Who are you and what have you done to warrant such?
The members of the ton were a capricious lot, constantly seeking gossip to inject some excitement into their otherwise mundane lives—or, at least, that was her perception of them and she was not the least bit sorry for it.
“I see my brother’s words were a huge source of amusement to you,” she said as the music filtered into the room, signifying the beginning of the waltz. She allowed him take her hand in hers, the other going to the small of her waist as he led her through the steps.
“Quite so,” he said, his face once again a mask. She did not know if he meant it as a jest or if he was serious.
"While I appreciate your invitation to dance, you were under no obligation to ask," she remarked as the silence lingered.
“I certainly was. We agreed we would share a dance and propriety demands that I carry on with it. Anything less than that would have been a slight to you,” he said civilly.
“I assure you, I would not have felt the least bit slight, Your Grace,” she persisted.
“Ah, but we've only just met. There's no way I could have known what you feel," he pointed out.
“Have you considered that you might care too much about propriety?” she asked him, the same smile on her face that she’d used on Lord Colin.
She hid her triumphant smile when he noticed and glowered at her.
“Have you considered the fact that you care too little?” he retorted. “Perhaps your brother was right and you were indeed dropped on your head as a baby. It would explain your recklessness with your reputation and your indifference towards how your actions affect your sister’s chances.”
“You need not concern yourself with my sister’s prospects,” she said, eyes flashing with anger. A couple dancing beside them looked at them curiously and she struggled to rein in her annoyance.
"You're certainly protective of your sister, considering how you so easily immersed yourself into my family’s situation earlier," he quipped.
“Perhaps you should have handled it well before I got there if you so easily had it figured out,” she goaded him, refusing to back down.
Benedict bristled. His hand on her back tapped incessantly, a sure sign of his vexation. Augusta only wished it did not make her heart thump. She’d never felt so connected to anyone when she danced the waltz.
She swallowed, her breath catching as she moved with him, trying to tolerate the dance instead of focusing on the man holding her. Her eyes moved to a pair dancing in the corner. Lord Colin had found another victim.
She only wished she could break off from her partner and rush off to save the younger lady before she was whisked off in Lord Colin’s rakish charms.
Her fingers tightened around his and he looked down at her curiously. His gaze followed her line of sight and he sighed.
“You know you cannot possibly save everyone from rakish lords, do you not?” he asked her.
“I know it is not a concern for you, after all, as you said earlier, you are perfectly capable of looking after your sister,” she began, her voice tight with wrath. “However, there are ladies here who have no one to protect them from the heartbreak and humiliation that will follow when they associate with men like Lord Colin.
Or perhaps you do not care because it is a trait that all men possess, after all,” she finished.
"Do you always resort to using your words as a weapon when things don't go your way?" he inquired.
She could see that she had offended him with her comment but she did not care. It should not matter to him if he was indeed not a part of what was now considered normal.
“Only when it is absolutely necessary,” she said, unrepentant.
Benedict scoffed. Her steps aligned perfectly with his. He was, unarguably, an excellent dancer, maybe even better than her brother at guiding her through the steps.
He remained silent as they allowed the music dictate their movements, his brows furrowed, deep in thoughts. He looked down at her suddenly, his gaze searching hers for what she did not know.
His eyes softened as he stared at her.
What are you thinking?
She had done nothing to deserve his concern, that much was certain.
"Have you, by any chance, been courted by someone who turned out to be a rake?" he inquired, unveiling the reason behind his sudden expression of concern. "Is that why you are so adamant about this?"
