Despite their distance, he felt he could sense a change in her demeanor as a whole. It appeared as though she had purposefully dressed to attract the attention of gentlemen at the ball.
And to his dismay, it seemed her tactic had worked. Abel’s blood boiled to see a man standing by Bridget’s side. He tried to fight the feeling, yet his heart stirred with a mix of jealousy and frustration.
Her gaze did not once return to his direction as she engaged in conversation with a gentleman by her side. Abel’s irritation grew with each passing moment.
He knew he should be mingling with the ladies surrounding him, engaging in order to find a spouse as was his goal for the evening. However, his eyes and thoughts remained solely fixed on her.
She was not supposed to be in London, let alone at the same ball as him. He wondered what evil he had done to cause fate to play such wicked tricks on him.
He didn’t want her here. He couldn’t have her so close to him and be able to control himself.
As the ballroom continued to buzz with excitement, Abel sucked in the corners of his cheeks and gracefully extricated himself from the surrounding throng of adoring women, their voices echoing with calls and protests as he made his way towards Bridget.
His heart quickened with anticipation at the thought of getting to interact with her once again. He knew he shouldn’t. He tried to force his legs to stop moving, yet every fiber of his being screamed to seize a moment with her.
However, just as he approached, a sinking feeling took hold of him as he witnessed Bridget walking away with another man.
Fury ignited within him, but with the eyes he could feel watching him, he knew he couldn’t let it consume him. With a deep breath, he resolved to continue in that direction, albeit reluctantly.
Ruth stood waiting with surprised eyes. He knew it would be impolite to not exchange pleasantries with his sister’s mother-in-law, after all.
“Good evening, Lady Borthwell,” he began, doing his best to avert his gaze from her daughter, his voice laced with forced composure. “I hope this evening finds you in good spirits.”
“Oh, Your Grace. What a pleasant surprise to see you here!” Her words carried a hint of astonishment as she exclaimed, “I had thought we would be deprived of your presence for quite some time. This is a delightful turn of events!”
Abel nodded, his attention momentarily drifting towards Bridget again. She was engrossed in conversation with the irritating man. The gentleman’s back was turned to him, so he still could not see his face.
He found it even more infuriating not to know. Balling his fists, he tried to keep himself from marching over and yanking the gentleman by the collar, demanding he identify himself.
He sucked in his cheeks, and the air crackled with tension as he struggled to return his focus to Ruth.
Her eyes sparkled with warmth as she smiled. “Ah, Your Grace, how delightful it is to see you, indeed. The ball is quite enchanting, is it not?”
“Indeed, the atmosphere is captivating,” he replied, his voice betraying a hint of longing. “I find I can barely keep my focus in one direction. Every corner entices me so.”
As Abel spoke, his gaze flicked back to Bridget, his jaw clenching with restrained frustration. Just then, his eyes narrowed as the gentleman with her twirled her around, causing his face to come into Abel’s view.
Lord William Doonesbury!
Abel’s eyes blazed with judgmental frustration. Of all the people. Bridget surely could do better. Focusing her attention on a man like him?
He knew well of William. It could not be denied, he was a great businessman and did quite well for his family. Without his recent accomplishments, the Doonesburys would be nearly lower in rank than the Borthwells.
Is that what Bridget was attracted to? Hard workers and rank chasers? Abel felt he was a much more beneficial match than William. So how could Bridget stare at the man with so much grace, when her relationship with him in comparison was contemptuous?
Ruth continued to chat, but her words became a blur in his ears. At that moment, the entire ballroom seemed to fade into the background as he battled with his thoughts and counted the minutes till the music would end.
As the night wore on, Abel’s struggle to maintain his composure became more apparent. Ruth’s elegant eyebrows arched in curiosity, an indication of her intrigue as she observed the Duke’s failing responses and persistent glances.
At last, her eyes followed his line of sight, and her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, a silent gasp escaping her lips as she discovered the object of his intense focus.
Abel stared at Bridget like she was the only woman in the room. In her lifetime, Ruth had seldom seen a man staring at a woman with such longing.
She had been suspicious of his interactions with her daughter for a while, and this was the best confirmation she could have gotten.
Maintaining her composure, Ruth allowed herself a slight knowing smile, a spark of excitement dancing in her eyes. She cleared her throat and leaned in slightly, her voice tinged with mischief when she spoke this time.
“I must share, as you are now family. The Fadden’s attendance at this grand ball is not solely for the sake of the occasion, Your Grace,” she admitted, her tone carrying a note of playful secrecy.“You should know, we are to be expecting another wedding very soon.”
