“I definitely want you to investigate this further, it sounds quite promising and I can see how excited by it you are. Good work, John.” West beamed at his brother. For the first time since inheriting, West felt hopeful regarding the family’s financial future.
CHAPTER 8
Another evening, another ball. It was still the first week of the season, and Priscilla was already eager for it to be over. The only reason she was even attending tonight’s soiree was to seek out candidates for her desired affair.
Unfortunately, the only man she’d felt drawn to thus far was one she refused to consider. But she had genuinely enjoyed her conversation with Lord Hampton the other evening, feeling that in a way she had discovered a kindred spirit, and she found herself recalling the ease she felt around him often in the last few days.
Looking around the rapidly filling ballroom, Priscilla spotted her cousin Alice who was in her debut season. Surrounded by other young ladies, she was tittering behind her fan. If the girls’ collective glance towards another young lady standing nearby was any indication, their glee was most likely at the poor girl’s expense.
It was like peering into a mirror at her younger self four to five years ago. A shiver went down her spine, but she was not surprised. Alice had been raised in the same manner as Priscilla, taught to view herself as elite and above most of the others around her. And as the daughter of a second son, Priscilla knewher uncle was pressuring Alice to make a good match and help the family financially so that they would not be so dependent upon her own father.
Frowning, she took a step forward to speak with her cousin and nearly ran into Lord Hampton himself.
“Lady Priscilla,” he said with a slight bow of the head, “it seems we keep running into one another.”
“Yes, almost literally this time,” she quipped. “Do excuse me.”
“No excuses needed, I should have been watching where I was going. But it is remarkable we keep finding one another after not truly knowing one another before,” he said thoughtfully.”
“I hope that’s not a bad thing,” she teased. “Most people tend to find me charming now that I’ve reformed my competitive ways and biting tongue.” His lips twitched as if he were trying to suppress a smile, and Priscilla couldn’t help thinking again how much she liked the small crinkles that appeared around his eyes when he was amused.
“Not at all,” he replied, “but we should move out of the way unless we intend to partner for the first dance. It looks like the band is about to start playing.”
Looking up at the musicians in alarm, she realized Hampton was correct as she observed one of the violinists place his instrument beneath his chin and raise his bow. “Oh, if you’ll excuse me.” Alice now completely forgotten, she turned away abruptly. Though Priscilla knew she was being rude, she quickly made her way to the adjoining drawing room so that her eyes would not betray her, creating the need for an explanation should she tear up in front of the marquess.
A mere minute later when the music began, she did indeed well up and took a moment to compose herself in the empty room. Regrettably, just as she was preparing to rejoin the other guests, Lord Warrenton stepped into the room.
“Ah, Your Grace. I was just looking for you—how about that dance that was mentioned we should have at the Weston’s?”
Merde. She had really been hoping he either wouldn’t remember his threat to dance with her or would fail to attend tonight’s soiree for some reason. Think, think, think. . . how was she going to politely find a way out? The last thing she wanted to do was dance with the man, and she certainly did not wish to encourage his pursuit.
Out of the corner of her eye, Priscilla saw Hampton walking past the doorway. “My Lord Hampton,” she called out—waiting for an agonizingly long second, desperate to see if he had heard her and would return at her call. When he stepped back into view and gave a quizzical lift of the brow he was constantly smoothing, she almost collapsed in relief and spoke before fully thinking.
“There you are!” she said much too brightly. “I was about to look for you. Are you ready for our dance now?” He looked confused but blessedly took a further step into the room.
“You’re already engaged to dance?” Warrenton asked, brow creased in frustration.
“Yes, I’m so sorry. I’m afraid you are too late to claim this one, I’ve already promised my time to the marquess. I do hope you understand.”
Warrenton made a grab for her dance card and Priscilla briefly panicked, knowing the line for this dance remained empty. “Your dance card says otherwise,” the baron said curtly.
“My fault,” Hampton interjected. Stepping beside Priscilla, he gave Warrenton a placating smile and she immediately relaxed, knowing he had caught on to the situation and was playing along. “We made a verbal agreement when I first saw Her Grace this evening, and she had yet to pick up her dance card.”
“You did ask me to pencil you in once I had it, but silly me forgot,” Priscilla added, looking up at Hampton gratefully.
“I suppose it was an honest mistake,” Warrenton said grumpily. Turning toward Hampton, he added, “Didn’t mean to step on any toes, my lord.” Hampton bowed his head in acknowledgement, and the other man left the room.
“Oh, thank you!” Priscilla said, wilting into a slump next to her savior. She impulsively reached out and placed a hand on his arm, feeling it’s warmth even through her gloves and his sleeve. “Truly, I can’t thank you enough.”
He placed his own hand atop hers, looking at her intently, and her breath stuttered. The only thing that saved her from making a fool of herself was the sound of footsteps behind her. Turning, Priscilla saw Lord Percy approaching. He too, had insinuated earlier in the evening that he would be seeking her out again later.
“Oh, dear god, not another one.”
Hampton looked up at her exclamation and examined the man making his way toward them.
“Another of your many admirers?” he drawled.
“Quick, help me,” she said, beginning to panic. Then Priscilla acted without thinking once again, which seemed to be a pattern that evening. Surging onto her toes, she grabbed the back of Hampton’s neck before drawing him down into a kiss.
