizing gaze, or teasing her with delightful words.
Millicent had seen him several times throughout the evening, but never so closely as when he started walking toward her with that confident stride of a wealthy, titled gentleman. He was devilishly handsome with his hair brushed stylishly away from his face and his neckcloth beautifully tied. His brocade waistcoat and cutaway coat hid most of his crisp white shirt, but she didn’t miss the small trim of lace at his sleeves.
Millicent felt a sharp prick to her heart as she thought of the viscount’s words. For indeed the man striding toward her had the look of a man who had no intention of settling down to one lady. All the more reason for Millicent to seek the advice of her aunt as to how to rid herself of Lord Dunraven’s attentions once and for all.
She took a deep breath to fortify herself as he walked with her toward the dance floor with the ease of a man who has had many years of practice.
Oh, he was so good at being bad.
“I’ve been waiting for a dance with you all evening.”