Page 15 of The Reckless Love of an Heir (The Marlow Family Secrets #4)

‘I cannot allow it to be when you are so indifferent to me as to make me wait, and to live miles away from me in town.’

‘Precisely, and so this year I shall amend that. Let us see if we can find finer feelings within us. I think you attractive. You are very beautiful, and we have always been friends. Your company amuses me. With more time I am sure my emotions will grow and I shall work hard to ignite greater emotions within you.’

She gave him the brightest of her smiles. ‘You must work very hard then, and pay me a great deal of attention.’

‘I shall and I will. I promise.’

‘Will I feel spoilt, then?’

‘Indeed. I shall spoil you from the moment you come to London.’

Without speaking the words which actually committed him, he had become committed regardless.

But it was for the best. He could not put her off forever and he was willing to go ahead with the match, he had no objection to Alethea.

Perhaps his responsibilities were catching up with him whether he willed it or not.

When the dance came to its conclusion he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her fingers. She gave him another broad smile, which lit up her eyes. Her beauty caught him with a firm strike in the stomach.

Their parents still stood together, in conversation, and there was a young man with them. The young man looked directly at Alethea as they neared, and his gaze made it very obvious he found her attractive too.

‘Miss Forth.’ The young man stepped forward. Alethea’s fingers slipped off Henry’s arm and she offered her hand to the other gentleman. He bowed low over it, then straightened up. ‘May I have the honour of this dance?’

‘Of course, Mr Graham.’

Annoyance rattled up Henry’s spine, and yet what had he thought Alethea had been doing while he’d been leading a merry dissipated life in town? Sitting quietly at home? No, of course she had not. She had been attending assemblies and meeting local, perfectly eligible, men.

She looked back at Henry. ‘Lord Marlow, this is Mr Graham, Mr Graham, Lord Henry Marlow.’ The introduction completed to a minimum, providing Henry with no information about his rival, Alethea then let Mr Graham lead her away, leaving Henry with their parents.

He turned to his aunt. ‘Where is Susan? Did she not come?’

‘She was dancing, Henry. I’m not sure where she is now. Oh, she is in another set, there, look.’ He glanced back, following the direction of his aunt’s pointed finger.

Susan stood opposite a gentleman who was dressed in the uniform of the local militia and she was smiling brightly. She laughed then, at something the man said.

She was wearing a deep blue muslin and her hair was dressed with great skill, two ringlets had been crafted to fall either side of her face. When the dance began the ringlets bobbed and swayed with her movements as she skipped through the steps.

She smiled as she danced, and her colour was high.

She obviously did enjoy dancing – she glowed.

So this was what she is like when she lets her guard down.

He was at a disadvantage here. Clearly Alethea and Susan were well known and popular in this local society he had paid little attention to.

Perhaps that had been an error on his part.

He had not thought these people important.

He had not given them any thought at all.

But when he inherited from his father his position here would be important.

Self-centred . Perhaps Susan had been right after all.

‘Henry, may I introduce…’ His father brought another couple towards him.

Whether he liked it or not this was as much his debut in society here as it was Sarah’s.

‘Hello…’ He shook the hands of the men who approached, while the dancing continued; with the tune of the fiddle and pipe jigging in the air, as the feet of six dozen couples beat out the steps on the parquet floor.

When the dance ended, Alethea and Susan returned, on the arms of their partners.

Henry was then introduced to Captain Morgan, Susan’s companion.

The man bowed to Henry then turned to ask Alethea to dance.

Henry sensed Mr Graham might also swap to the other sister.

Henry held out his hand and pre-empted the man’s chance. ‘May I have this dance, Susan?’

Her eyes spun to look at him with… shock.

They had never danced before, but he did not think he made such an awful option.

‘I… Yes, of course.’ Colour flooded her cheeks. She had truly not expected him to ask.

He supposed the only reason he had never considered dancing with her was because they had never been at a ball together – only at family gatherings when everyone retained their partners. Who had she danced with then? No one. It was why he had never seen her dance.

Damn it. Had she watched them dancing and felt left out?

Self-centred . Her accusation had loitered in his thoughts since it had been made, but tonight it was growing in its intensity.

