“You look about as ready to go back into the ballroom as I feel,” he commented with a shrug of his shoulders. “I was considering taking an early carriage home. Perhaps you might consider joining me?”
Lady Belmont’s lips parted as though she would immediately decline the suggestion. Then, she seemed to think it over a little. With a deep sigh, she shook her head.
“I do not wish to put you out,” she said, turning her gaze down as though she could no longer look him in the eye. Elijah’s stomach clenched at that. He couldn’t bear the thought of making her feel as though she could cause him any kind of inconvenience.
“Please, Lady Belmont, your estate is right beside my own,” he insisted, remembering fondly the first time he saw her on the boundary between their two estates, following after her skittish spaniel. At the memory, he could not stop himself from smiling. “I would be pleased to escort you home if the guests this evening are not to your liking.”
He eyed her closely as he spoke, wondering whether he had pinpointed where her flustered state might have come from. After all, he could imagine that she did not often attend such events with her own reputation. From what his cousin said, he could imagine she caused quite the ruckus when she attended public events. If he thought back to his time in the ballroom, he was certain he had heard her name muttered once or twice and never with fondness.
“I would not feel right about taking the carriage without Lady Fenchurch,” Lady Belmont admitted. She sighed deeply and shook her head with an air of remorse. “Though I admit I only attended tonight for her benefit.”
“And I am glad that you did, My Lady,” Elijah blurted before he really had the chance to think about what he was saying. At his words, Lady Belmont’s eyes shot up. Their eyes met in such a way that it caused the breath to catch in Elijah’s throat. Clearing his throat once more, feeling his cheeks grow hot, he quickly added, “I would be happy to share my own carriage. I intend to return it to pick my cousin up later in the evening.”
Lady Belmont’s cheeks blushed slightly then, and in the moonlight, Elijah noticed just how radiant she was. Though the dark and the moonlight muted all colours, she still radiated grace and beauty, and her eyes shimmered like the stars themselves.
She appeared thoughtful of his proposal, and only when she looked as though she might reject him again did he suddenly think how it might look to her. Remembering himself, he stated, “I do not mean anything inappropriate by the offer, My Lady, merely an offer from a friendly neighbour.”
At that, Lady Belmont’s face spread into a wide smile of amusement. She lifted her fan to her face as though attempting to hide it a little, and a devilish gleam entered her eyes as she pointed out, “My Lord, almost ninety per cent of thetonalready believe that my mere existence is entirely inappropriate. I do not tend to concern myself with such things.”
Her amusement was catching, and Elijah chuckled along with her, feeling his cheeks heat more. It was a shocking sensation, which no other woman had ever had upon him, not since he was a boy and unknowing of the ways between men and women. Yet, somehow, Lady Belmont made him feel young again, innocent, and healthy. At least, much healthier than he had been these last few months.
“In that case, My Lady,” Elijah said, bowing slightly and offering her his hand, “I graciously invite you to do something inappropriate.”
Again, they laughed together, and the sizzling amusement and passion passed between their eyes.
For a second, he feared he might have taken things too far. It was entirely different to talk of doing something inappropriate compared to actually inviting a lady to do so. But not entirely surprisingly, Lady Belmont placed her hand in his and nodded. “I would be very glad of the escort home, My Lord.”
Almost as though it had been timed to perfection, Elijah’s carriage appeared, crossing the long forecourt to pull up at the bottom of the porch stairs, and a servant appeared seemingly out of nowhere to hurry down and open up the door for them.
“Allow me, My Lady,” Elijah said, ever the gentleman, as he guided Lady Belmont down the steps and gestured her into the carriage.
She only paused a moment to ask the servant, “Please, would you have a message sent to Lady Fenchurch about my departure? Offer my apologies, but I am feeling unwell, and she should not worry. I have left my carriage to return her home.”
“Of course, My Lady,” the footman assured her, holding open the carriage door for them.
Elijah held onto Lady Belmont’s hand for as long as he could, helping her into the carriage before making his way in after her, offering the footman a nod of gratitude. The door was closed behind them, and for the first time, Elijah felt as though he was truly and entirely alone with the beautiful woman.
Chapter 13
Melissa felt only mild guilt at having left Daisy behind at the ball. The woman was more than capable of looking after herself, and she knew how much Melissa despised such things. Besides, their estates were not nearly so close to each other as hers was to Lord Spurnrose’s. That was how she came to justify the fact to herself.
And though she would have expected her time in the carriage with him to be slightly awkward and uncomfortable, Melissa found it was quite the opposite. Oddly, she felt at ease with the nobleman sitting opposite her.
With the windows open and a fresh breeze wafting through the coach, Melissa breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the cushioned bench. Again, she would be greatly pleased when she finally managed to remove her stays for the evening. They were the most uncomfortable thing about her ride with Lord Spurnrose and absolutely nothing to fault him for.
“You appear much more at ease away from the ballroom, if you do not mind my saying, My Lady,” Lord Spurnrose commented, watching her with a curiosity that made her smile back at him.
“I do not believe anyone can truly be at ease in a room filled with people,” Melissa responded.Especially those kinds of people.
“I happen to agree,” Lord Spurnrose stated, shaking his head. “I would have much rather not gone tonight myself, but my cousin enticed me into going.”
Melissa was slightly surprised at the admission. Lord Spurnrose had seemed so at ease in the ballroom, especially while they had been dancing, at least until his coughing had begun. Melissa felt the clawing of suspicion and concern in her stomach as she remembered how he had left her quickly. Though now she was certain it had been through no fault of her own, that perhaps he had used his cough as an excuse to get away from her. After all, why would he do that only to invite her for an escort home?
“You strike me as the kind of nobleman who greatly enjoys socialising,” Melissa said, remembering what Daisy had said of him before they had met, that he had got himself somewhat of a reputation before retiring to the countryside to take a break from it all.
Lord Spurnrose dipped his head a moment, nodding as though he agreed with her before lifting his eyes again to hers. “Perhaps I ought just say I have had a lot of growing up to do these last few months.”
His words intrigued Melissa greatly, not because of what he had said but almost how he had said it. A pursing to his lips and a clench to his jaw left her feeling slightly uneasy.
