Page 6 of Her Scandalous Rake (The Worthington Legacy #8)
“E veryone raise their glasses in a toast to welcome back those lords who have returned from their Grand Tour.” Lord Felton lifted his glass and smiled.
The others gathered in the room cheered with lifted champagne glasses.
Tristan laughed and toasted, before gulping his drink. He was very delighted that his cousin, Lord Elliot, was one of those men.
But Tristan’s mother’s weekend party at the Worthington’s estate in Bath wasn’t about the lords who had returned as much as it was for persuading them to find a wife—as well as himself, he was sure. Nevertheless, he had enjoyed the event thus far. It’d been a while since he’d socialized with his grandmother and mother’s friends.
Beside him, Lord Henry slapped Tristan’s shoulder. “My good man, what plans do you have tonight? Are you really going to stay here at the party? A few of us were thinking of leaving later this evening and finding some wenches to entertain us.”
Tristan laughed and glanced at his friends standing around him. “As much as that sounds like the safe thing to do, I shall stay. I don’t need my mother put out with me again.”
“Nonsense.” Elliot flipped his hand in the air. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”
“You don’t know your aunt very well,” Tristan told his cousin. “My mother always knows when I’m not telling the truth. However, I assure you, I shall find something that will keep me entertained.” He waggled his eyebrows. “So far at this gathering, I have noticed a few women who are unaware of my charm, and I find I’m most eager to show them.”
“Well, I hope you don’t expect us to entertain you, Worthington,” Elliot said. “Both Henry and I have more pleasant matters to attend.”
Mocking a bow, Tristan nodded. “I will leave you to your adventures. I assure you, I will find some way to keep myself occupied.”
His friends laughed and walked away like strutting peacocks. Tristan shouldn’t look down on them for what they had planned this evening.
Adjusting his brown coat, he strolled out of the room, nodding to acquaintances as he made his way toward the violins introducing the first dance of the evening. A few couples occupied the dance floor as a couple of eager young swains searched for a partner.
Tristan smiled and leaned against the wall. He enjoyed dancing, and especially getting to know the young ladies. He hadn’t been a regular in Polite Society for a few years since he had been in Scotland visiting relatives on his mother’s side, but he found it surprising that he didn’t know very many people at his own mother’s party.
From across the room, a light blue gown drew his attention. Lady Jane swept into the room, followed by two of her closest friends, Margaret and Lilly. Jane looked his way and smiled with shy demeanor. Tristan knew her well enough to know this was all an act. Jane was far from being shy. Fluttering her eyelashes and giving men that sensual pout made her extremely popular with the young swains.
He had once been fascinated by the woman, but when his mother and Lord and Lady Hastings started pushing them together, Tristan lost interest. Thankfully, papers hadn’t been signed and no betrothal agreed to, however he knew his family was in hopes of a match with their daughter.
As he studied Jane and her followers, he couldn’t help but notice the glares and smirks aimed toward someone only a few feet from them. Tristan switched his attention to the target of Jane’s unscrupulous ministrations. Standing beside her mother was the same young lady he’d met earlier today. Miss Diana Baldwin.
A grin tugged his mouth wide. This afternoon had been entertaining when he watched her. At first she hadn’t noticed him, but when she did, he detected a sparkle in her eyes. Then when she started blowing kisses his way…
He chuckled. When he’d seen her doing this, it had taken him by surprise. At first he thought her extremely forward, yet she didn’t act as if she was purposely trying to flirt with him. That, in itself, made him more interested in her. When their gazes finally met, she had actually blushed! Now he wondered if she blew kisses to someone else, but he knew she hadn’t.
Miss Baldwin fidgeted as she stood next to her mother, the young lady’s eyes downcast as she clutched her hands in front of her. Beautiful auburn ringlets hung by her ears while the bulk of her hair wound in a coil at the back of her head, a light blue ribbon woven around it. The blue gown she wore accentuated her womanly figure better than any other woman here.
Indeed, she was a sight to behold, much lovelier than the other ladies. He didn’t think it was her first Season, only because she didn’t have that innocent, wide-eyed stare. There was something reserved about Miss Baldwin.
He glanced again at Lady Jane and her friends, still laughing behind their fans at Miss Baldwin. Did she know what the other girls were saying?
Anger rose inside him. Nobody should be the subject of ridicule. Jane and her friends acted as if they were still schoolgirls in the nursery instead of grown, mature women. He was certain they were acting this way because they felt threatened by Miss Baldwin’s beauty. Still, that didn’t give them cause to make a spectacle.
He pulled away from the wall and walked toward the three, ready to set them straight. Before reaching them, he changed his mind. Perhaps words were not the key in helping these girls learn a lesson. Instead, he would show them how ridiculous they were being, and that men did not like a gossiping female!
Decision in mind, he turned sharply on his heel and headed toward Miss Baldwin. Just before he reached her, she raised her gaze and looked at him. Slowly, her eyes widened.
He stopped in front of her and bowed. “Good evening. Miss Baldwin, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
“Uh… um… well…” she stammered.
Her mother bumped an elbow into her daughter’s side and smiled wide. “My daughter would be delighted, my lord.”
He passed Miss Baldwin a charming smile, then said to the older woman, “My dear Baroness, the delight would be all mine.”
The older woman giggled and fanned her face. Just then the music stopped and couples left the center of the dance floor.
Tristan offered a hand to Miss Baldwin. “Shall we?”
