Please, legs, don’t fail me now.
She prayed she could make it to a chair without sinking to the floor in a puddle and making a cake of herself. But her legs were shaking uncontrollably, and the gray haze was pushing in on her.
She’d felt this way before, and it usually preceded a fainting spell.
Oh God, please don’t let me faint. Please don’t let me faint. She was worried she would stumble and drag her cousin down with her.
Her panic escalating, she glanced around the room, desperately searching for her brother. She saw him in a group with the dowager and several other people she didn’t recognize. Thomas is too far to help me. “Paula, I don’t think I can make it,” she said in a breathless voice that sounded far away to her ears.
“Allow me to escort you to a chair, my lady,” a calm, deep voice said beside her.
She looked up into the handsome face of the tall stranger, the mysterious man whose dark eyes had nearly mesmerized her when their gazes met across the ballroom floor earlier.
“I—I f-feel a fainting spell c-coming on,” she said in a raspy voice.
He nodded as though he understood completely. A kind smile curved his lips upward as he tucked her arm through his. He glanced at Paula and nodded, and she let go of Katie’s other arm. “I promise I won’t make you fall or faint.”
“How?”
“I want you to look into my eyes and listen to my voice.”
Katie barely managed a nod. She leaned against his arm, and it was as though she could feel a pulse of awareness—something she had never felt before—flow through her body at his very touch.
His brow furrowed with concern. “Keep your eyes on me, Miss Latham.”
The rich, velvety sound of his voice enveloped her. “You know my…?”
He nodded. “Keep looking at my face and smile as if we are having a pleasant conversation. We shall walk to the chair slowly.”
“This is—highly irregular,” she managed to croak.
He smiled broadly. “Not to worry. I know your brother very well. I don’t think he’ll call me out.”
At the thought of her brother calling out this Goliath, Katie managed a genuine smile.
“That’s better.” He gave her a gentle pat on her arm. “I saw the expression on your face change as you were talking to your friends and I recognized what was happening immediately,” he added in a low whisper.
“A woman screamed—her pearls…”
“Yes, her friends all rushed to her rescue when her necklace broke apart,” Paula added in a dry voice.
The gentleman turned to Paula and smiled. “Miss Gowans, would you be so kind as to take my other arm to appear that we three are having a genial conversation as we make our way over to those chairs?” Then, in a louder voice, he added, “Allow me to escort you ladies to the refreshment table.”
Paula nodded and did as he asked. Katie thought her cousin looked almost as dazed as she felt. The mystery man knew Paula’s name as well.
“I-I’m afraid you have us at a disadvantage,” Katie said as their rescuer gifted her with another brilliant smile. Goodness, I’m sure I could gaze at his face all day.
“My apologies.” He inclined his head. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Lord Sebastian Soren. My father is the Duke of Montagu.”
“Pleased to meet you, my lord,” Katie said.
“Yes, thank you for helping us,” Paula added.
“My pleasure,” he said as they neared a cluster of empty chairs. “Miss Latham, please allow me to help you to a seat,” Lord Soren whispered. He assisted her to an empty seat next to a potted palm.
Katie had already started to feel better as Lord Soren escorted them across the ballroom, but she sighed with relief as she sat down.
“Katie, sip lemonade,” Lucy said, hurrying over to them with a glass.
