She turned back once, some instinct telling her exactly where to look. Holbrook had moved off to the side of the room and was leaning casually against the wall. Two young women walked in front of him, slowing as they passed, hoping he would notice them and ask one of them to dance. But his gaze remained fixed on her.
When Lucy turned back to her partner, it took a great deal of effort to hold back her grin.
Later, when that dance was over, she couldn’t remember whom she’d danced with, nor did she care. A plan—a crazy, insane plan—was beginning to take shape.
Chapter 4
Her unhappy marriage had taught Lucy a valuable lesson. Never again would she rush into a romantic relationship. After her brother and her best friend had fallen in love and married, she’d been convinced that Mansfield would be her own happily-ever-after.
She couldn’t have been more wrong. But the fact she wasn’t looking for love didn’t mean she couldn’t explore another physical relationship with a man.
Anticipation filled her entire being as she considered exploring such intimacies with Holbrook. It was beyond impulsive. She’d just escaped a loveless marriage that had convinced her she was physically incapable of experiencing pleasure with a man. She never had with her husband, not even during those first few months of her marriage when she’d still loved him.
She was a widow now and free to do whatever she wanted. She could take a lover. But she wasn’t sure it was wise to consider the first man to whom she now felt an attraction. She’d done that at eighteen, when she was newly out in society. She wouldn’t make that mistake a second time.
So she avoided Holbrook for the rest of the ball. Before she could move forward with her plans, she needed to discover whether she could experience a similar attraction to another man. It would be easier, after all, to conduct a discreet affair with someone who wasn’t a close acquaintance of her brother.
For the next few hours, she spoke to the men who sought her company and danced with those who asked her. She was careful, however, not to be alone with them.
Despite her determination to keep an open mind, she felt no spark of attraction for any of those men. And for some reason, she could still feel Holbrook’s gaze on her. She was careful not to be caught staring at the man, but a discreet peek here and there told her she wasn’t imagining things. Even when he was dancing with other women, Holbrook kept glancing her way.
And every time their eyes met, a thrill of anticipation surged through her.
Several hours passed that way, and Lucy’s feet were starting to ache from the unaccustomed exercise. She’d been a young woman of eighteen, newly out in society, the last time she’d danced this much in one evening. At thirty-one, she would hardly be considered old, but it seemed that her endurance had finally reached its limits.
She rejoined Charlotte and her brother, who were also returning from their most recent dance. She didn’t miss the significant look her friend cast her husband before she turned to Lucy and linked arms with her.
“Let’s get something to drink,” Charlotte said.
Lucy should have realized her friend had an ulterior motive, but she was so distracted by her own musings she didn’t notice when Charlotte walked past the refreshment tables.
They were in the hallway before Lucy realized they’d left the ballroom. Assuming Charlotte needed the retiring room, she turned left, but her friend tugged her in the opposite direction.
They passed several footmen along the way, but Charlotte kept walking. When they reached the library, she led them into the room.
Bemused, Lucy waited for her friend to close the door before speaking. “What could have happened to cause you to leave the ball just so you could speak to me? I’m sure that whatever it was could have waited until tomorrow.”
Charlotte placed her hands on her hips and examined her for several seconds before speaking. “Is something happening between you and Lord Holbrook?”
Lucy froze at the question and then let out a soft sigh. She’d wanted to discuss this very subject with her friend tomorrow. But Charlotte knew her well, so it was inevitable she’d noticed Lucy’s interest in the man.
“Am I so obvious?” Lucy dropped onto the settee that was tucked into one corner of the room.
Several such seating arrangements were scattered throughout the large library amid the many bookshelves, making it one of Lucy’s favorite places in her brother’s town house. It seemed it would also be the room where Lucy was going to confess her scandalous plans.
Charlotte grinned and settled next to her. “Only to me. The two of you got along well last night. Then there was that waltz.” She fanned herself in an exaggerated manner.
Lucy frowned. “It was just a waltz.”
Charlotte made a soft tsking sound. “After which the two of you have been sneaking glances at each other all night.”
Lucy groaned. “I thought I was being subtle.”
“You were. But he wasn’t pleased about the fact that you’ve danced at least once with every eligible man here.”
Lucy felt a little thrill at her friend’s confirmation that she hadn’t been imagining things. She’d half worried she was seeing only what she wanted to see. “How well do you know him?”
“We’ve met a few times and I like him, but Alex sees him often. And you know he wouldn’t have invited him to dinner last night if he didn’t think highly of him.”
