“I’m thankful to know where I stand,” Henley said, not letting the words cut him like Edwin had intended.“You should sober up before we leave.”Henley turned and strode toward the door.
A rain of crystal peppered the air around him as Edwin’s glass shattered against the door in front of him.
“Stay away from her,” Edwin threatened.
Henley turned, studied the rainbow of crystal on the floor as the scent of whisky floated up.“Learn to live with disappointment.”Henley quit the room then.
No good would come from a fight with his brother.He’d promised his mother that he’d never hit his brother again—not after the one time that left him out of society for a month while his black eyes and broken nose healed.
He’d take his own conveyance to the rout tonight.He needed space, but more importantly, Edwin did.And if he could get to the party before Edwin and have a moment with Lady Anna, then all the better.
Chapter Eleven
Anna scanned theroom, searching for Lord Devon’s golden hair.The afternoon had been interesting, and promising.As she continued to scan the sea of humanity at the party, a shiver of awareness tickled the back of her neck.Tipping her head, she looked to the left and locked eyes with Lord Allendale.
With a welcoming smile, he started toward her, as if her meeting of his gaze was an open invitation.Taking a deep breath, she watched his approach.
“Fancy seeing you here.”Lord Allendale bowed.
“I’m quite certain it is rather shocking,” she returned, unable to resist a smile.“After all, it’s not as if the rest of the London ton are present.”
“Quite true,” he responded, then glanced out over the mass of humanity that was just beginning to assemble for a dance; a Scottish reel by the sound of it.
“I’d ask you to dance, but I’d rather reserve a different one, if you’re amenable.”His dark eyes turned to hers, waiting.
Anna offered her dance card.“You happen to have first pick of the evening,” she remarked, belatedly wondering why Lord Devon hadn’t requested she save the supper waltz for him.His attentions toward her indicated a decided interest; wasn’t that the very dance he’d wish to secure for himself alone?
“I’m fortunate indeed, I rather like the idea of being the first.”He grinned softly, then handed back her card.“How was the rest of your afternoon?”
Anna glanced to her dance card.He’d reserved the supper waltz.She honestly should have known, but it wasn’t as if she could decline it now.She’d consider her actions a little more closely next time.
If indeed there was a next time.But something inside of her whispered that this was only the beginning, not the ending.Gathering her thoughts, she answered his question.“It was… peaceful, nothing pressing.I sketched a bit.”She regretted her transparency as his demeanor shifted with interest.
“What did you sketch?”
Anna smoothed her skirts and glanced around the room, as if bored with the conversation.It wasn’t boring, but she didn’t want to lie to Lord Allendale nor did she want to disclose what she was sketching—it would lead to far too many questions, ones she couldn’t and wouldn’t answer.“A little of this and that.”When in reality, she’d sketched a pair of eyes, ones that she had intended to make Lord Devon’s, but looked more like his instead.
When he didn’t readily reply, or change the subject, she glanced back to him.
He whispered softly, “I’ll not press you, but clearly it is something very dear if you wish to pretend you didn’t mention it.”
Drat the perception of the man.
“I remain intrigued.That is, unless you tell me you were sketching my brother’s face, then my interest will end abruptly,” he teased.
Anna gave him a daring smile.“Why, how did you guess?My secret is found out.”
“Ah, so your sketches, which I am certain are not of my brother, are secrets?How delightful.I rather love a good secret.”
“I’m sure you do, but they are not yours to be kept,” she chided but gentled her words with a smile.
“I promise that, if you ever wish to disclose your secrets, Lady Anna, they would be exceptionally safe with me,” he answered, his words ringing with sincerity, in spite of the levity of their conversation.
And she believed him.
“Ah, my ever-present brother.”Lord Devon’s hand rested on his brother’s shoulder.
Anna noted the way Lord Devon’s fingers curled, as if digging into his brother.
