“Do what makes you happy. Few are given the luxury of choice. Do not squander yours.”
“What makes me happy.” He nearly echoed her words in a whisper as his eyes darkened and gaze shifted to her lips.
Breath lodged in her chest and then he blinked and looked away.
“Seaford is in need of a solicitor. Perhaps I will let my rooms in London go and return here given I do now own a house.”
The stab to her heart was quick and sharp. When he had not corrected the residents that he was only here on holiday, she had feared that he was considering staying. She did not want him to move from London nor did she want Demetrius to cease being Leopold’s solicitor. If he did, she might not see him again.
Oh, why had she told him to do what would make him happy?
It had been unexpected but Lavinia’s simple advice had been exactly what he needed to hear. Now to decide what would make him the happiest.
He had also nearly kissed her, which should not happen in such a public venue. No doubt the good residents of Seaford were already wondering about their relationship, especially since each had traveled here alone and resided separately in neighboring cottages set away from the other residents. Had he kissed her and they had been seen, it is likely they would be gossiped about and neither he nor Lavinia wanted to draw unwanted attention.
“We should return inside,” she said.
As much as he was reluctant to do so, Demetrius did have to agree. Being out here too long was no different than if he had been seen kissing her.
“You should ask the other women to dance,” she suggested. “There are more misses in attendance than bachelors.”
He did not want to dance with anyone else.
Did she?
“And maybe if I am not next to you all the time, another man might ask you to dance.”
“I enjoyed our country dance but I would prefer not to dance with a stranger.”
That he was glad to hear, unless she was being polite.
Except, Lavinia was not someone who said what she thought others wished to hear.
As they returned inside, the small orchestra in the corner struck the chords to a waltz. It was the music he had been waiting for and without asking, escorted Lavinia to the center of the floor as others gathered.
She did not shy away either, but curtseyed to his bow, then placed her hand on his shoulder as he took her other hand and then they stepped.
Waltzing was not something Demetrius had done often, but he knew how. Before his sisters had come to London last spring, his aunt had insisted they learn every dance and had summoned Demetrius to teach them. Except, he hadn’t known how, which led to Rosalind and her husband instructing their sisters and him. His aunt and uncle had wrongly assumed that it would be Demetrius who would watch over his sisters at any entertainment. That was only because since Rosalind had married the Marquess of Felding the entire family would be included on any invitation. Demetrius had known better and advised them of such. However, as his sisters would be living with Rosalind and her husband, many more doors would be open to them.
Still, Demetrius had learned the proper dances and was confident when he and Lavinia stepped and swept down the room from one end of the hall to the other, not once faltering, their steps matching perfectly.
In fact, the perfection of how they moved, a complement to the other, made him wonder how perfect they would be in a more intimate setting.
Desire simmered just below the surface after the dance had concluded and for the rest of the evening. And even though Lavinia encouraged him to ask others to dance and even pointed out a few of the misses who had glanced his way, he did not want to leave her side and had no desire to become acquainted with any other woman in Seaford.
As the night ended and a closing waltz began to play, Demetrius and Lavinia took their leave. As much as he may have wished to waltz with Lavinia a second time, they had already shared two dances this evening and a third would confirm a courtship that did not exist.
“Thank you for the invitation, Demetrius,” she offered as the carriage drove down the long drive they shared.
“It was my pleasure,” he returned.
“I had forgotten what it was like to not have to worry about what a younger sister might be up to or be on constant alert to any danger in order to protect her reputation.”
“Your sisters also have three older brothers, one of them being their guardian,” Demetrius reminded her as the carriage came to a stop before the cottage.
“Leopold goes into Society only by force. Crispin was on his wedding trip and therefore not about. As for Augustus, he was too easily distracted by a pretty face to remember that he had sisters to protect.”
Demetrius opened the door of the carriage, then set the step and helped her down.
