“You used my given name.”
He grinned at her. “It slipped out. Do you preferkittenafter all?”
“I prefer neither. Is this dance exceedingly long?”
“I don’t think so. Shall I call out to the manager and ask how much longer? I hope you’re not eager to get away from me. I could hold you all night in my arms, preferably off the dance floor.”
She shook her head. “You have gone too far. Now I know you are testing me with your impudence.”
“Or is it imprudence?” Matthew asked, hoping she wouldn’t abandon him.
When she looked down at the floor, however, and back at him, he could see the laughter shining in her eyes.Gorgeous, breathtaking eyes.He thanked God he’d come across her at Lansdowne House. All at once, it dawned on him.
“Youbroke the rules!”
“I beg your pardon?” she asked.
“At Lansdowne House. If you hadn’t flaunted propriety and gone by yourself to the drawing room, we never would have met. Thus, you came into my uncultivated sphere of your own volition. How wonderful, don’t you think?”
“I don’t understand what you are so pleased about.”
“Only that we met because you behaved more like me. It was fortuitous, maybe even fate. And I am asking you to bring me into your world by teaching me to be more like you.”
He hoped she would think their meeting romantic and fall into his arms, or in the current situation, offer him some hope of doing so in the future.
Instead, her expression became alarmed.
“Stop,” she ordered quietly but firmly.
Chapter Eight
Matthew loved the way Purity’s eyes flashed, catching the lights from around the room and looking like true sapphires.
“Why?” he asked, leaning down to catch her fragrance.
“The music, my lord,” she said, glancing around, her voice sounding choked. She even had put a hand up to his chest. “It has stopped, yet you are still holding on to me.”
Matthew sighed heavily. “Another mistake.”
She was tugging to free herself, and they were in danger of making a spectacle. Quickly releasing his hold, he stepped back before calmly offering her his arm. Purity took it despite looking around to make sure no one had witnessed their lagging behind the other dancers.
In truth, he hadn’t noticed the song had ended, too enchanted by everything about her.
Strangely, Varley of all people was watching them, although he turned away as soon as Matthew spied him. That man had a bee in his bonnet to be sure. Perhaps nothing more than blatant male interest in the most exquisite female in the room.
Maybe others were envious of how he’d scooped up the Season’s diamond in both nature and name — for by his reckoning, he was the only gentleman to be granted two dances.
The rest of the evening he had to continue partnering with other ladies in case Purity was watching. But he stopped before the last dance so he could speak with her mother.
“I hope you’ve had a pleasurable evening, Lady Diamond.”
“I have, thank you. Seeing my daughter happy gives me great happiness in return.”
“May I collect Lady Purity for a ride in Hyde Park in two days? Weather permitting, naturally.”
“It would be best if you ask her directly, my lord, for unlike my eldest daughter and my son, riding is not Lady Purity’s favorite pastime.”
“And what is?” he asked.
