Lord Crawford walked forward and collected his gift. Then, he went down on one knee, looked up at his wife, and said in thevoice of a supplicant, “All I have belongs to you, my love, my lady, and my wife. May we be blessed with spending all our days together.”
Lady Crawford, clearly overwhelmed by this expression of love, leaned down and kissed her husband on the forehead. The sight was equal parts endearing and silly. But the guests seemed to appreciate it because wild applause erupted immediately.
Peter clapped as well, but then he turned back to Lavinia.
“Miss Fitzroy,” he said, his voice smooth and controlled, “may I have this dance?”
Lavinia hesitated for only a moment before she nodded, relief flooding her features. “Of course, Your Grace,” she replied, her voice steady but her eyes still holding that unspoken plea.
Lord Windham’s face turned several shades of red, his lips pressing into a thin line as he was blatantly disregarded. It was obvious that he had meant to ask for Lavinia’s hand before he was interrupted by Lord and Lady Crawford’s show of affection. He opened his mouth to protest, presumably, but Peter silenced him with a look—a look that promised retribution if he dared to cause a scene.
Peter didn’t wait for his response. He took Lavinia’s hand and led her onto the dance floor, his movements fluid and decisive. As they joined the other dancers, the music started anew, and his hand found its place on her waist, the other holding her hand gently but firmly.
They moved in perfect sync, their steps guided by an unspoken understanding. For a moment, neither spoke, the silence stretching out between them as they navigated the steps of the dance. The tension that had been building between them for weeks hung heavy in the air like a storm waiting to break.
Finally, Peter broke the silence. “Does your mother know that Queen Guinevere was unfaithful to her husband?”
“What?” Lavinia squawked in a most unladylike fashion.
Peter chuckled lightly. “In the Arthurian Legends,” he explained. “In the stories of Camelot, one of the most popular tales shares the story of how Lady Guinevere developed feelings for one of King Arthur’s knights, Lord…”
“Lord Lancelot,” Lavinia supplied.
“Indeed.” Peter nodded. “You know the stories then?”
They twirled to the music, and then she giggled.
“Do you remember when you found me in the shed a few days ago?”
“Yes,” Peter said slowly.
“I was reading out there, and one stack of those old books was filled with stories about King Arthur and his knights.”
Peter chuckled. “Then, if you knew that King Arthur was betrayed by his wife, why did you let your mother give that speech?”
Lavinia shook her head. “I did not know my parents planned…” She paused and jerked her chin toward the dais, where her parents were still kneeling, whispering words to one another only they could hear. “… all of this.”
“I am surprised they did not consult you.”
“They rarely do.” Lavinia cast a look over his shoulder, and Peter turned to follow her gaze. He was surprised to see her peering at Lord Windham.
He arched an eyebrow at her. “Did I misinterpret the look you gave me before? Did you not want me to save you from Lord Windham?”
“No… er… yes…” Lavinia was clearly confused. “I wanted to dance with you, Your Grace. Not Lord Windham. So…” Her eyes locked on his. “Thank you.”
Peter gazed into her blue eyes and knew that the words he meant to say next were inevitable. “Are you… Are you committed to dancing with someone else next? Is your dance card full or…?”
“I have no prior commitments,” Lavinia said breathily.
“Your parents or your brother did not promise Lord Windham that you would stand up with him this evening?”
Lavinia blinked. “Lord Windham who?” Her face split into a wide grin, which filled his heart with delight.
“Then,” he said softly as the music wound to a conclusion, “if you are not engaged, perhaps you should stay by my side for the rest of the evening.”
“Yes,” Lavinia whispered. “That sounds like a splendid idea.”
CHAPTER 16
