Prologue
London, Spring, 1814
* * *
She ran away from him. Again!
Philip Cardwell, Viscount Chedworth, watched the dark curls at the back of Lady Antonia Kerrigan’s head bounce before she disappeared through the doors leading to the terrace from where she had abandoned him on the dance floor as the last strains of the waltz faded.
If she hated waltzing with him so much, then why did she? Nobody was making her. Yet, she had accepted and ran away before the dance ended every single time!
Why did he even continue asking her? Was it the humiliation he wanted to experience again and again?
Philip shook his head and walked off the dance floor.
If Lady Antonia did not care for him, she would have turned down his requests.
Though, she was very clear that she would only waltz, but never the supper dance. Which meant, she liked him well enough to dance with, but not share a meal and conversation.
Except, they had enjoyed several conversations. Not ever in a ballroom, but in Hyde Park when he’d come across her. Then she took his offered arm and allowed him to escort her away from the crowds and they’d discussed many topics.
Lady Antonia Kerrigan was an enjoyable companion, but odd and one he could not understand. In short, she was a conundrum, but he still approached her at every ball, already knowing how the waltz would end.
In fact, since the Season had begun, he was the only person she had partnered because Lady Antonia turned everyone else away.
He had only gained an introduction in the first place because his parents wanted him to marry and insisted that it was time. So, he put his mind to finding the most pleasant witch London had to offer. Yes, she was a witch and as he came from a magical family, which Lady Antonia already knew, she did not have to hide the fact from him.
At first, he had dismissed the possibility of Lady Antonia as a potential wife, but that was only because she was a close friend to two of his cousins, and it was likely she had heard tales of him that he’d rather nobody knew.
Second, she was a wallflower, so he assumed that she was either a bluestocking or overly shy. Not that he had anything against either type of woman, he just did not think they would suit.
At any entertainment Lady Antonia could be found with those who attended Societal events, but never participated. And, as each night grew later, she pulled further away from everyone until she completely disappeared. Though he had no idea why. As her parents were still present, Philip could only presume that she hid.
He'd asked her during their strolls, but she had evaded his question.
But her running from him again as Society watched on was quite enough, and with that, Philip marched out of the ballroom and onto the terrace. It was time he received answers.
Except, he could not find her.
Where the blazes had she gone?
Had she transported herself away?
Blast! He should have asked his cousins what powers Lady Antonia possessed. Except he had not wanted to make known his interest.
Antonia adored dancing with Lord Chedworth. There was a peacefulness in him that she’d never experienced with anyone else. He was calm, light, positive, and his emotions did not exhaust hers. Being in his arms, one hand in his and another on his shoulder always brought immediate relief while in a crowd. But she also knew that as soon as they parted, she’d be engulfed with the emotions of all those surrounding her, only worse than it had been before the dance had begun.
Lord Chedworth quieted the noise.
That was the only word she could think of to describe what happened when she was in large groups of people. Noise, which made it impossible for her to think, or concentrate, and exhausted her beyond imagination. If she could mask the emotions of those around her, she would immediately, but it was not possible, no matter how hard she tried. Instead, the empath part of her felt everything from everybody and all at once.
And each time the waltz was about to end, Antonia knew that she had to exit the house before it became too much. Such as she had just done.
“Lady Antonia?”
She straightened and glanced about. Nobody should be able to see her on the bench behind the tall bushes. She had found this place earlier in the evening and knew this was where she would retreat.
At every ball she always toured the gardens while the evening was still young. The purpose was to locate the perfect place to hide when the entertainment became too much.
