She looked so lovely…and so desirable. Andrew had the sudden urge to take her in his arms, drop his face to her neck and smother her with kisses. What’s wrong with me? He shook the indecent thought away and took a step away from her. Being too close to this woman was bad for his health.
“Um…yes, I agree.” He cleared this suddenly dry throat. “I’ll be off now. I shall see you tonight.”
Kind eyes met his again and she smiled sweetly. “Indeed you will. I’m looking forward to it.”
“As am I.” He bowed then quickly left. With every step back to the manor, he wondered what he’d done by asking her to go with his family to the ball tonight. Being with her was not a good thing at all. Hopefully, he’d be able to keep things on the up and up, and not want to gaze at her with these strange dreams in his head, and he especially hoped he didn’t want to hold her or kiss her neck. Being that intimate with her was out of the question!
Chapter Eleven
Eight o’clock couldn’t get here soon enough!
Halle had floated through the afternoon and into the evening as if on a dream cloud. Earlier today with Andrew had been wonderful. She hadn’t wanted it to end. Only a few times had she felt uncomfortable, and it was when he’d asked her about the story she’d concocted in order to gain their trust. She hated to lie, especially to someone she cared about, but in this case, she knew it was necessary. Other than that, she couldn’t stop gazing into his eyes—and noticing he couldn’t stop looking into hers. His heated gaze had wandered over her a lot. Several times his expression relaxed and his eyes softened to a lighter blue. She liked that too much.
Halle had waited patiently…well, okay, maybe not so patiently, but she’d endured her visit with the duchess and Georgiana. Actually, being with them wasn’t so bad, but when Lord Edward interrupted their socializing, Halle could have screamed. He watched her with wary eyes, and even a few times desire had coated his gaze. She couldn’t figure out what she did to make him this way, and as she’d squirmed in her chair, she prayed he’d leave quickly.
At long last, Georgi went with Halle to her room to dress for ball. Georgi let Halle borrow a lovely powder blue gown with a wide scooped neck and puffy sleeves. The flounces cascading down the back of the gown were looped with a large white ribbon, making the creation look even more like the dress of a princess. Halle could have done without all the slips and hoops underneath, but then that would have caused a scandal, and the Duchess of Harrington certainly wouldn’t allow Halle to go into public that way.
She hated to admit, but it was rather nice to have a mother-figure looking out for her welfare and caring how she appeared in public. Halle certainly missed that in her own parent.
Finished with her toilette, Halle stood back and stared at herself in the full-length mirror…and grinned like an idiot. A very happy and satisfied idiot! She softly patted her hair. The sides had been pulled away from her face with pearl-studded combs, and thick ringlets styled the mass of her hair as it hung down her neck and back. Dang, she wished she could look this pretty every day…and feel like a giddy schoolgirl with butterflies swirling in her tummy as her hands were moist with nervousness. All because of a man.
From the other side of the room, Georgi frowned as her gaze skimmed over Halle. “Why did I never look as lovely as you in that gown?”
Smiling, Halle moved to the younger girl and patted her arm. “I thank you for the compliment, but I’m quite certain this gown is stunning on you as well. Believe it or not, all women believe the worst about themselves.”
Georgi’s face beamed. “Indeed? I’m not the only one who thinks such thoughts?”
“I can assure you, you’re not.” Halle winked as she hooked her arm around Georgi’s. “I suppose we should go downstairs to see if your parents approve.”
The younger woman nodded so fast her ringlets bounced. “How could they not? You are so lovely.”
She and Georgi left the room and took graceful steps down the grand stairs. The duke and duchess had just exited the sitting room. Both pair of eyes looked at Halle and their eyes twinkled as their smiles widened.
“Oh, Miss Chapman,” the duchess said. “You are very lovely this evening.”
“Indeed you are.” The Duke of Harrington nodded. “I’m quite certain many available men will be asking about you tonight.”
