She wasn’t so sure. He might pretend to not care what people said about him– he might even tell himself that. But she remembered how hurt he looked at the art gallery when he thought she saw him as a monster, the same as everybody else.
Penelope found them in the crowd. She grinned as she grabbed Joanna’s hands and kissed her cheeks. “I am so glad you came,” she said. “Tonight will be so much more fun with you here.” She looked up at the duke and a small blush rose to her cheeks. “Your Grace,” she said, dropping a quick curtsy.
“I presume you are Lady Penelope.” He kept his voice low so no one else could hear. After all, as far as Penelope’s parents were concerned, the duke had already met her. Twice. “It is nice to meet you. Officially, that is.”
“You as well. Please forgive me for the deception.”
“You are forgiven, and I promise not to mention it to your parents. In fact, I believe I owe you a great deal. If it wasn’t for you, I would never have met Miss Thorne.” He smiled softly at Joanna in a way that made her cheeks burn with happiness.
Penelope grinned at the sight of them together. “I must leave and greet a few other acquaintances. My mother will be trying to get me to dance with every eligible man here, so if you could rescue me, I would be most appreciative.” She gave a small wave before turning to greet some other ladies that she knew, although with a lot less enthusiasm than with Joanna.
“So that is the notorious Lady Penelope,” Evan murmured to Joanna. “She is pleasant. But I admit I am glad it was you who met me for tea instead.”
“If you keep whispering sweet things to me, then my face will be as red as a tomato all night, Your Grace.”
“That will only encourage me, my lady. I love seeing you blush.”
Joanna’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up at his mischievous smile. So much for him being the Duke of Ice. He had a way of making her feel like her body was on fire.
CHAPTER 19
Evan wanted to keep Joanna by his side for the entire night. He detested these gatherings, and as far as he was concerned, she was by far the most interesting person here.
But, unfortunately, others claimed her attention as well. A young lady, only a year or two older than Joanna, approached her as if they were long-lost friends. “Miss Thorne!” The woman said. “It is so nice to see you again after all these years. I don’t believe I have had the pleasure of seeing you since your first Season.”
“Lady Elizabeth!” Joanna exclaimed. “It’s so refreshing to see you again.”
“Oh, haven’t you been reading the society papers? As of last Season, I am the Countess of Dunford.”
“Oh, congratulations, my lady. I have not had the privilege of reading the society papers in quite some time. How wonderful for you!”
She looked sympathetic, but Evan could tell she was as sympathetic as a cat was to a mouse. “Of course, I do not fault your disinterest in the society papers, considering the circumstances. How is your father these days?”
Evan tensed up, but Joanna merely smiled. “His business with Parliament keeps him busy,” Joanna said, smiling. “But he is in good spirits because my sister is coming back from finishing school after the Season ends, and we anticipate a happy reunion with her. We all dearly miss her.”
“Oh, how delightful! I look forward to meeting Lady Aurelia next Season. Oh, there is Lady Whittlebee. I must say hello to her. It was wonderful to see you again, Miss Thorne.”
After she left, Joanna’s cordial smile remained in place. “An old friend of yours?” Evan asked.
“Hardly. We exchanged pleasantries three years ago, and that is the extent of our acquaintanceship. But no matter. I knew people would approach me just to remind me that my father is a gambler.” She gave him a brief smile, but he could see the pain in her eyes.
Before he could say anything, Lord Camford approached him with a bright smile. The middle-aged man had a cheerful faceand a portly stomach that revealed how much he enjoyed indulging in sweets.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or has someone thawed out the Duke of Ice?” he said. He beamed at Joanna, who curtsied, before turning his attention to the duke. “It is wonderful to see you here, Your Grace. I never would have thought I would see the day when you showed up with a lady on your arm. I offer my congratulations to the both of you.”
Evan nodded. “Thank you, Camford. It’s much appreciated. Miss Thorne is a charming young lady, is she not?”
“Absolutely! But I admit I am surprised. I would not have assumed such a lady would have caught your eye. Perhaps I read too many society papers for my own good. They are certainly unreliable.” He laughed.
Evan didn’t know if Camford was referring to Evan’s reputation as being cold and uncaring or Joanna’s father’s reputation. Either way, he felt himself bristle slightly. “If you will excuse me, I believe Miss Thorne and I will be enjoying the next dance together.” He took Joanna’s hand.
Camford looked surprised. “Of course! Enjoy yourselves. Do not let me keep you.” But Evan was already leading Joanna to the dance floor.
Joanna looked up at him with a smile as they started the dance. “Would it be fatal for you if you smiled, Your Grace? You look positively miserable to be here.”
He frowned. “I am not. I am with you, and therefore I am in a pleasant mood. Is that not reflected in my expression?”
She laughed. “Not in the slightest, Your Grace. For a moment, I thought you were going to murder Lord Camford.”
