“Really, Lady Sophia,” said one of the other wallflowers. “What are you thinking about to make you blush so?”
That made Sophia turn an even brighter shade of pink. “I, well, I was thinking of a scene in one of the books I’m reading where the handsome gentleman kisses his lady love.”
Though she told an untruth, she hoped God would forgive her, for she could never tell them what she was really thinking about. That would spread more scandalous rumors about her than there already were.
The others giggled, looking at her as though she had said something truly wicked and horrid.
“All those books you read will turn you into a bluestocking,” the young lady said. “No fine gentleman wants to marry one of those.”
That’s not true as I am going to marry Wesley, the Duke of Bersard, who loves the fact that I read books.
Sophia could not tell them that, either. More miserable than ever, not able to see her beloved Wesley, and unable to boast to these gossiping little chits that she was going to be making a fine marriage, Sophia turned her attention to the dancing and happy faces she saw all around her.
Across the room, with a few lords and ladies occasionally blocking her view, Sophia observed Lord Montrose. He smiled and laughed, seemingly thrilled to be talking to someone who Sophia could not quite see.
So far, he seems happy and not interested in glaring hate-filled daggers at me.
Intrigued, she took a few steps sideways to observe with whom her one-time suitor was so engaged in conversation.
With a shocked gasp, Sophia recognized Lady Alicia Keaton.
Why, he acts like he’s in love with her.
She could not help but wonder if Lady Alicia liked his self-centered hubris, how fixated he was on his clothes, and his position in society. Perhaps she shared those particular traits with him.
The more Sophia watched, the more she realized Lord Montrose was indeed either in love with or totally infatuated with Lady Alicia. Relief like a flood spread through her, and she smiled to herself.
Now that he’s found another heiress, he won’t cause Wesley or I any difficulty.
The knowledge that Lord Montrose found someone he liked better than herself made Sophia feel immensely better about the situation. Once the two-week limit her father set was up, she and Wesley could become openly engaged without any scandal attached to it.
With Lord Montrose pursuing another lady’s interest, that lifted the scandal straight from her shoulders and onto his.
Gazing around the huge ballroom decorated with bouquets of bright, colorful flowers, Sophia tried to ascertain if anyone watched the two of them laugh and talk with the high energies of people in love with one another. The only one she saw who seemed actively interested in the pair was the Dowager Duchess of Bersard.
As Sophia watched, Her Grace leaned over and spoke with another lady about her own age, and the other lady watched Lord Montrose and Lady Alicia as well. By their tight-lipped expressions, Sophia guessed neither were pleased by the pair’s attachment to one another.
“Might I have this dance, Lady Sophia?”
So startled by the male voice at her elbow, Sophia gave a small shriek and nearly spilled her wine. She recognized Lord Acton, the son of the Earl of Richston, and caught her balance before she fell.
“I’m so sorry I startled you,” he said with a smile and a smooth bow.
“Oh, well, yes, you did,” Sophia stammered, trying to smile and get her breath back. She curtsied. “I was just wool gathering.”
“If your dance card is not full,” Lord Acton continued, “may I have this dance?”
Dancing with him will make people think I am available again and my reputation will not be tarnished.
Though she did not want to, as her heart had already been given to Wesley, Sophia nodded. “Yes. Of course.”
Setting her wine glass on a table, she permitted Lord Acton to escort her onto the dance floor. “If I may compliment you, My Lady,” he said, “you look stunning this evening.”
“Thank you, My Lord.”
Sophia had actually dressed in the pale gold gown trimmed with yellow to impress Wesley, as it went so well with her hair and her eyes. Though she could only dance with her beloved once or twice, she hoped for at least a quick word with him.
Thus far, she had not seen him at the ball his own mother had organized that evening. Trying to enjoy the dance with Lord Acton, she could not help but glance past his shoulder in an effort to see if Wesley had arrived in the ballroom.
Lord Acton was a fine dancer, as light on his feet as a cat, but he had none of Wesley’s extraordinary good looks, or his charm. In fact, Lord Acton was very plain looking with dark eyes that tended to bulge from his head and a gap between his front teeth.
“You are also a very graceful dancer,” Lord Acton told her, smiling.
“Thank you, My Lord,” Sophia replied, unable to stop staring at the gap between his teeth. “You are also. Very light on your feet.”
“I took lessons from the finest masters in all of London,” he said proudly. “I fear I enjoy dancing more than I enjoy anything else.”
Hoping she could escape him without being rude, Sophia ceased the moment the music ended, and curtseyed to Lord Acton. “Thank you for the dance, My Lord.”
He bowed fluidly, his happy smile fading as she slipped away from him and into the crowd just as the next piece of music started. “I had hoped for another,” he said, but Sophia pretended she had not heard him.
Wesley, where are you?
