She felt Alice’s eyes on her again.
“I really cannot wait to hear this story you have to tell, Liberty, as your tone suggests to me it will be a good one, but right now smile, and make it look less like a grimace,” her friend hissed in her ear.
“Good evening, Lady Liberty, Miss Hamner,” a deep voice said seconds later.
“Lord Corbyn,” Alice said, dropping into a curtsey.
Liberty did the same.
“May I have this dance, Lady Liberty?”
“I have no wish to dance,” she blurted. “I don’t dance often.” Suddenly, she felt panicky at the thought of being close to this man again.
“It’s a waltz, and not overly taxing, surely? Even without your glasses.”
Alice nudged her.
“Very well.” She placed her hand on the arm he held out. Found a tight smile for her friend and then let him lead her to the floor. He turned her into his arms, and soon they were dancing.
Liberty had never danced with Tobias. She’d heard he was an excellent partner, Alice had assured her of it, but they’d always kept their distance, and she’d been content with that.
In truth, Liberty rarely danced at all. Her leg—and the fact she often didn’t wear her glasses—made her seem clumsy, so she’d turned down far more partners than she’d accepted.
The feel of his hand on her back should not be shooting heat through her as they had layers of material between them. Her fingers in his felt delicate, and she’d never thought of herself as that before.
“Why are you dancing with me?” Liberty had never been one to talk around something that needed to be said. “Do you have news about your investigations into Bidham?”
“Are you going to the Bidham fair, my lady?”
“I am, yes.” She went every year, as did her family, because while Corbyns had been associated with the village longer, her father was a duke, and they were happy to have him attend, even if they had yet to ask him to open the event. But then a Corbyn had done that since its inception.Then this rat had walked away from the village, and me.
He sighed, loudly, and it had her looking up into his deep brown eyes.
“I know I have no right to ask you to do anything, but I will ask this of you. Have a care, Lady Liberty. Something is afoot in Bidham,and I am going to find out what. But with the death of Sally—”
“You believe it is connected?” she interrupted him.
“I don’t have a solid reason to believe that, but, yes, I do,” he said. “Now, I am planning to go to the fair, but things have come up.”
“What things?” Liberty asked before she could stop herself. “Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”
“I’m not telling you anyway,” he said calmly.
Now she really wanted to know.
“I wish to help with the investigation,” Liberty said.
She watched his jaw clench and waited for the refusal, not that she’d listen to him, but Liberty knew it was coming.
“Ask questions, my lady. I believe people may tell you what they will not tell me in the village.”
“Because you walked away from Bidham.”
He nodded. His eyes had returned to over her head, but now dropped to meet hers. “Exactly, and I no longer hold their confidence.”
Something hung in the air between them then. Unspoken words. Words neither would ever share, and especially not here. After so many years of hating this man, it felt odd to be close to him. To have him touching her. Liberty did not want to feel the moorings of the anger she’d harbored toward him for so long slip, but they were.
She’d watched him, of course, as best she could with no glasses. Seen him flirting and women fawning all over him.
