Scandal of Love (4 page)

The noise level in the room had risen once again after Lord Winters broke off from the women. “It’s time,” Quinton said.

Harold nodded, walking toward the two women. It only took a moment for the noise level to drop again. The room seemed to strain toward the small group, stretching to hear any tidbit of conversation.

Harold bowed toward the women. “My ladies, we feared you would not be able to join us this evening. Lord Devericks has been pining to see you Lady Sera.”

Quinton barely heard his friend as he watched the two women jerk in surprise. Both sets of eyes, his fiancée’s, a pretty speckled green, and her friend’s, a deep blue, the hue of the deepest lake, looked toward him in surprise before the emotion was quickly masked.

“I am glad to find that you are both looking well this evening. I hope that I will be able to secure a dance with each of you,” Quinton said, charm flowing naturally from his voice.

He could tell they were both pleased by his offer. It was expected that he would dance with his fiancée, especially to cement their relationship in the eyes of society, but it went far and beyond the call of duty to pay attention to her friend as well.

He extended his arm to the lady in the rose gown and asked, “Will you do me the honor?”

There was a gasp behind him and the two women looked a bit stunned as if they weren’t sure what they should do. Finally, the lady nodded, accepting his arm.

Walking to the floor, they lined up for the dance.

“What are you doing?” she hissed.

Quinton was a bit confused. “I’m dancing with you. It seemed appropriate,” he whispered, making sure only she heard his words.

She shook her head. “You are supposed to be dancing with Lady Sera, not me. Everyone was expecting you to ask her first.”

Shock pumped through him. “You’re not Lady Sera?”

“What?” Now she was the one who looked shock. “You thought I was Lady Sera?”

“Yes, her name was announced before yours but you walked in first.”

She bit her bottom lip. “Oh. Yes, I could see how that would cause confusion. I’m Lady Aubrey, Lady Sera’s friend.”

She was Lady Aubrey. That meant—could it be true?

He looked wildly around the room until he locked eyes with the woman in ivory. The woman whom he had thought was his fiancée’s best friend. The woman who was to be his wife.

He almost stopped breathing as he looked at her, taking in every inch. She would belong to him, only him. A fierce wave of possessiveness and satisfaction swept through him. She would be his.

To everyone else in the room, everything was put to rights. Although he had asked the best friend to dance, he was gazing longingly at the woman whom he supposedly loved. He just seemed much more the gentleman to dance with the less beautiful woman first.

His eyebrow arched when he saw a twinkle in her eye. Had she guessed what had happened? She seemed to be amused by the situation. He hoped she was.

“I apologize for the confusion,” he said, turning his attention back to Aubrey. “This shouldn’t interfere with our charade.”

“I agree. Everyone seems to be going back to their own business. As long as you dance with Lady Sera next, it should be fine.”

He nodded in agreement as the music began.

The quadrille was an intricate dance, but he had memorized the steps long before. At this point, it was muscle memory that got him through the movements. Every thought was on Sera.

After the last bow, signaling the end of the dance, Quinton escorted Aubrey back toward Sera. “Lady Sera, might I claim you for the next?” he asked, his voice a rich timbre.

A small smile appeared on her lips. “I would like nothing more.” She favored him with a deep curtsy.

The room quieted again, and Quinton felt everyone’s eyes on his back. He didn’t care though. All he could think about was this woman: how she looked, smelled, moved. His whole body seemed to be in tune with her.

Placing her hand on his arm as if they were familiar with each other, he led her to the floor. The first few notes of a waltz began, casting the room in a romantic tone. A few sighs could be heard from across the room as he slowly brought Sera against him.

He wanted to pull her into him, plaster her against his frame, but that would only cause another scandal. No, they had to behave with the utmost propriety, but he could dream about it.

As the introduction music ended, Quinton began the steps that had them twirling in each other’s arms around the floor.

She fit against him so perfectly. They seemed in tune with each other’s steps. So much so that he had no problem leading her through the music, their steps light as they swirled through the room.

He knew everyone was watching. Everyone was looking for evidence of their passion. And he was never one to disappoint. He had been prepared to feign desire, but with Sera, no pretense was necessary.

He wanted her. And it was plain for everyone to see.

He wondered if she felt the same pull as he, if she were just as in tune with him as he was with her.

He wanted this moment to last, to draw out every last ounce of music. It was with much regret when it came to an end and he had to take his hands off of her.

Wondering how soon he could get her back into his embrace, he escorted her to her companion. He hoped it would be soon.

***

To say that Sera was surprised was an understatement. She was shocked. This gorgeous, black-haired man who had eyes the color of fresh moss was Lord Devericks?

After a few deep breaths, Sera was prepared to dance with him, only to have him ask Aubrey first. Confusion settled within her, but it only took a moment to realize what had happened. He thought Aubrey was his fiancée!