She did not lay her hand on his arm but gripped it in the particular style of hers, when they walked across the room .

The notes of a waltz began.

When he turned to face her, her pale grey eyes looked into his as he raised her hand and formed the hold.

Her hair did look very pretty. She was pretty – simply in a different way to her sister.

Alethea had a beauty that punched a man in the gut.

Susan had qualities which whispered instead. ‘I have not seen you dance before.’

‘You have not attended an assembly or a local ball before.’

‘No.’ Her fingers clasped about his right hand, as his left hand settled on her back.

Holding her made him aware she was a little thinner than her sister, her waist was narrower, it lacked the curve of Alethea’s.

Her hand rested on his good shoulder. ‘How are your arm and your shoulder? They must be tiring. Do not dance too much. Your arm was only released from the sling three days ago.’

‘My shoulder is weak still, so you must therefore forgive me if my hold is limp by the end of the dance, and we end up being the most maligned couple.’

She laughed, yet it was not as she had laughed with Captain Morgan. The laughter she saved for him was a polite response.

‘Why have you never danced during family occasions?’

‘Perhaps because no one ever asked me.’

Was that said to make him feel guilty? No. Because she would expect him to dance with Alethea. ‘Were you hiding in corners there, so no one saw you sitting the dances out? You are not hiding here…’

The dance began and he turned her sharply. She moved beautifully. She was in fact lighter on her feet than Alethea, and yet her fingers held his hand and held his shoulder gently in a way no other woman he’d danced with had.

‘I have no need to hide here. Here I am asked to dance. There I refuse to play the wallflower and sit and watch. ’

‘So you let your rebellious side free and go elsewhere. I presume to the library.’

She laughed more genuinely. ‘Or the music room.’

‘I would favour the music room. A good pounding of a pianoforte can do wonders for the soul.’

‘You can play?’

‘I keep it quiet. I am rebellious too, remember. I dread being asked to perform for others. I play for myself.’

She smiled. ‘I would like to hear you.’

‘You would like to hear me so you might mock me. Which is precisely why I do not play for others. I do not care to know your opinion of my skill, or lack of it. The only ears I wish to please with my playing are my own.’

‘I would still like to hear you; I would like to hear what you play for yourself. It might reveal some secrets of your character.’

‘So you can study me as you do the images of orchids in that book? No, thank you. I’d rather not become your specimen.

’ When they were young adults, he had always imagined Susan would share his and Alethea’s home, if she did not marry.

He had never before thought that she would.

But this evening… Her eyes spoke to him with lively enjoyment and emotion.

She was more vibrant, more engaging… more beautiful… Any man might want her for a wife.

‘I think you make a rather good specimen to study. You have made Alethea smile again tonight. What did you say?’

‘We discussed her visit to London. I promised to be attentive and adoring.’

‘She told us you suggested we go to London. Mama intends to host a ball for us.’ Susan sounded as pleased by the idea as Alethea.

‘I never imagined you as a woman who would like a season in London, with all its fuss, the parties and balls. ’

‘Why not? Because I love to paint and enjoy studying your father’s books? I can like dancing, art and books.’

He laughed, because obviously it had been a bizarre assumption.

She made a scolding face at him.

Yet, she was right, why should either thing mean she would not enjoy dancing? He had called her rebellious, he had sensed a trapped energy within her, dancing would quite obviously be a way for her to express that. ‘I apologise for my misguided conclusions.’

‘I suppose it is no different from believing you deserved your injuries and refusing to feel sorry for you. I apologise too.’

He smiled broadly at her. Touché . She was so sharp. ‘Yet you knew when I gave up using my sling and Alethea did not, and so I know you care. So you have nothing to apologise for.’

Her eyebrows, which were plucked into pretty narrow lines, lifted above the brass frames of her spectacles. ‘Alethea did not know?’

He shook his head slightly. ‘She commented tonight on the lack of my sling.’

‘Oh. She was probably simply still too vexed with you. You pushed away her sympathy when you asked her to wait a year.’

He laughed again. If Susan had talked this openly and honestly with the Captain, he could understand the man’s enjoyment of Susan’s company, a soldier would appreciate a woman without airs.