Simon didn’t have to follow his gaze to know where she stood. He had kept an eye on her, despite the distance.
“Suppose I should go to her now,” he muttered under his breath. In the entire carriage ride there, he had managed to avoid conversation.
And that was what he had planned to do for the remainder of the night as well.
“Shall I make myself scarce? Or will you allow me to meet her?” Rowan asked.
Simon exhaled, unimpressed. “That depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether you are capable of behaving yourself.” Simon shook his head. While he did not exactly enjoy the idea of Rowan speaking to his wife, the thought of meeting her alone seemed even more daunting.
If anything, Rowan could provide him with a distraction.
Rowan clutched his chest in mock offense. “Capable? Of course, I amcapable.The real question is whether Iintendto behave.”
“That you will, or else, you know the consequences,” Simon warned.
Rowan chuckled, then his gaze shifted across the ballroom, something catching his interest. “Who is that speaking to Montrose?”
Simon followed his line of sight.
Christopher stood near the staircase, engaged in conversation with a woman Simon did not recognize. Dark-haired, poised, her expression perfectly composed as she listened to whatever Christopher was saying.
“I do not know her,” Simon murmured.
Rowan arched a brow. “She must be new around here.”
Simon said nothing, his focus narrowing. He had spent his life reading people, learning the nuances of their movements, the small gestures that revealed more than words ever could.
And something about this woman feltwrong.
“Shall we make introductions?”
Before Simon could answer, the woman turned her head slightly, as if she had sensed them watching.
Their eyes met across the room.
Then, before he could move, she excused herself and disappeared back into the crowd.
“Well,” Rowan murmured, intrigued, “never mind that, then.”
“Come,” Simon said to Rowan as the two made their way over to the duchess.
“Say,” Rowan said as they approached closer. “I understand that the duchess is well off limits, as she should be, but what of the woman who is by her side?”
“Behave,” Simon warned for a final time.
When they reached Rachel and Marina, Rowan barely hesitated before speaking.
“Finally! What a great pleasure to meet you, Duchess,” Rowan grinned. “I have to say that I was quite keen on meeting you.”
Rachel looked at Simon, confused.
“Rachel, this is Lord Rowan Hunt,” he said, already regretting the whole thing. Rowan was too unpredictable—he never knew what would end up coming out of his mouth.
“At your service, Your Grace.”
