Part 18 (2/2)
Again Arabella hesitated. She had never danced a waltz with anyone but the academy's dancing master.
Once considered scandalous because of the couple's intimate embrace, the waltz had not been introduced from the Continent until two years after her betrothal ended. And the prospect of being held so closely in Marcus's arms worried her a little.
As if he could read her mind, Marcus raised a challenging eyebrow. ”Are you being missish again, love?
Surely you aren't afraid to waltz with me in public?”
Naturally Arabella couldn't resist his dare, as he doubtless intended. ”Certainly I am not afraid. Very well, the first waltz. But I hope you will dance with my sisters as well.”
”Of course, I intend to.”
Arabella smiled sweetly. ”Then as long as you are being so gallant, my lord...” From the sleeve of her glove, she drew out a small sc.r.a.p of paper. ”This is a list of our academy's pupils who will be attending tonight. Perhaps you will be so kind as to ask them also.”
Marcus took the list and scrutinized it with amus.e.m.e.nt. ”A half dozen simpering young ladies. You are all d.a.m.ned heart, trying to palm me off on your pupils.”
Arabella's smile widened. ”I am only thinking of their feelings. They will be thrilled to be singled out for your attention.”
There was a gleam of laughter in his eye. ”You realize this hardly falls under the rules of 'fair play.'”
She raised an eyebrow herself. ”I seem to recall you have bent the rules more than once in your own favor, Marcus. And I do still have a wager to win, if you recall. Who knows? One of our young ladies might sweep you off your feet and convince you to abandon your courts.h.i.+p of me.”
Her teasing reply made him laugh. ”Very well, vixen, as long as you recognize what lengths I'm willing to go to in order to curry your favor. But I will take you and your sisters into supper later.”
”Certainly. We would be honored.”
If Marcus was reluctant to dance with their hostess, Lady Perry, he gave no indication but soon went in search of her.
Arabella was about to take her usual place on the sidelines with the chaperones when Winifred sailed up to her with an elderly gentleman in tow, whom she introduced as a desirable dance partner. Thankfully, when the orchestra prepared to strike up the opening cotillion, Winifred abandoned her obvious attempts at matchmaking and instead sought out the card tables in the nearby parlor while Arabella took the floor with her partner.
After that she danced with four different gentlemen, and she was gratified that her sisters found suitable partners as well. Their popularity was a far cry from what they'd been accustomed to the past four years.
And then it came time for her waltz with Marcus. Arabella felt a nervous flutter in her stomach as he led her onto the floor and drew her into the proper stance-one hand clasping hers, the other pressed lightly at her waist.
Being held in his embrace was as unsettling as she expected, but her nerves melted a little when Marcus swept her into the lilting rhythm of the waltz.
”You are a remarkably good dancer,” Arabella praised him after a moment.
He smiled down at her. ”I am gratified you think so. You are quite remarkable yourself.”
A warm flush washed over her, making her feel almost light-headed. For a long moment as their gazes held, the rest of the world faded away and only the two of them existed. Eventually, however, the music came to an end.
Arabella was oddly sorry when Marcus bowed to her and turned her over to yet another gentleman.
And admittedly, every subsequent dance afterward seemed rather flat to her. Being with Marcus, she had felt almost...jubilant.
Then again, Arabella reminded herself, he had that effect on a good number of people, especially the female population. For the next hour, she watched Marcus work his charm on the company. He dutifully danced with every one of her pupils and awed their wealthy parents, much to her grat.i.tude. Such rare attentiveness from an earl would highly benefit her academy, Arabella knew. But the female guests fawned all over him not simply because of his rank and stature but because he was so charismatic and compelling.
He secured a second dance each with Roslyn and Lily, also. It was interesting to watch her sisters'
reactions toward Marcus. Roslyn treated him with thoughtful reserve, while Lily was unusually cool. Yet *
both clearly understood the extraordinary effort he was making on their behalf tonight, as did Arabella.
