With confident strides, he closed the distance swiftly, bowing graciously upon reaching her.
“Good afternoon, Miss Evelina. I hope you are enjoying the gathering,” he greeted her with a warm smile, his eyes reflecting genuine interest in their encounter.
“G-Good afternoon, Lord, Lord Batony.” Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Evelina struggled to compose herselfand stuttered her way through her reply. “The gathering is quite delightful, thank you.”
Though slightly tremulous, her voice managed a tone of polite grace as she acknowledged the Earl’s presence.
The air between them seemed to crackle with anticipation as they stood facing each other, the garden around them buzzing with the sounds of polite conversation.
Evelina instinctively turned to Margaret, finding a mischievous, triumphant expression on her face as expected, causing her to burst into a short fit of giggles.
Surprised by her sudden laughter, the Lord standing before her, inquired with a hint of curiosity, “Have I done something comedic or worthy of your beautiful smile already?”
Blushing at the unexpected attention, Evelina managed to compose herself, quickly thinking up an explanation, “Oh, it was the dog.” She pointed toward the animal in one of the hands of a lady of the ton.
“It made quite an adorable cute face.” Her words carried a lightness, attempting to dispel any awkwardness that lingered from her spontaneous laughter.
“The dog…” The Earl, with a raised eyebrow, nodded thoughtfully and then asked, “May I join you for a walk and continue our conversation?”
Caught off guard by his request, Evelina hurriedly replied, “I would be delighted, my Lord.” , unsure how else to gracefully navigate the situation unfolding before her, feeling a sense of being trapped in the unexpected turn of events.
“So tell me, do you enjoy these evening walks, my lady?”
As they strolled side by side, Lord Batony attempted to engage her in conversation, his words gentle and inviting. Yet, despite his efforts, she found herself struggling to actively participate.
Evelina stole glances at him as they walked, noting his handsome features and the height difference between them, a mere few inches that seemed to emphasize his presence.
However, her eyes couldn’t help but catch on smalls detail that seemed off – his nose was somewhat crooked, and there seemed to be a mismatched pair of stockings peeking out from beneath his trousers; slight imperfections that captured her attention.
I can’t judge him too quickly. I cannot afford to…
She forced a polite smile and a nod in response to the earl’s attempts at light-hearted conversation.
Seeming to sense her hesitance, the man digressed with a touch of charm, “You seem lost in thought, my dear. Is there a topic you’d prefer to discuss? Perhaps we discuss the dog?”
Evelina, still feeling the weight of expectation and her own inner turmoil, managed a strained laugh at his attempt at humor, finding herself irritated by his joviality in that moment.
She mustered a response, “Oh, no, my Lord, I appreciate your company and conversation,” her words were tinged with a hint of forced politeness.
Her mind raced as she questioned her behavior, perplexed by her pickiness and judgmental thoughts. There was no reason for her to be so fussy and eager to end the conversation.
As she pondered her situation, a sudden intensity in the air caught her attention. A gaze, heavy and unwavering, tugged at her, drawing her focus. Turning around, her eyes widened in astonishment as she was met with dark, familiar green eyes.
Gabriel’s enigmatic gaze was directly on her, his expression a mix of disturbance and inscrutability. Shocked by his presence and the intensity of his stare, her mind began racing with questions about his unexpected appearance.
Why is he looking at me like that?
Despite her efforts to maintain composure and engage in conversation with Lord Batony, she found herself repeatedly drawn back to him, his eyes fixed on her and the earl with unwavering intensity.
Each step they took seemed to be shadowed by his watchful gaze, causing her heart to quicken its pace in her chest.
His blatant observation of her and Lord Batony’s interaction sent a wave of heat to her cheeks as she became acutely aware of the eyes of onlookers following the unfolding scene.
Stop staring, Gabriel! Why won’t you stop?
Whispers and murmurs surrounded them as the Duke continued to walk a few feet away, his eyes never leaving her, creating a tension-filled atmosphere that seemed to captivate those around them.
Lord Batony, in his oblivious bliss, continued to chatter excitedly, seemingly unaware of the tension. “Tell me about yourself,” he urged, his cheerful demeanor contrasting sharply with Evelina’s jittery state.