Hesitantly, she slipped her white-gloved fingers across his palm. Heat from her touch jolted through him, and he caught a quick breath. She must have felt it as well because her gaze bounced up and met his. Her cheeks bloomed with color.
He turned and led her to the middle of the floor, and on his way, took a peek at Jane and her friends. All stood staring at him with wide eyes of unbelief. He should snub them as they were snubbing Miss Baldwin, but he wanted them to see how he preferred to be with Miss Baldwin instead of them.
A heavenly aroma of flowers attacked his senses. He inhaled deeper. Lilacs. Not only did Diana’s beauty take his breath away, her fragrance made him want to bury his nose in her neck and never leave.
The dance began and as they moved together in unison, her eyes stayed on him. She didn’t look upon him as most women did. In fact, the way she studied him caused him to worry that something wasn’t right. Was there food on his teeth? Perhaps he’d not used his linen napkin properly during the meal and food was on his face instead.
He gave her a charming smile. “Miss Baldwin, I wish you’d cease looking at me as if I have grown two heads.”
That seemed to break the spell because she blinked and chuckled, appearing more relaxed.
“Forgive me, my lord. I didn’t mean to stare so openly. Pray, don’t think I am rude.”
“I know you are not. But I’m curious to know why you act the way you do sometimes.”
“Pardon?”
He chuckled. “Well, I must say you are a peculiar woman, but only in a good way, I assure you.”
“Why do you think I’m peculiar?”
“Because one moment you are shy and innocent, and the next moment your gaze devours me while you blow kisses my way.”
She stumbled but quickly righted herself. Panic crossed her expression for a brief moment. “Pray, my lord, what are you referring to? I promise you I have never devoured you with my gaze or blown kisses to you.”
“Indeed, you say? Then tell me what is this gesture?” He puckered his lips, demonstrating what she had been doing to him this afternoon. “While you were sitting by the tree earlier today, you were doing this to me. Is that not blowing kisses?”
“Oh dear,” she mumbled and closed her eyes for a brief moment as the shade of her face went scarlet.
“Tell me, Miss Baldwin, if I was mistaken.”
She nodded and moisture gathered in her green eyes. “You are, my lord. I fear I wasn’t blowing kisses to you, but trying to blow away the bee buzzing around my head.”
Embarrassment swept over him, yet he knew she felt the same—if not worse—for his mistake. “Forgive me, then. I honestly thought…” He paused, not really knowing the words to say. Yet the more he thought about what she’d really done, and what he’d thought she was doing, the funnier it became. Soon a chuckle bubbled in his throat, and within seconds, she laughed with him.
“It is rather humorous, is it not?” she said. “In my attempt to make the bee go away without stinging me, I led you to believe I was being forward.”
He threw back his head and laughed heartily, which eased the tension in their conversation considerably. When he looked back at her, she smiled with a gleam in her adorable eyes.
Tristan enjoyed her looking at him in this way. As with other young ladies, she didn’t act as if she was trying to impress him, but instead, she was being herself.
He let his gaze roam over her face; skin that looked so soft, a perfectly shaped nose that wouldn’t get in the way if he tried to steal a kiss, and lips so luscious he wanted to sample them. Why was he thinking about seducing her when he knew nothing about her? Quickly, he raised his eyes to hers and smiled. He wanted to know everything about this lovely creature who was more interesting than any woman he’d ever met.
“Tell me truthfully, my lord, is this the reason you asked me to dance?”
He shrugged. “Yes and no. When I first caught you flirting with me,” he paused and winked, “I knew I wanted to meet you. I have never known a woman who was so bold, yet the more I studied you during the meal tonight, the more I realized you were not what you seemed.” He took a quick glance around them at the other couples, then back to her. “I’m amazed your beauty hasn’t made you more popular this evening.”
“My beauty?” She laughed louder. “Indeed, you jest, my lord.”
“I wasn’t trying to make you laugh. I’m being very serious.”
“Serious?” She arched her brow. “I think not. I’m quite certain you would have heard about the Baldwin family by now. If so, there’s no way you could have made a comment like that and been serious.”
Curiosity got the best of him, making him want to get to know her better. “The truth is I haven’t heard anything about your family. I have been in Scotland visiting relatives, so I’ve been out of the area for a few years.”
Her eyes widened. “You have? Well, I’m relieved to hear it.”
“So tell me, what am I supposed to have heard about the Baldwin family?”
The dance ended, and he frowned. So did she, but then she had looked discouraged by his question, not that they had to stop dancing. He took her hand and led her away from the middle of the room, taking her back toward her mother. Miss Baldwin leaned closer to him and met his gaze.
“Trust me, you will hear something about my family tonight, but know this now. It’s not true. At least I don’t believe it’s true. And…” She nibbled her bottom lip. “I thank you for the refreshing dance. I enjoyed getting to know you.”
Her words made him that much more curious, and he wished he didn’t have to leave her side. Yet dancing with her twice in a row would only start tongues wagging here in this den of gossipmongers. Neither of them needed that.
He stopped beside her mother, then took Diana’s hand and bestowed a small kiss on her knuckles. “It was a pleasure, Miss Baldwin. I hope we can talk again very soon.”
She graced him with a smile, but he could see it wasn’t genuine because her pretty green eyes didn’t light up. Did she think he was lying? Well, he’d just have to prove to her he wasn’t.