Without backing down, his tone grew more intense as he defended himself. “I would never spend my time to hinder your prospects. What exactly are you trying to claim?”
He scoffed as he twirled her, whispering loudly in her ear, “After all, it’s been clear that you have been the one obsessed with me from the start, constantly picking on me and seeking my attention.”
Bridget’s eyes blazed with defiance as she turned to face him and shot back, her voice shaking with disbelief, “You truly still believe that? Obsessed with you? You flatter yourself, Your Grace.”
She lowered her voice as a few eyes shifted in their direction. “I have merely tried to make sense of and tolerate the frustrating enigma that is yourself. But no more! I am done entertaining your baseless questions and judgments.”
Before she could fall silent again, he pressed, “Surely, it cannot actually be called a crime for me to ask such a simple question as I did today, can it?”
Bridget let out a frustrated sigh as she faced him. “I merely felt it was time to return to Society.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes, her voice laced with heat as she added, “Again, is there anything wrong with that?” As he scoffed, her glare intensified. “At least I’m not the one running away from my feelings and responsibilities after kissing an innocent lady.”
Abel couldn’t help the cackle that escaped him as he responded with an accusation. “You? Innocent? Oh,LadyBridget, do not act like you were not taught the implications of being so close to a man.”
Her head rose indignantly, her eyes blazing with righteous emotions. “Perhaps I felt I could trust you,” she shot back, barely able to hide the hurt that seeped from her tone. “Perhaps I believed you were a man who would act with honor.”
Abel growled in her face, ignoring the guilt that tugged at his chest. “I beg your pardon, Lady Bridget. You have treated me as though I was nothing but a distasteful rake from the moment you laid eyes on me.”
His eyes narrowed again, his voice dripping with cynicism as he sneered. “It would be best you admit it, do you not think so? You’ve always been infatuated with me. You’ve been obsessed from the first day, and that kiss was simply a manifestation of your desires.”
Bridget’s face flushed with indignation, her voice rising to a shrill pitch as she spoke through gritted teeth, “You kissed me first, Your Grace!”
Despite the odd glances that flew their way from the other pairs on the floor, she continued, bothering only to lower her voice.
“Don’t you dare try to shift the blame on me!”
Before Abel could respond, the music came to an end, and she extricated her hands from him sharply.
“Finally, I am free of you,” she spat, glaring daggers at him. “A third dance would be deemed inappropriate. Enjoy the rest of the evening, Your Grace.”
Abel’s frustration boiled over as she curtsied, scowled, and stormed away without another word.
He scoffed and turned, desperately trying to let go of the frustration simmering within him, but it consumed him, fueling his every thought.
As he turned back in Bridget’s direction, a group of women hurriedly approached him, each vying for attention. The first woman to arrive beside him, with a seductive flutter of her eyelashes, boldly declared, “You must dance with me, Your Grace. Your name is first on my card.”
Before he could even respond, another lady stepped forward, her voice dripping with confidence. “I beg your pardon, I had spoken to His Grace earlier, long before you did.”
The other woman quickly retorted, immediately igniting an argument between the two.
Abel, however, barely registered their words, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on Bridget as she slipped through the crowd,seeming to head towards the exit. His eyes narrowed, surprise and annoyance swirling within him.
Did she not grasp the danger of venturing outside alone without a chaperone in the midst of a crowded ballroom?
“Your Grace, may I present my enchanting daughter, Lady Catherine Highwater.”
The persistent mothers of the eager spinsters reached his side as well, surrounding him with their hopeful gazes.
However, at that moment, Abel’s anger and worry for Bridget consumed him entirely. He couldn’t spare a single thought for anyone else. His eyes widened as she gracefully exited the building.
Without a second thought, he hastily excused himself from the ladies surrounding him, his heart pounding in his chest as he hurried to follow her outside into the dark privacy of the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
As Bridget stormed outside, her fury fueling her steps, the cool night air brushed against her flushed face, causing her heart to race with different emotions.
Confusion enveloped her. She couldn’t comprehend why she had allowed herself to get so incensed by the Duke. She scolded herself for venturing out alone in an unfamiliar place at this late hour, fully aware of the impropriety it entailed.
At that moment, she realized a part of her hoped that Abel would come after her. After all, it was he who had driven her to take this perilous step, driven by his own frustration. It seemed only fitting that he should bear the responsibility of ensuring her safety, of making amends for his actions.