All Halle could do was grin, only because she couldn’t think of anything to say. Right now her mind was on seeing Andrew again and wondering if he would dance with her or want to be by her side tonight. She didn’t care one iota about all the available men. Just Andrew.
“I wish I could go,” Georgi pouted.
“In due time, my dear.” The duchess patted her daughter’s cheeks lovingly.
The duke clapped his hands. “Shall we be off now?”
Halle’s throat tightened. Where is Andrew? Wasn’t he supposed to escort her to the ball? This was a date wasn’t it?
She pushed the thought aside. Of course this wasn’t a date. First off, men didn’t date, they courted, and only if they were interested in marriage. In this case, all Andrew was interested in was going to the ball to help her search for those men she was supposed to have seen. Inwardly, she groaned. What a mess she’d made of her time in the nineteenth century already.
Stepping toward the front door, she followed behind the duke and duchess but kept peeking over her shoulder toward the stairs, waiting for Andrew to show himself. The butler handed out fur-lined wraps and cloaks, which they all took a moment to cover themselves for the cool night air before walking outside. A coach waited for them as a footman stood next to the vehicle with his hand on the opened door. One by one, he helped the ladies in before assisting the duke.
Halle adjusted herself on the seat, not able to stop the frown from claiming her expression. Andrew had to come to the ball. He must be there…and with her!
The vehicle door closed and within seconds, the coach jerked into action. Back in her time, she had been in carriage rides and imagined being back in this era, but never once had she realized how jarring these old-style vehicles actually were. How the women of this time could get from one destination to another without their backside being bruised, Halle didn’t know. And to think, the women were still required to dance tonight. Oh, the horror of it all!
Suddenly, the vehicle came to a halt, and had Halle nearly sliding off her seat. She braced her hand on the coach’s wall to keep upright. The others had curious expressions as well.
Through the brief silence came a man’s deep voice. Andrew!
The Duke of Harrington grasped the coach’s door handle, pushed open the door, and looked out. “Andrew, what is the meaning of this?”
Andrew sprinted up to the vehicle and stopped. “Father,” he said breathless, “why did you not wait for me?”
“You are coming to the ball?” his mother asked slowly as if she was trying to mentally grasp the concept.
“But of course.” Andrew grinned as his gaze moved over her before moving to Halle. “I would be a fool not to take advantage of being with such enchanting company.”
The duchess chuckled. “Oh, Andrew. You are such a charmer.”
He bowed slightly toward his mother and tipped his hat.
“That’s fine,” the duke said. “Climb inside.”
Halle’s heart flipped crazily against her ribs as he got into the vehicle and sat beside her. Andrew looked so gall-darned handsome in the shadows, and she couldn’t wait to see him in the light. Her palms moistened with anticipation of being in his arms dancing to her heart’s content.
She relaxed back in the seat and smiled. Yet, she scolded her thoughts for being so giddy. She hadn’t traveled back in time to fall in love with Andrew. For heaven’s sake, she had a purpose in coming here at this time…to help save the family from being killed, and to find the people responsible before they could form a mob and attack. Of course, if she fell in love with Andrew—and he returned her feelings—that would only be an added bonus
.
Her hopes dropped, knowing this would not be the time for love and romance. That only happened in the romance novels she read. In fact, she needed to think of herself as Sherlock Holmes searching for a criminal.
When it had become abnormally quiet in the vehicle, she lifted her gaze to the others in the coach. All three of them stared at her as if they expected her to say something. Quickly, she scrambled to recall if she’d heard them ask her a question just now, since obviously she hadn’t been paying attention.
“Uh…forgive me, but did you say something?” she asked.
“Yes, dear.” The duchess nodded. “I was just wondering how you have enjoyed your stay thus far.”
Halle smiled. Much better than expected. “You have a lovely home, and such a kind family. I have thoroughly enjoyed being with all of you, and I thank you for your generous hospitality.”
