CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
“Why is a lady standing alone in the corner, instead of dancing?” Phyllis suddenly heard Leonard say, as he approached her with a man by his side.
“The lady is a bit tired,” she smiled in response. “And enjoying a refreshing glass of lemonade.” She showed him her glass.
“Lemonade is a drink perfect for a sunny picnic in the afternoon, not a fancy ball such as this one,” Leonard teased.
“It will do,” she replied courteously, realizing that the man who had come with him hadn’t stopped looking at her with a blissful smile on his face, almost as if they had met a long time ago, and now, their paths had crossed yet again.
Only then did Leonard become aware of the fact that he had not introduced them. “Oh, pardon me. Lady Phyllis, may I introduce my good friend, Lord Thomas Livingstone.” He paused, only to add. “Thomas, this is Lady Phyllis Woldaves, my brother’s wife.”
“Lady Phyllis,” Lord Livingstone bowed before her, gently maneuvering their hands, so that hers was in his, and a moment later, he bestowed a chaste kiss upon it.
As if scorched, Phyllis pulled it away, still retaining her composure. She didn’t know why, but the thought of other men kissing her in any manner displeased her. She tried to remind herself that this made no sense, that her marriage was nothing but a charade of convenience, but at the same time, she could not fight her heart. It did not want her to be kissed by anyone who wasn’t Alexander, even if it was a kiss of simple greeting. This thought made her furious with herself. She hoped that it didn’t show.
“It is a pleasure, Lord Livingstone,” she smiled courteously, making sure to take a small step back, so that the trio was standing as a respectable distance whilst talking.
“I assure you, the pleasure is all mine,” Lord Livingstone spoke in a charming manner, which made her believe that he was skilled at talking to young ladies.
“Thomas here is a very good friend of mine,” Leonard explained. “We’ve known each other since we were small kids. We used to get into all sorts of shenanigans, mostly to annoy Alex.”
“Alexwasalways annoyed,” Lord Livingstone chuckled, and it became immediately evident that this man was a carefree soul, much like Leonard himself was. They were both fortunate enough not to have to bear the burden of a title and the reputation they perhaps took for granted. Because while Leonard relished his free time and enjoyed his pursuits, it was Alexander who was forced to focus on saving their family from financial ruin as the older son.
Phyllis took a moment to inspect his friend more closely. His tailored evening attire spoke of high status in society, and it only seemed to accentuate his refined features. His dark hair was impeccably styled, and a well-groomed beard framed a chiseled jaw, adding an air of sophistication to his countenance. He was, by all means, a handsome man. Phyllis had only then come to notice a few stray glances casually thrown in their direction by other ladies standing nearby. This was certainly a man who easily caught the attention of the opposite sex.
“Even as a child, Alex was as he is now, cold, serious, and aloof,” Lord Livingstone added.
Phyllis begged to differ. The man she had come to know was not cold, serious, and aloof. In fact, she had seen him make playful comments. She had been the object of his compliments on more than one occasion. She had witnessed his good moods more than his bad moods. However, he could not hide the weight of the burden he carried. Come to think of it, she only liked him more because of it. He didn’t run away from his responsibilities, as some men were prone to do. No. He stayed and took everything onto himself, for the sake of his family. He did exactly what she did. He sacrificed himself for the happiness of those he loved. And for that alone she would not allow anyone to speak in such a manner of him.
“Perhaps I haven’t known my husband as long as you have,” she replied, determined to show them that there was so much more to Alexander than met the eye, “but I’ve seen very little moodiness and aloofness. That would have put me off. Instead, I’ve seen a warm heart.”
“A warm heart?” Lord Livingstone seemed flabbergasted. “Alexander?”
“Indeed,” she nodded assuredly. “But it is something that not everyone can see.”
Instead of taking it as an insult, which he could have, the man took it as a playful remark instead. “Do you see a lot, Lady Phyllis?” he wondered, as his expressive eyes conveyed both intelligence and charm. His voice, a melodic cadence, carried the grace of someone accustomed to navigating the intricacies of high society. She could imagine that, if he were a bachelor, he was probably well sought out.
“I like to think so, yes,” she nodded confidently. “A man speaks, but he doesn’t listen. A woman listens, while she sees.”
“I see,” the man seemed amused. He turned to Leonard. “You didn’t tell me your brother’s wife was so amusing. I must say, I do not know how Alexander had the good fortune of catching someone like her.”
“May I remind you that I am right here?” she frowned. “It is very rude to speak of a lady in her presence as if she were not there.”
“Yes, absolutely,” Lord Livingstone nodded, taking a step closer to her. His gestures were genteel. She had to admit that. There was even a note of regret in his eyes as he gazed at her. “I do apologize. How utterly insensitive of me. I was merely expressing well wishes for Alexander, because we all know how difficult it is to find a wife as lovely as yourself.”
Then, suddenly, he looked around as if he were in search of someone. “Speaking of Alexander, where is he?”
Phyllis bit her lip. She had no idea where he was. Especially after the dance they shared, when she was certain that she irritated him with her questions. He had excused himself and left her, only to get lost in the sea of other faces. She didn’t even have time to think what happened. She merely wanted to know how he knew so much about her, but it was possible that she pushed it too hard.
“He is busy discussing business matters with some of his investors,” she explained, in an effort to provide Alexander with a plausible reason as to why his wife was alone at a ball.
Then again, she didn’t need to be looked after the entire time. She was no child. She was perfectly fine being alone. In fact, she preferred this to this crowd of people she did not care about. However, despite all this, she didn’t want Lord Livingstone, or anyone else for that matter, to think him a husband who did not respect and love his wife. It was the role they played, having to convince everyone. That was, at least, what she was telling herself. Perhaps even convincing herself of.
“Business matters with a wife as lovely as you being alone?” Lord Livingstone did not approve. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. If you were my wife, no business matters would keep me away from dancing with you all night.”
Leonard gently squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “You must excuse Thomas here, Lady Phyllis. He cannot help himself in the company of a pretty lady.” Then, he turned to his friend. “Although he knows that the pretty lady in question is his friend’s wife.”
Lord Livingstone smiled. “I know and respect boundaries, old boy. But boundaries do not prevent me from saying something or someone is lovely. I still have eyes, do I not?”
