Verity forced a tight-lipped smile as Ambrose released her hand, her skin tingling with relief now that the dance was over.
She watched him retreat in to the crowd, his form disappearing amongst the elegant gowns and tailored suits of the gala attendees. The weight of his words lingered in her mind like an unwelcome guest.
She took a deep breath, steadying herself against the rising frustration. Ambrose’s proposition had been clear, his intentions veiled beneath a veneer of polite society. The thought of a union with him filled her with a sense of suffocation, as if her fate were being decided by forces beyond her control.
CHAPTER 10
Fury surged through Philip.He could not believe how manipulative his mother could be. He did not wish to dance with anyone tonight. He had not come to the ball with plans to set foot on the dance floor. He was here for Georgina only. But his mother had organized for him to dance with Lady Rosalind Fitzwilliam, and there was nothing that he could do to refuse. Not without causing a scene anyway.
So he found himself in the one place that he did not want to be, twirling around the dance floor with a woman who had not yet stopped talking to him. Unfortunately, Philip could not take on a word that she was saying, because his attention was constantly drawn to another couple dancing.
Lady Verity and Lord Ambrose.
He felt terrible for Lady Verity. She had to be having a terrible time with Ambrose. Philip had only encountered the man a couple of times, but it had never been pleasant. More than that, rumors followed that man everywhere he went about his penchant for drinking and potentially gambling as well, although he wasn’t too sure about that.
The woman who had captivated him with her intelligence deserved a much better man than that. She deserved a man who listened to her and cared about what she had to say. A man who listened to her words and cared about her interests. Someone who…
The music came to an end, sharply dragging Philip from his thoughts. He politely bowed to Lady Rosalind and escorted her back to the side lines. As they reached her parents, Lady Rosalind curtsied gracefully, her attention turning to them with a bright smile.
Philip managed a polite farewell before excusing himself, his steps purposeful as he navigated through the crowded ballroom, returning to his own mother.
But the relief he felt about not having to dance anymore was short lived.
“What a wonderful couple you make with Lady Fitzwilliam,” his mother gushed excitedly. “I cannot believe how lovely and well matched you looked together.”
A surge of frustration nearly knocked Philip off his feet. He could not believe what he was hearing. His mother’s constant meddling had put him in this position in the first place. Now she was trying to push it even further. When would she learn that he simply wanted to be left alone?
“Philip, please,” Georgina declared, swooping in at the perfect moment. “Escort me to the refreshment table. I would like a lemonade.”
Relief flooded him as he obeyed his sister’s request, offering her his arm as they turned away. As soon as they were away from their mother, he thanked his sister.
“Oh, I could sense that you needed a moment away from mother’s scheming,” Georgina chuckled. “I am just grateful that she has not started on me.”
“She will,” Philip warned darkly. “If you don’t find someone suitable quickly, you will fall to the same fate as me.”
A sadness clutched at Philip as he said this because he had found someone suitable young. He had married the person he thought that he would be with forever. If only sickness had not claimed Julianna. Then he would not find himself in this mess.
“Do you think you will dance with anyone else tonight?” Geogina asked the moment that she had a glass of lemonade in her hands. “I think it might be a good idea to do so. Just one dance with one woman makes quite the statement, do you not think?”
Philip could read between the lines of what his sister was saying to him. That if he did not want to run the risk of people assuming that he was absolutely going to court Lady Rosalind, then he needed to waltz with a few other people.
“I could introduce you to some of my friends, if that would make it easier for you,” Georgina offered. “There is Lady Abigail Thompson, she is a lot of fun. Oh, and Lady Rose...”
Even though he knew that Georgina’s words were not as filled with pressure as his mother’s, he shook his head because he did not want to have more women brought his way. If he was truly honest with himself, there was only one person that he wanted to dance with. The woman that he had been watching out the corner of his eye all night long.
He could not recall her dancing with anyone else either. Just Lord Ambrose Aldford. So if he were to offer her a dance, that would be helpful for the both of them, right? That would be ensuring that no one read too much into the dances that they had before…
Without even thinking about what he was doing, Philip rested his drink on the refreshments table and scoured the room until he found her. It did not seem right that someone so beautiful was on the side lines of the night, not in the center of everything.
But perhaps Lady Verity did not like to be the center of attention. Just like him.
Philip’s lips curled up into a smile as he left Georgina behind, making his way over to Lady Verity. His sister would be fine, this was her advice after all, so he was confident that this was the right thing to do.
As the strains of the waltz begin to fill the room, Philip, his heart racing with anticipation, approached Lady Verity. It was hard for him to ignore the nerves zig zagging through his system,but he still beamed regardless. Bowing deeply, Philip extended his hand out to her.
“Lady Sinclair, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
She did not answer right away. Philip glanced up a little to catch her eyes. All the color had drained from her cheeks, it was like his offer had shocked her speechless. Thankfully though, she started to nod slowly as she regained her sense.