She could tell the second he learned of his mistake, and it took every ounce of her control to stop herself from laughing aloud at the expression on his face.

She had to hold her laughter inside. It would only cause suspicion for her to laugh at her fiancé during their first appearance together.

The humor began to fade, quickly replaced by another feeling as he looked to her. He gazed at her with such blatant hunger that she almost gasped from the intensity.

Telling herself to break away from his eyes, she tried to look at another part of him that was less imposing, less powerful, but she couldn’t. She was held captive by his stare.

Blushing, she realized he wasn’t looking away from her. He was absorbing her from the top of her head to her toes. Nothing seemed to escape his notice. When his eyes returned to hers, the look he gave her was filled with such appreciation that she couldn’t help but blush again.

When the music began, he turned to dance with Aubrey, which Sera was grateful for. She wasn’t used to being looked at with such possessiveness. She hadn’t realized how powerful it would make her feel.

She felt proud that he was attracted to her. Not that she had anything to do with her own looks, but she felt womanly, beautiful. More so than she had ever felt before.

He moved well, she noted. Watching as he performed the intricate patterns of the quadrille with Aubrey, she saw that he never missed a step.

Unable to stop herself, her gaze lingered over him. His shoulders were broad, heavily corded with muscles that tapered down to a narrow waist. His legs ate up the floor as he danced, strong and sure. He was about a half a foot taller than her, but he seemed so much bigger, so much more imposing. There was something about him that didn’t seem quite tame. His clothes were of the highest quality, but it was the man himself that seemed to be a bit uncivilized. Was it his travels on the continent that had given him a touch of the wild?

The dance ended in a flurry of bows, and her heart began to beat heavily in her chest as he came to claim her for the next.

Placing her hand on his arm, she felt the muscles bunch underneath her touch. The give of his skin through the layers of his clothes felt so intimate. Why had she never noticed that with another man before?

His arm came around her as the music began, and that was when she stopped thinking. She could only feel.

Her pulse melded with his as they glided through the steps. Completely in tune with him, her body moved and swayed with the music. Everything seemed to dim, the music, the lights. Everything except her heartbeat. The deep, even rhythm had picked up, almost keeping pace with the tempo of the music.

Looking up, she closed her eyes against the cascading fire that shot through the crystals in the chandelier. Were they sparkling as brightly a moment ago, or had they just started?

She didn’t understand it. She couldn’t.

What was happening to her? Did Lord Devericks feel it as well? Trying to be inconspicuous, Sera glanced at his face, trying to discern if he felt something out of the ordinary.

He seemed composed, his features serene. Almost as if he didn’t realize everyone was watching them. But did he feel the pull between them? Had he felt how the world seemed to dim when she stepped into his arms?

He was a stranger. There was no reason he should have such an effect on her. But for whatever reason, he did.

The final note of the song drew out, ripping her out of the trance. It was over so soon? It felt as if they had just come together.

With a final curtsy, she took his arm, hearing the noise level raise, no doubt in conversation about what they had just witnessed.

He leaned down to her ear. “I think we’ve passed the first hurdle. Everyone seems convinced.”

Shaking her head, she tried to clear her thoughts. “Yes. I wonder if that is all it will take.”

“Probably not. We should try to stay within eyesight of each other the rest of the evening to keep up appearances.”

“Of course,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant even though her pulse raced. What was it about him that made her so unsteady?

“I’m sorry that we haven’t had a chance to talk yet. I hope to remedy that very soon.”

“I would like that,” she whispered. And she would. She desperately wanted to know about the man who would be her husband.

“Soon.”

She nodded her agreement. “Soon.”

He bowed once again before leaving her with Aubrey. Another dance began, and the other guests seemed to return to normal.

“Well, how was it?” Aubrey whispered.

“We seem to dance well together,” she said, trying to make light of her feelings.

Aubrey’s eyebrow rose in disbelief. “He seems very attracted to you. Although I can’t say I’m surprised. Almost every man in this room is.” She let out an inelegant snort. “Were you as surprised as I was when he thought I was you? I couldn’t believe it when he asked me to dance first. I’m sure others were equally as shocked.”

Sera chuckled softly. “I think I saw Lady Bransberry choke on her lemonade when he offered you his arm. He handled himself quite well though.” They laughed as they thought of the ton’s biggest gossip being taken by surprise.

Aubrey nodded. “I think you might be able to convince everyone that it is a love match.”

“I hope so. Or else this will all be for nothing.” Sera looked toward the opposite side of the room where the refreshment table was. “I’m rather thirsty. Would you come with me to get a glass of lemonade?”

“Of course. It’s quite hot in here,” Aubrey agreed.

Why weren’t any of the windows open yet? It would only get worse as the night wore on.