Chapter 17
Standing in a corner, half obscured by a tall marble statue in the ballroom of his townhouse, Wesley watched and observed. A tumbler of whiskey sat in his hand, and he took small sips as he took notice of Lord Montrose’s keen interest in Lady Alicia. Though he had never met her before, he had asked one of his friends, who was the pretty lady Montrose spoke so animatedly with.
Nor am I the only one.
His mother and Lady Swinton, both eyed the couple with clear disapproval. Though why his mother should disapprove of Lady Alicia potentially aligning herself with Lord Montrose was beyond him.
That Lady Alicia’s mother, Lady Swinton, should also be annoyed by it confused him even more.
I should think she’d be overjoyed at a potential match with Lord Montrose for her daughter.
The two matrons continued their discussion though, of course, he was too far away to hear what they said. But, he realized, he’d never hear them over the music and laughing, talking voices of the huge number of noble guests who filled the ballroom.
Wesley spotted Sophia as a young lord led her onto the dance floor, and for a moment his hot jealousy roared through him. Until he watched Sophia make good an escape and hide within the ball attendees. He smirked to himself at the lord’s clear disappointment that Sophia did not want another dance with him.
He understood why Sophia agreed to dance with others. With her refusal to become formally engaged to Lord Montrose, Sophia needed to be seen as though she were still unattached. And by Montrose’s clear interest in another lady, if there was to be any scandal attached to the breakup, it would land on him, not her.
Thank God he became interested in someone else so quickly. Let rumors abound about him and Lady Alicia.
Taking a small sip of whiskey, Wesley tried to see Sophia, and it was not until she was almost upon him that he did. She strolled toward the buffet table, her beautiful face turning this way and that, as though she searched for someone.
“Sophia.”
She swung toward him, a brilliant smile on her countenance, one that put the candles and candelabra to shame. “Wesley. I was looking for you.”
“I am trying to stay out of my mother’s sight,” he explained. “I think she will still try to introduce me to eligible ladies, even though I told her I am going to marry you.”
As they were half hidden from view of many eyes, and potential scandal, Wesley took her hand. “You are so gorgeous t
onight, my love,” he whispered.
“I wore this just for you,” Sophia told him, her honey-colored eyes warm with love.
“It will not be long before your father will let me formally ask for your hand,” he told her, wanting to hold her in his arms, kiss her sweet lips. “Then the banns will be announced, and we can openly dance together.”
“Oh, I cannot wait,” Sophia answered, squeezing his fingers. “Lord Montrose has already found an heiress that interests him more than I ever did.”
Wesley chuckled. “I noticed that. It is all to the good as far as I’m concerned. If there are any scandals attached to you refusing his suit, it will be on him. Your reputation will remain clean.”
“That is why I danced with Lord Acton,” Sophia said, stepping toward him. “To keep the tongues from wagging over my behavior, though I hate to play their game. I should be permitted to speak to and dance with whomever I choose without gossips talking about it.”
“For now, we must keep your honor and mine clear.” Wesley longed to bend down and kiss her as she smiled up at him. “We can write each other letters.”
“Yes, of course. Even if my father will not permit me to see you, he will not object to us corresponding.”
“Good.” Wesley gazed at her beauty, her sweet smile just for him, and counted himself blessed that he found not just a lady to love, but one that shared his passion for books, learning, and the written word. “You should go now. But may I kiss you first?”
“I was hoping you would,” Sophia replied, her smile growing.
Before he could lose his nerve by risking a scandal, Wesley lowered his face to hers and kissed her lovingly, pouring his affection and adoration for her into that one simple gesture.
It ended too soon. Yet, he could not further risk either of their reputations by trying for another kiss, even if Sophia seemed willing.
“I love you, Wesley,” she whispered.
“I love you, Sophia.”
Sophia turned, and made her casual way toward the table where others put sweets, breads, roast meats, fish and other delectables on plates. Wesley glanced around, trying to see if anyone had observed their dalliance, but did not see any frowning eyes on either himself or Sophia.
He lost sight of his mother, and wondered if he dared simply leave the ball and return to the library where he would soon indulge himself in a new book.
Lord Montrose and Lady Alicia now danced together as did many other young couples, their expressions happy, excited, as only newly found love could appear. Glad for them, and not just because it solved a potential problem for himself and Sophia, Wesley took another drink of his whiskey.
“Ah, there you are, Wesley.”
His mother had found him after all.
“A wonderful party you have organized, Mother,” he said, offering her a slight bow. “I am enjoying myself immensely.”
The Dowager Duchess sniffed, her eyes hard despite the slight smile on her countenance. “How you can say that while lurking in a corner, I cannot imagine. Why, you should be out dancing with eligible heiresses.”
Wesley shook his head. “I told you I have chosen my wife.”