“Tell me, Miss Chapman,” the duchess continued, “have you sent a letter to your family to let them know you are here?”
Halle opened her mouth to reply, but Andrew’s father swiped his hand through the air as his expression hardened. “We have sent the letter and we are waiting on a reply. Until we hear further, I would appreciate it if we did not speak on the subject.”
Quickly, Halle snapped her mouth closed for fear that the tiniest peep would spark his anger. During the remainder of the ride, the Duchess of Harrington made small talk with Halle about the weather, the fashions, and what Halle had done in America. More times than not, the vehicle had her bumping into Andrew. He didn’t seem to mind, but it made her nervous. Then again, he was used to this form of transportation.
When they reached their destination, the coach stopped and within seconds, the door was opened. Andrew hopped out first and assisted his mother down first, and then as Halle prepared to leave, Andrew reached out for her. She followed the strong fingers up the arm to the man’s wide chest, then up to his very handsome face.
Once again, her heart did a silly flip. She slipped her palm across his as she took his hand. Helping her from the vehicle, his gaze locked with hers. Halle became breathless staring into his smoldering eyes, and it was all she could to do keep from sighing with pleasure and falling into his arms. You are not Cinderella, she reminded herself. But his hypnotic blue eyes made her want to believe in Prince Charming and fairytale endings.
Once her feet were firmly on the ground, he released her hand and offered her his elbow.
“May I escort you inside?” he asked with a deep voice.
“Certainly.” She nodded, still spellbound from his nearness.
It was hard not to continue staring into his eyes when they walked into the grand manor, but she forced herself to take in the lovely house and the expensive furniture and decorations.
After handing over their wraps and cloaks to the butler, she and Andrew entered the grand hallway behind the others, and soon their names were announced. Keeping a straight back, she lifted her chin slightly, trying to appear as regal as the rest of them—for being an American. She swept her gaze over the crowd and realized there were many glares being thrown at her from younger women. Halle refrained from laughing, knowing these women were jealous of the attention she was getting from the most handsome man in the room.
A few couples approached Andrew, and he politely introduced Halle to them. She nodded and pushed forth her right hand to shake hands. Immediately, the wide-eyes from the others reminded her that shaking hands wasn’t a greeting England had adopted yet. She dropped her hand and quickly curtsied.
Andrew’s chest shook with a chuckle. “She is from America.”
They smiled with a hint of humor twinkling in their eyes. Apparently, knowing she was an American suddenly made up for everything she did wrong.
After the other couples had left, Andrew stood beside her, glancing out across the ballroom. She had long since released his arm, but now she wished she still held onto it. Unfortunately, that was not proper. It also wasn’t proper to keep watching him, but no matter how hard she tried to look away, her attention returned to his handsome profile.
Finally—after a few awkward minutes—Andrew turned his head and met her waiting stare. A soft smile bracketed his mouth.
“Miss Chapman,” he began softly, “I believe you are here to search for two familiar faces, am I correct?”
“Uh…yes.”
“Then pray tell, why are you not doing that? I assure you that you’re not going to accomplish your goal if you’re looking at me all the time.”
Heat encompassed her face and she wanted to bury her head in a large hole. How silly of her to get lost in her daydreams. It was so hard having the memories they had made together in her time, but he doesn’t know any of them. It was hard to be half in love with him, but to have him think of her as a stranger.
“Forgive me, my lord. It’s just that…that…” Oh dear! What do I say now?
“That what, Miss Chapman?”
Well, she might as well fess up. “That I have not seen a more handsome man in my life.”
For the first time since knowing him, his face brightened with redness. Thankfully, she wasn’t the only one out of the two of them who could blush.
“Miss Chapman, you are very forward with your compliments.” His voice was low once again as if he didn’t want others to overhear.
She shrugged. “As you’d mentioned before, my lord, I am from America. Apparently, that is the excuse for all my mistakes.”
