Lucas straightened. “I apologize. I became lost in my thoughts for a moment.”
A grin slowly spread across Henry’s face as he finished his drink and set the empty glass down. “That womanhasturned your eye.”
Where had that come from? “I do not know what you mean.”
“I’ve never seen you so distracted. I can only assume you’ve gone and fallen in love.” He sighed dramatically, falling back into his chair. “Blast, man. I never thought the day would come.”
Lucas shook his head. “I am not in love.” But even as he said the words, a small voice in his head balked at the declaration.
Henry cocked a brow. “I hardly believe it.”
“Well, believe it. I do not ever intend to fall in love.”
“If only you were not so thick-headed, you may find you already have.” Henry’s chuckling was beginning to grate on Lucas. What did he know of love? Of anything serious in nature?
He very nearly voiced his thoughts, he was growing so frustrated, but at the last moment, he managed to control his tongue.
“See?” Henry said, pointing at Lucas. “There you go again, lost in your thoughts. Mark my words, Lucas, you’re in love.”
Chapter 30
Since he’d claimed her supperset without actually requesting it, Lydia had not seen Lord Berkeley. And she had done her utmost not to look for him, but it was growing harder to ignore the pull she felt toward him.
In truth, it may be worth forgoing her inheritance for the sake of marrying a certain lord. After all, a marquess did not need her thirty-thousand pounds. She would be well provided for as Lady Berkeley.
But that was idiocy, was it not? She was not fit to be the wife of a marquess. The idea was almost laughable, especially when he had shown only glimmers of potential interest in her.
Still, her eyes skimmed the room as she neared the end of this dance. What if he did not return for their set? She followed the ending steps of the dance, attempting to keep her focus with her current partner—though she hadn’t managed to recall his name. She only knew he was a hair shorter than she.
The music came to an end, and the dancers clapped for the musicians. Her partner returned her to the side of the ballroom, where Lady Cheltenham stood in conversation with none other than Lord Berkeley. They both looked up as she returned, a smile on Lady Cheltenham’s face and no discernible expression on her son’s.
Lord Berkeley stepped from his mother, offering Lydia his arm without a word. Lydia took it, unable to keep from teasing him as he directed her closer to the dancers. “I am so looking forward to our dance, Lord Berkeley, even if I never officially agreed to it.”
He slowed his steps, looking down at her. This man was certainly not a hair or two shorter than she. He was nearly an entire head taller. The right corner of his mouth seemed to lift imperceptibly. She took it as a success.
“Miss Faraday,” he said, coming to a complete stop, “will you dance the supper set with me?”
Her mouth bloomed into a smile. “I would bedelighted, Lord Berkeley. How kind of you to ask.”
He nodded but froze halfway through the motion. Lydia laughed a little, certain she knew what had stopped the rote action. He shook his head in exasperation. “You’ve gotten to me with your comments on my nodding. Suddenly it seems I am doing it all the time.”
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but for as long as I’ve known you, youhavebeen doing it all the time.”
They reached the line of dancers, and Lydia took her position across from him. When she looked up, she was surprised to see he was even smiling a little. Meaning, not really at all, but she could see the lessening of the lines around his mouth and eyes, which was essentially a full-blown grin from him.
The music began, and Lydia took the first few steps, taking particular care with her footwork. But when she looked up, she became aware of something. It became more evident as the dance continued.
“Ah, Lord Berkeley?” she asked as they executed a slow turn.
“Yes?”
“Why is everyone watching us?”
Lord Berkeley did not look around, which meant he was already aware of the many sets of eyes on them, both from the dancers and from those waiting at the edge of the ballroom. He expelled a breath. “Because I do not dance.”
“But you are dancing right now.”
“And, therefore, everyone is watching us.”
