But before he could fully retreat, Richard turned to Daphne with an apologetic smile.
Daphne’s attention, however, was otherwise occupied. She stole a glance in the dukes’ direction, who was now retreating without looking back.
Oh, the nerve of him.It was their first meeting, and yet he had not held back in the slightest, making several rude assumptions about her.
"Would you care to dance, my lady?" Richard’s voice brought her back to the present.
Daphne blinked, still reeling from the encounter with Ambrose, but nodded, grateful for the distraction. “Oh, yes. We… yes, I would love to.”
She did not mean to sound so unsettled, but it was hard not to after the exchange she just had. It had left an unpleasant aftertaste in her mouth.
“I am glad,” Richard smiled. “After all, it is difficult for me to resist asking a lady like yourself for a dance.”
It was a simple thing, but it reassured her instantly. No matter how unpleasant the interaction before him had been,hewas still interested in her.
And that was all that should matter to her.
Richard led her onto the dance floor, and for the first time that evening, Daphne felt herself relax. The music swelled around them, and as they began to move, she tried her hardest to focus on the steps, determined to be the perfect picture of grace.
But something kept her from fully focusing on the present moment. Was it the Duke's words that still lingered in her mind, throwing off her concentration? Her foot slipped, causing her to stumble slightly.
"Oh dear," she yelped, fearing that she might end up falling flat on her face.
But Richard steadied her, his hand gentle yet firm at her waist.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly, his concern genuine.
Daphne nodded, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I—I... this is quite unusual for me...."
Was she really as clumsy as Ambrose had suggested? The thought of him being proven right irked her to no end. But she tried to mask her inner displeasure with a smile.
Richard seemed unfazed. Unlike Ambrose, he did not have a sharp comment ready on hand to chide her with. "You need not worry about it. It was a small misstep.”
"I suppose that my mind was elsewhere," she managed a small, embarrassed smile.
Ridiculous.She chided herself internally.What business do I have thinking of anything else when I have this man in front of me?
"No matter," Richard dismissed with ease. He seemed to not have a problem with her stumble.
Despite his calm demeanor, Daphne couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The Duke's arrogant smirk and cutting words echoed in her mind, reminding her that not everyone was as kind as Richard.
"So, how are you enjoying yourself this evening?" Richard asked her as they continued their dance.
Daphne gave him a shrug of her shoulders. "Oh, you know. It is quite lovely."
As the dance continued, she couldn't help but glance toward the edge of the room, where the duke stood, watching them. His eyes were fixed on her, a challenging look in them, as though he knew he had gotten under her skin—and enjoyed it.
Oh, he is insufferable,Daphne thought, her jaw tightening. But no matter how much she tried to ignore him, she could sense that Ambrose was not someone that was easily forgotten.
He had that an air around him – something quite unexplainable – which made you want to look twice in his direction. Even if it was begrudgingly so.
"You seem distracted still," Richard continued, and Daphne caught just the faintest hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Distracted?" Daphne replied, hurriedly. "No, no. Perhaps I just find speaking difficult when you are around. It might just be nerves."
She had learned one lesson from the older ladies of theton– it was that if you wish for a man to stop asking you questions, you must learn to flatter him.
And it worked like a charm, as Richard nodded.