“Indeed, it appears that way, doesn’t it?” He chuckled and nodded. “Nevertheless, I thank you for the compliment.”
He stepped a little closer and leaned to her ear. Her heart knocked wildly against her chest. Warm breath blew against her neck from his mouth, making her shiver.
“You are very lovely tonight, too.”
Her grin widened. “Thank you.”
“Now tell me, Miss Chapman, have you seen those two men yet?”
Gulping to moisten her suddenly dry throat, she shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Then, shall we dance?” He held out his hand, palm up.
“I believe that is a splendid idea, my lord.” She placed her hand in his and he escorted her out on the floor.
As luck would have it, the orchestra began playing a waltz instead of a country dance. This meant she would be closer to Andrew just as she wanted.
At first, his gaze was everywhere but on her. He seemed nervous, which was a hard thing for her to believe. Andrew Merrick…nervous? For some reason, that just didn’t fit in with his personality. But how else could she explain his hesitation to look at her, or ever talk to her? Well, she must say something—anything—to get his eyes upon her once again.
“What an accomplished dancer you are,” she finally said.
He looked at her and nodded. “And let me say the same about you…especially for being an American.”
Humor gleamed in his gaze. She grinned and added, “Were you afraid I was not educated in the art of dancing?”
“I must admit the thought had crossed my mind.”
Slowly, she slid her hand up his muscular arm a bit, relishing in his incredible build.
“But I’m relieved to admit,” he continued, “that I think you dance just as well as any lady I’ve partnered with.”
His comment made her grateful she had taken ballroom dancing classes before. “I thank you for the kind words. However, I only have a few dance partners to compare you to, and you have outshone them by far.”
He chuckled. “Miss Chapman, you are truly a flatterer…a most bold flatterer, I’ll add.”
“Only when the occasion calls for it.” She shrugged. “I usually only hand out compliments when they are necessary.”
His gaze skimmed slowly over her face, lingering longer on her mouth. Her breathing became ragged, and it had nothing to do with the exertion of moving around in this layered gown, either…or the corset that seemed very tight right now.
“Miss Chapman, will you please tell me why you are so
bold with your words?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Do you enjoy women with that trait, my lord?”
The smile on his mouth stretched wider. “Do you want me to enjoy aggressive women?”
Gads, he was adorable when he flirted. “Actually, I do, my lord.”
His hand resting on her waist tugged her a little closer. She couldn’t stop the sigh from escaping her lips, and heaven help her, but she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to be held by this strong man in an intimate embrace. Of course, here on the dance floor was not the romantic spot for their first kiss, so hopefully he’d ask her to go outside for a walk pretty quickly.
“Tell me, Miss Chapman, why have you set your sights on me, especially when you claim we have never met?”
She sucked in a quick breath. What do I say now? Hesitating, she hoped to have an intelligent thought pop into her head. “Is it a crime to admire someone only after a few days of meeting them? What I have seen of you, my lord, you are indeed an impressive man. What girl wouldn’t want to set her sights on you?” Halle seriously hoped her answer wasn’t too forward, yet it seemed that was the only way to act tonight.
Several seconds passed before he grinned and looked away. Slowly, she released her breath. At least he’d accepted her answer. For now, anyway.
Just as when they had first started dancing, his attention was everywhere but on her. But he still held her scandalously closer than when they had first started dancing. That was encouraging since he could have pulled away by now. But she wanted to talk to him more…wanted to hear his deep, sensual voice, and gaze into his dreamy blue eyes.
“So tell me, my lord,” she began when the silence between them had become irritating, “when do I get to meet your brother’s fiancée, Lady Agnes Caldwell?”
Andrew’s head snapped toward her so fast she feared it would spin right off his neck. Gone was the pleasant expression he held a few moments ago. His eyes were wide and filled with distrust. Her heart sank. What have I done now?
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Love Lost in Time (Victorian Time-Travel) Page 14
