His gaze flickered over to the dance floor while Rachel’s went to the duke again, who had his back turned to the two of them.
Oh, he couldn’t care less,Rachel thought to herself, sourly.
”It is positively a crime for a lady such as yourself to stand unaccompanied at a ball,” Lord Ashford continued. “Would it be too much of a bother if I asked you for a dance?”
Should I?She felt hesitant to accept, but then again, it was not wrong for a married woman to dance, though it was not that usual.
“Surely, your husband would not object?” he continued, as though reading her thoughts.
He will not even notice, in all likelihood.
She glanced toward Simon again, her stomach twisting, then she straightened her shoulders.
“It would be my pleasure,” she said, accepting the Lord’s offered hand. Perhaps it was the sting of rejection from Simon thatmade her accept it as a small act of her own rebellion, but she decided to do it.
“You were in a rush to get out of there,” Rowan shook his head. “Pray tell. Whatbusinessdo we have to discuss?”
“I do not appreciate the sarcasm,” Simon shot him a glare. “You should be pleased that I let you meet her to begin with.”
“Oh, of course. How could I ever repay you the favor?” Rowan laughed.
“By shutting your mouth, perhaps,” Simon replied, rolling his eyes.
“You ask an impossible thing,” Rowan chuckled. “You know, there is something I wish to say to you, but I am afraid that it will only result in you getting angry with me.”
Simon raised an eyebrow in his friend’s direction, knowing that nothing would deter him from saying what he had to.
“I have never seen you act so foolishly before,” Rowan continued.
“Watch yourself,” Simon warned. But then the curiosity got the best of him. “What foolish thing have I done now, exactly?”
In his mind, keeping distance from her was the wisest thing he could do. Both for his sake and hers.
“You abandoned your wife,” Rowan smirked, gesturing toward the dance floor. “A wife who very clearlywantedyou to stay. She wanted you to ask her for a dance.”
“Oh, spare me the advice, Rowan.”
“Why would I? This is far too amusing.” He leaned back against the pillar, studying Simon with open curiosity. “Tell me, what exactly is your grand plan? You married her, paraded her before the ton, and now you’re going to ignore her? A rather unconventional approach to wedded bliss, I must say.”
”You already know the answer to that.”
“Ah, yes.” Rowan took a sip of his drink. “The perfect deception. The Duke of Everly finallysettled, no longer concerning himself with the ghosts of the past. All so the one responsible for your parents’ murder believes you have finally moved on.”
“Precisely.”
It was convenient for them both. Except that she did not need to know his reasoning.
“I venture it’s more than that now, though,” Rowan continued. “I think you’re afraid.”
“Do you even realize how ridiculous your theories sound?” Simon rolled his eyes.
“Oh, it isentirelyreasonable.” Rowan’s smirk widened. “You avoid her, yet you cannot stop watching her.”
Simon hated to admit it, but Rowan was not entirely wrong. Even when he tried his hardest to ignore her, it was difficult not to sneak a look in her direction. It was as though something inside of him compelled him to do so.
“Am I wrong?” Rowan continued.
“I would rather talk about something else,” Simon sighed.
