“None of us are open books,” Toby added. “Now move along. We are in a receiving line and holding everyone up.
Jamie stepped around him, then stared into Toby’s eyes. “You look different.”
Were his pupils dilated?
“Exactly how do I look different when my body is the same?”
“Your eyes are squinty. Has something happened, Toby? Are you in pain? Florence—”
“Is well and tucked up in bed as we speak.”
Toby nudged him back a few steps.
Anthony turned to study him. He then said softly, “What has happened?”
“Not here,” Toby said, realizing they wouldn’t believe him if hekept denying it. “After we have greeted the Talbots, I will tell you.”
They walked a few more paces and then he could see their hosts. Liberty stood beside her mother, and her expression was polite, but he knew her well enough, even after all these years, to know she hated being the center of attention.
His eyes traveled down from the top of her sunset locks, pinned on top of her head with something that sparkled. She smiled as another guest greeted them. This one was genuine, and everything inside Toby that wasn’t already clenched did so. She was beautiful.
“Your Lady Liberty is looking lovely this evening,” Jamie whispered in his ear.
He refused to punch his friend right here in front of some of the more voracious society gossips, but the need was there.He was jealous.
Liberty was wearing white, but the bodice was lower than she usually wore, and showed off the tops of her lovely breasts. Beneath the bust was an overskirt in sheer blue that opened down the front. Around her neck was a matching satin ribbon.
“Your mouth is open,” Jamie whispered.
“Shut up.”
“At least the color is returning to your cheeks,” Anthony added. “Did you eat something off today? Is that why you look as you do?”
“I told you I will tell you everything soon. Shut up.”
Toby kept his eyes on Liberty, and he let the feelings inside him come. His friend, and so much more. What he’d done had forced her from his life, but he wanted to rectify that. Wanted her back.
She squinted then, attempting to focus on something. Liberty should be wearing her glasses, and it was wrong of her mother to not allow that. She could easily walk into something and hurt herself.
Her hands hung at her side, one clenched in a fist. Why had she not married before now? Liberty was as beautiful as many, and more so, Toby believed. The accident had her entering society later than others, but she was a duke’s daughter. Clearly the bachelors like himwere fools not to see she was worthy of their attentions.
She bent slightly at the waist to hear something a guest said to her, and Tobias watched Mr. Parker leering down her bodice.
“Did you just growl, Tobias?” Anthony asked.
“No.”
But he had, because he wanted to be the one to look at her breasts, and knew he’d lost all rights to Liberty Talbot many years ago.But that was about to change.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Liberty loathed beingon display like she was now. Standing beside her mother and father, greeting every guest who entered their townhouse to attend the Talbot ball. Yes, she’d been in society for years, and yes, most nights someone was looking at her and either picking her appearance apart, or criticizing her for being an old maid, but this was different. She had to smile and say the right things continually until this infernally long receiving line was done with.
There was also the fact that she couldn’t see a great deal. If she squinted, that brought things into focus more, but still, it wasn’t easy.
“Smile, daughter.”
“I am smiling, Father.”