It had been something of a revelation for her earlier when Marcus had made her question her feelings about her newfound acceptance. The ton's approval was not so very important to her now, she was surprised to realize. She was supremely grateful for her sisters' sake, though. Particularly Roslyn.
After the virtual destruction of their lives four years ago, they each had responded differently: Arabella had become fiercely set on gaining independence. Lily had rebelled outright. And Roslyn had vowed to make her own fate rather than becoming some wealthy gentleman's mistress.
Roslyn's alluring beauty enchanted men of all types, and out of sheer self-defense, she'd become expert at warding off the pestering advances of unsuitable admirers. It warmed Arabella's heart, therefore, to see the legitimate attention her sister was receiving just now from one of their n.o.ble neighbors, Rayne Kenyon, the Earl of Haviland.
Lord Haviland was the black sheep of his family who had unexpectedly inherited the t.i.tle earlier this year. His dark, dangerous looks were a perfect foil for Roslyn's delicate fairness. But despite the fact that they appeared opposites, Arabella suspected that Roslyn had developed a secret tendre for the earl.
Her lovely cheeks were flushed now with animation as she conversed with him.
Arabella's delight in seeing her sister's happiness, however, abruptly faded when she recognized the fas.h.i.+onable young buck who had just sauntered up to Roslyn.
Despite his relative youth, Mr. Jasper Onslow was dangerous to any lady's reputation. A rake and a wastrel who urgently needed to marry a fortune, Onslow was one of the scoundrels who had propositioned Roslyn barely three months ago, offering to set her up as his mistress in a cozy love nest in London.
That he dared approach Roslyn now had Arabella bristling with anger and outrage. She had just started across the ballroom floor to intervene when Lord Haviland said something to Onslow that sent the blackguard packing. In response, Roslyn bestowed such a breathtaking smile of grat.i.tude on his lords.h.i.+p that he went completely still, clearly captivated by her expression.
Halting her needless attempt at rescue, Arabella breathed a sigh of relief and muttered ”Thank heavens”
under her breath.
”Why are you so thankful?” Marcus asked curiously at her shoulder.
With a start, Arabella turned to glance up at him. ”Oh, no particular reason,” she replied quickly, not wanting to trouble him further with her sisters' affairs.
But he evidently had seen some of the interchange involving Roslyn, for his perceptive gaze lingered on her thoughtfully before returning to Arabella. ”You will let me know if she needs my help?”
At his kindness, Arabella felt her heart twist with an odd little ache. ”I will, thank you. Fortunately, your a.s.sistance appears unnecessary at the moment.”
Marcus nodded, apparently willing to let the matter drop. ”It is time for supper,” he said instead. ”Shall we collect your sisters and proceed to the buffet?”
When he offered his arm, Arabella willingly took it.
The fare proved delicious, with expensive delicacies such as lobster patties and meringues that the Loring sisters rarely enjoyed. Lady Freemantle and Tess joined their table, so Marcus had five ladies on his hands. Arabella would have invited Lord Haviland to eat with them, except that he had already taken his leave of the ball. Roslyn's private smile, however, suggested that her evening had turned out better than she could have hoped.
Their party was surprisingly jovial, since Winifred kept them entertained with tales of her late husband and Marcus did likewise with stories about the sporting exploits he and the Duke of Arden and the Marquess of Claybourne indulged in. By the time supper concluded, Arabella was feeling a pleasant little glow that had more to do with seeing her sisters genuinely happy for the first time in years than with the warmth of the night or the costly wine she had drunk.
When Marcus escorted her back to the ballroom, however, she came up short, for she had suddenly spied Jasper Onslow again. This time he was showering his attention on her most vexing pupil, Sybil Newstead. From all appearances, Sybil was flirting outrageously with him.
Quickly Arabella glanced around the ballroom, searching for the girl's chaperone, who was nowhere in sight.
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