Also, that could be simply because her attention was always on Edwin.
“Ah, Duchess Kinfield!”Lady Devon welcomed her mother.“Your Grace, you honor us with your attendance.”She bowed.
“Of course, and we wanted to be here for Pere as well.Lovely, dear, you’re a vision.”The duchess gave an indulgent smile to Pere.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”Pere curtsied prettily.
Anna stepped forward.“Good evening, my lady.”Anna curtsied as she greeted Pere’s mother, knowing that she was certainly missing the presence of her father at such a momentous occasion, but the late earl had passed near ten years ago.
“Lovely as always,” Lady Devon replied, giving a similar smile to Anna as the duchess had given to Pere.
Anna found a comforting beauty in protocol, irritating as it could be at times.
“Lady Anna, I hope you’ll save me a dance.”
Anna’s heart pounded as she met the warm gaze of Edwin, the Earl of Devon.“Of course, I’d be delighted.”She gave her most alluring smile, hoping it was flirtatious enough to encourage him.
“If I may have the supper waltz?”he asked, then flickered a glance to Anna’s mother.
Anna nodded once, not waiting for her mother to give the approval she knew would be forthcoming.“That so happens to be my favorite dance.”
“And I believe it will be mine as well,” Edwin remarked, his tone lowering to a softer timbre.
Anna’s face heated with a blush she couldn’t restrain, and she glanced down, hoping it hid a little of the glow.
“Of course, I’d be honored if you’d favor me as well.”
Anna’s gaze lifted and she met the inquiring eyes of Henley.He had stepped forward and was watching her with an alarming intensity that made a shiver tickle her spine.It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, just new.
“Of course, my lord.”She bit her lip.“What would you prefer?We only just arrived and my dance card is quite open.”She smiled warmly, hoping her expression was inviting.
“Then I’m truly blessed, I’ll take the final waltz,” he requested, his lips bending slightly, but it was his eyes that bore the smile, not his lips.Odd how she instinctively knew it.
Perhaps he wasn’t so difficult to read.Not if one knew what to look for.
“It’s yours.And now I must see my friend.”She gave a quick glance to Pere and used the rare opportunity of her not being surrounded by suitors to quickly chat.
“Holding court I see,” Anna remarked with a theatrical low tone.“And loving every moment?”
Pere gave a low giggle, then sobered as she snuck a furtive glance to her mother.Upon seeing her engaged in conversation with the duchess, she turned back to Anna.
“Yes!Isn’t it delicious?I was a trifle concerned due to earlier events—I’ll explain later, but it’s rather a smash, isn’t it?The party?I do think I’ll have several callers tomorrow!”she finished, deep brown eyes alight with the thrill of it.
“Yes, a smashing success, not that I ever had doubts.You shouldn’t have either.”
“If you were in my parlor this afternoon, you’d understand.”Pere gave her a dark look.“However, what’s done is done and this… is perfect.”
Anna glanced over to Edwin, now speaking with another guest.“Yes, it is quite perfect.”
Chapter Four
Henley’s eyes followedthe swirling dancers, his attention fixed on one couple—Lady Anna and his brother.He thought back to her unusually late arrival at the party and wondered if it had been intentional.
Wasn’t everything in society?
If his brother’s behavior was any indication, Lady Anna had set herself up as a lovely offering, one Edwin had clearly noticed.
Henley held his breath as Edwin’s hand flexed around Lady Anna’s waist, drawing her closer within the frame of the waltz.He glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed, but nothing seemed out of place.
