Devon held out a hand, and she took it.
“I’d not forget you so easily,” he said, his jaw tight.
“Are you angry with Lord Littleton?”
“No.” The forearm on which her gloved hand rested clenched into a glorious slab of muscle.
Not angry? She’d eat her favorite book if that were true. “You are! But why? He’s done nothing to you.”
“I don’t like the way he treats you, like you’re dispensable.”
“It seems I am. There are many others like me, after all. He can simply waltz into a field of debutantes and have his pick.”
Devon pulled her to his side. “Beefwit.”
She grinned. “Me or Lord Littleton?”
“Both, apparently.” He looked forward with a hard stare and harder jaw as he led her onto the dance floor.
She tugged on his sleeve. When he looked down, his lips seemed chiseled marble. If he were a work of art, the title would be Annoyance. Despite that annoyance, helookedat her now, truly saw her. She grinned wider, raised her eyebrows up and down, squinted at him.
His lips wiggled, stone coming to warm life, then they parted into a genuine look of amusement, and he barked a laugh.
She squeezed his arm and turned back to the dancers. “That’s better.”
He swept them into the opening position for a waltz as the quartet struck those very chords. He could not look away from her now, and their gazes locked.
“Why have you come tonight?” she asked.
“You said you’d be here, delivering the news to Littleton. I thought to be here in case you needed me. You did not.”
“Thank you. It was a kind gesture. And… I appreciate your presence. I believe it was less awkward with you beside me to back up my tale.” It had felt real, like the thing between them was held together by more than an irate father and two reluctant souls.
“You told Littleton you chose me,” he said. “Why?”
She tried to find something, anything, in the room to look upon other than him. Her feet would do, the pearlescent satin slippers embroidered in gold. She inspected every thread as she offered him her truth if not her gaze. “You aremyfirst choice of dance partner, and yet, I’ve only ever danced with you once. I was feeling a bit selfish. I am glad he was so accommodating.”
His brows drew together. “Have we danced before?”
That devastating statement was the very reason she could never let him back into her heart. The violins quivered into sound, and Devon swept her into a waltz.
“We must convince the gossips we’re ridiculous for one another,” he said after a few turns with his hand hot against her back.
“Can you keep your eyes from roving from me to all the other women in the room?”
“Ouch, Miss Clarke. Ouch. Here I am thinking there’s only one woman in the entire room, and you wound me so. What do you say to a Christmas wedding?”
“So far away?”
“I visited your father today to discuss the details of our arrangement. He insists we show thetonthat everything is prim and proper.”
“It is not.”
“Yes, well, shall I tell you his exact words?”
“Must you?” She could guess.
Devon leaned low and whispered in her ear, “I’ll show thetonno babe swells my daughter’s belly.”
