He gave a little shake of his head and leaned forward, whispering so softly he wondered if she’d actually hear him.“And here I thought I already had.”
Her eyes flashed fire.“I can’t believe you’d mention—”
“Yes, you can.But do not fret—what happened in dark halls isn’t meant to be repeated on ballroom floors,” he said.“And I wouldn’t tarnish your reputation in such a way.Surely, you know that.”He frowned, concerned that maybe she didn’t.
She seemed to consider him.“I do.But you constantly surprise me, so I can’t say it with conviction.”
“That is fair enough,” he said.“And now our dance is ending, and I must say—it was my favorite part of the whole evening, Lady Anna.But I have one request.”
Anna nodded once, her eyes wide with tentative curiosity.
“May I have the honor of seeing you tomorrow?Perhaps during your at-home hours?”he asked, knowing that such a request signaled serious intentions—a courtship already expected with his brother.
Cue another round of family drama.Pere was going to have a conniption.He just wasn’t sure if it would befororagainsthim.
“You understand what you’re saying?”she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.“And even if I said no, would you stop?”She glanced heavenward.
Henley chuckled.“Yes, I’d respect you—but I’d find another way to pursue my… purpose.”
She gave a slow shake of her head.“Ah.Isthatwhat we’re calling this?”she teased.
“We can give it whatever name you like,” he said, beginning to guide her toward her waiting parents as the last notes of the waltz faded.
“I find that I do not have as much control as I expected.”
“Isn’t that life?”
She regarded him.“Apparently so.”She tipped her head.“Lord Allendale, you are free to do whatever you wish.”
“That sounds like an invitation,” he said with a grin.
“It sounds like a statement.You can do with it what you’d like,” she answered, then walked the short distance to her parents without a final glance.
Dismissed—but not disheartened—Henley couldn’t resist the grin that tipped his lips as he walked toward the refreshment table.It wasn’t a yes, but it also wasn’t a refusal.
And that, he decided, was the win for the evening.
Chapter Thirteen
All afternoon, Annasketched—but she kept away from drawing faces.Instead, she focused on clothing.Needing to keep her hands busy and her mind occupied, she drew and colored three new dresses, one of them a wedding gown.She’d been sketching wedding attire since she was twelve, and each year, she chose her favorite design and secreted it away in a wooden chest.One day, she planned to take them all out and select the one she loved most, the one to be made just for her.
The other two sketches were day dresses—one a light cream, and the other a shade just shy of lavender, almost too bold for a debutante, but lovely nonetheless.Bolder colors called to her imagination.She dreamed of designing a gown sewn in red silk or royal blue—but that wasn’t a choice for the immediate future.
Sighing, she pulled out another sheet of paper and frowned as she tried her hand at men’s clothing.She drew the line of the shoulders, the cut of the coat, the breeches and shoes, but paused when it came to the face.Selecting a soft yellow pencil, she began sketching the features of Lord Devon.He was dashing, even on paper—his charm and charisma bleeding through the lines.Last night had been remarkable, watching the world cater to him… and subsequently, to her.His golden personality drew others in.It had drawn her for years.
As she began to work on the eyes, she frowned.She’d chosen the right color—but something was wrong.They weren’t quite right.
Studying them more closely, she suddenly recognized them—and dropped the pencil.
She’d drawn Lord Allendale’s eyes on Lord Devon’s body.
Odd, that.
But it made sense.She could recall the shape, color, and intensity of Lord Allendale’s gaze—his every expression.Yet when she tried to picture Lord Devon’s eyes, she struggled.She remembered his smile, his posture, his presence—but not the exact hue of his eyes.
Crumpling the paper, she tossed it into the low-burning fire and watched the flames consume it.
This afternoon was her calling hour, and she was certain two callers in particular would arrive.It promised to be an eventful day.Her chest tightened at the thought of standing between brothers, deepening a rift that, according to Pere, was already precarious.It was a hard truth—but she didn’t know how to remedy it.She wasn’t fully encouraging both… but she wasn’t fully discouraging either, was she?
