“Would you want me to explain it to you, Lord Colin?” she asked, goading. “Perhaps the lady would like an explanation as well?”
The young lady whose name she did not know, nodded. “Very well then. I apologize if you have had your sights set on him in hopes of a marriage to this man. Lord Colin here, is not the marrying kind. He prefers instead to… welcome all ladies in the same exact manner.
He cares only for himself, and being seen with him in a lonely place spells no good for whoever is found in such a situation.”
Her eyes were fixed on him as she spoke, never wavering to the girl slowly inching away from him and towards her. She watched, fascinated as his rage built. In all her years of goading him and ruining his pursuits, there had never been a time when she had seen him so angry.
His jaws clenched, his eyes glossing over. His lips pursed, a look of disgust on his face as he stared at her.
Augusta did not fear him, although it was likely best that she did. She considered him a coward, afraid of a real challenge.
She watched in confusion as his face relaxed, his lips rearranging into a warm smile that caused wreaked more emotions in her than his anger. He turned away, and, without a word, he walked off, disappearing into the maze she had only just stopped the young lady from following him into.
Augusta turned and her lips curled in disdain as she saw who was standing behind her, providing the answer to her unspoken question. Lord Colin had proved very much to be the coward that she always thought him to be. She could not believe he had run off after seeing Benedict.
Augusta walked towards him, shoulders hunching defensively as she prepared to be chastised when the young lady she had only just rescued hurried to her, stopping her in her tracks.
“Thank you so much, Lady Augusta. I had heard about you at the ball tonight but I did not realize that I would be one of the people you had to rescue,” she said, her voice shaky as she stared at Augusta with admiration.
Augusta regarded the lady before her. Her protective instincts had been awakened even more as she shook. She calmed her anger and smiled at her.
“You need not thank me. I have made it my duty to see that none of you get hurt and I do intend to keep to that promise. Now, why don’t go join your family. I am certain they must be looking everywhere for you,” she said, turning her towards the balcony doors so she could go unnoticed.
She watched as the young lady hurried away to find her family and turned around finally, reminded of her audience.
She sighed as Benedict approached her, his face an unreadable mask. She froze as he gazed into her eyes, keeping her stuck on the spot. Benedict cleared his throat and moved back from her, breaking the hold he had over her.
“I have been looking for you all evening,” he said calmly.
“I was… busy,” she said, looking back at the spot where Lord Colin had disappeared into.
“Yes, I’m certain that you were. I suppose you do not intend to ever give up saving ladies from rakes, do you?” he asked, his tone light and teasing.
Augusta did not know why his reaction shocked her so much, why she felt the relief that she did not have to fight with him for trying to scold her. More importantly, she did not know why she could not tear her gaze away from his, why her body hummed from the closeness between and why she wished that he would close the distance.
A throat cleared behind them and she jumped, pulling away from him. She looked behind him to see another man standing behind Benedict.
”Ah, right. There is someone I want to introduce to you,” he said, taking her gloved hand in his and leading her to his friend.
“This is my friend, Lord Matthew Baker, the Earl of Lowstones. He has only just arrived from India, and you can rest assured that he is not a rake,” he said with a chuckle.
“Matthew, this is the lady I told you about, Lady Augusta,” he introduced.
“I am certainly glad that I am not a rake,” he said with a small smile, his eyes looking everywhere but at her.
She looked to Benedict for an explanation but the insufferable man only shook his head at her.
“Matthew is my closest friend,” he added.
“It is truly lovely to meet you, Lord Baker,” she said, embarrassed. “I must apologize for the scene you just witnessed. I assure you, I do not go out of my way to court trouble.”
At Benedict’s snort, she turned, her eyes flashing at him in anger. Unphased, he laughed.
“Augusta, what are you doing out here?” Nancy asked, coming out to join her sister. She stopped, looking at the two men standing with her, invisible to see by those looking out from the ballroom.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you had company,” she said.
“Lady Nancy, it is a pleasure to see you again. I was only just introducing my good friend to your sister,” Benedict said, gesturing to Matthew.