“Bah. That is not an absolute until the Duke of Wellingson has formalized it, and the banns have been read. There is time for you to change your mind. Now I want you to go out and meet respectable young ladies who have impeccable reputations and fine bloodlines. Such as Lady Alicia, the daughter of the Earl of Swinton.”
Wesley gestured with his whiskey. “It appears Lady Alicia has also found a suitable match, Lord Montrose.”
The Dowager Duchess turned her head enough to view the happy couple on the dance floor. “Her mother, Lady Swinton, does not approve of him. He is a fop who cares little for anyone except himself.”
“Yes, that is true,” Wesley agreed. “However, that is Lord Montrose’s concern, not mine. I would not dream of interfering with what appears to be a certain powerful interest between the two of them.”
His mother frowned, tapping her finger against her cheek in the way that told him she was vexed. “Again, there is no contract of marriage, nothing to bind them permanently together. I want you to go introduce yourself to her. Once she sees that you, a powerful Duke with strong connections at Parliament, are interested in her, she will drop that silly infatuation with Montrose.”
Wesley sipped his whiskey. “No.”
For a moment, her eyes bulged from her head, her jaw went slack. “No?”
“Mother, I mean no disrespect,” Wesley informed her firmly. “But I have no intention of wooing Lady Alicia, or any other of your friends’ daughters. My mind and heart are made up, and I will ask you to cease demanding that I meet this lady or that lady. Thank you for your concern regarding my future wife, but Lady Sophia and I will marry.”
“Humph.” The Dowager Duchess stared at him as though she could not believe her eyes and ears. “Is this how you treat your aging mother? I want only the best for you, and a silly bluestocking is certainly not it.”
Forcing himself to not wince at the guilt his mother tried to lay on him, Wesley glanced down at his feet. “I will marry whom I choose, Mother. I will also marry to satisfy Father’s will by marrying within the year. Thank you again for your interest, but the matter is closed.”
With an indignant huff, his mother strode away, almost stomping in her ire, and wended through her guests on her way back to her friend, Lady Swinton. The dancers were forced to quickly step aside or risk slamming into their hostess as she looked neither right nor left. Nor did she seem to care that she made a proper spectacle of herself by forcing so many guests to step aside or be run down.
Wesley sighed. He could not understand why she refused to be happy for him. Both his parents taught him that marriages and alliances were to be considered business relationships, and emotions, like love, kept out of them.
Did she not love my father even a little?
The old Duke taught him that he must make decisions with his head not his heart, but this one with Sophia easily incorporated both. She was the only heir to the Duke of Wellingson, she had an impeccable reputation—except for the bluestocking part—he and her father got along quite well.
Both of their opinions and decisions in business and in Parliament meshed well, and he knew the Duke liked him on a personal level. No matter how he looked at it, he had achieved the best of both worlds.
His marriage to Sophia would give him a wealthy, titled heiress whose father had powerful connections, a considerable dowry, and he would also have everything he ever dreamed of in his future.
A wife who loved him and shared his love of taking long walks on the estates and books. He smiled to himself when he considered Sophia’s reaction to Phillip.
That made his mother’s rejection of Sophia as a potential wife all the more confusing.
He watched her from his spot by the statue, and this time the two of them, the Dowager Duchess and the Countess, directed their disapproval toward him. While he was a far better catch for her daughter than Lord Montrose, the Earl was still a highly respected member of the ton.
Even if he is a fop with terrible tastes in waistcoats.
Deciding that if he wanted to enjoy the ball in some small form or other, he had to ignore the pair of them. He gazed around to find Sophia among the milling guests and dancers, and found her chatting with another young lady against the wall to his left.
Wesley could not keep his eyes off Sophia. By far, she was more beautiful and had more intelligence than any heiress there. Could he discuss the merits of Shakespeare’s tragedies with any other lady his mother would see him marry? No.
Though he had never met Lady Alicia, daughter of the Earl of Swinton, Wesley had heard about her through the ton’s gossip lines. They spoke that while she had no stain on her reputation, she was not known for liking anything except parties and the latest fashions.
An evening in her company would bore me silly.
He caught Sophia gazing at him
, and he sent her a quick smile, catching her own in return.
The evening wore on and made Wesley think it was nearing the time when he could safely depart the ballroom without insulting anyone. Though he supposed he was the host of the party, his mother effectively took over greeting and seeing to the guests.
I suppose I should still take a turn around the room and shake a few hands for appearances sake.
Leaving his cherished corner, Wesley meandered through the milling guests, smiling, receiving bows, curtseys, and smiles, asking after their health. He paused to speak briefly to Lord Montrose, and half expected the gentleman to snub him.
Addicted to a Rascal Duke: A Steamy Historical Regency Romance Novel Page 14
