“Your Grace,” Constantine replied, sweeping into a low, respectful bow before Nora. He placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, then rose. As he did so, he noticed two things. First, Evander’s mother, though still beautiful, appeared much more frazzled than when he had last seen her seven years earlier. Second, Elara was looking at him as if he had grown two heads.
“How beautiful you look, Your Grace,” Constantine praised, turning his full attention to Nora. “It is you, not Ponce de Leon, who has surely discovered the fountain of youth.”
“Oh!” Nora tittered, blushing like a young girl. “You were always my favorite among Evander’s friends. It has been so many years since you visited, though! I did not realize I had sent you an invitation.”
Constantine spared a glance toward Elara, who looked as if she were holding her breath, worried about what was about to happen with each passing second. It confirmed his suspicions that she was the one who had sent him the invitation.
“Yes, well, it seems we were both on each other’s minds, for you surely did send me one,” Constantine replied smoothly, adding alittle charm to his voice. “And I am so very glad you did, as I now have the pleasure of being Lady Elara’s first dance partner this evening.”
Constantine did not have to look toward Elara to know she was glaring daggers into the side of his face. He could feel her annoyance at him radiating off her in waves, and he felt no shame in taking pleasure in basking in it.
“You are? Oh, how lovely!” Nora said, smiling warmly at both him and Elara. “Well, I must thank you for stepping up, Your Grace. It is our first ball in quite a while, and I fear our Elara was perhaps a bit nervous about it.”
“Mama!” Elara groaned, her eyes going as round as dinner plates. Constantine had to cover his laughter with a feigned cough. He changed his mind. He was rather glad he had attended after all.
“Do not be embarrassed, darling. It is your first Season!” Nora comforted. “It is perfectly normal to be nervous.”
Although Constantine was quite content watching Elara grow increasingly uncomfortable, he noticed, as he looked around, that several dozen sets of eyes were now fixed on them. He felt his insides quiver under the attention and, for the time being, dropped his mockery and moved the night forward.
“Perhaps now is a good time for that dance?” Constantine asked, offering his hand to Elara. She looked down at it as if it were poisonous. Then her gaze flicked back to her mother, and her cheeks flushed. Eventually, she slipped her gloved hand into his and forced a curtsy and a smile.
“With pleasure, Your Grace,” Elara said through clenched teeth.
She followed him without protest to the dance floor as the orchestra began a new song, and Constantine guided her into a waltz. Her movements were as stiff and unfeeling as the expression on her face, but Constantine noted that at least his feet did not suffer from her heels with clumsy steps.
“Your plan is not going as well as you hoped, is it?” he asked, leading her into a twirl.
“Not exactly,” she muttered, looking anywhere but at him. “However, I did get you here, so it is not a complete loss.”
Constantine smirked as he raised her hand, spun her, then drew her back to him. Warmth exploded in his palm as he touched her lower back, followed by a shiver of excitement.
“And what was your goal in getting me here?” he asked. “Clearly, it was not to dance with me. You are as stiff as a board.”
Elara glowered at him, yet he felt her soften slightly in his embrace, her movements becoming more fluid.
“We never finished our conversation the other night,” Elara whispered, still eyeing him warily. “And furthermore, how do you know my mother so well? I thought you hated my brothers?”
“It was not always so,” Constantine murmured.
Elara’s lips parted as if she were about to ask more about what he meant. Not wanting to revisit such memories, Constantine cut her off.
“So you wanted to talk. Fine. Where?”
“My brother’s study is on the second floor,” Elara replied, her soft tone sending another shiver of excitement through his veins. “Third door down the Eastern Hall on the left. We will haveprivacy there. Meet me there when the orchestra finishes two more songs.”
“And your brother will not interrupt us?” Constantine asked.
“No, he will be too busy dancing with his wife,” Elara answered, and without waiting for the dance to end, she took her leave.
Annoyance surged through Constantine as she left him on the dance floor, looking like a fool standing alone among the swirling couples. He shook his head, grinding his jaw, then quickly removed himself from the dance floor before more people could notice.
As he waded through the sea of people and made his way toward the ballroom’s walls, Constantine once again questioned whether it had been a good idea to come. Yes, Elara intrigued him greatly, but he was not sure whether he was more intrigued or annoyed by her. After all, it was she who had sneaked into his home. She who had demanded answers about the past as if she had more right to them than anyone else. She who had just left him on the dance floor, looking like a fool.
Elara was beautiful, yes, but as Constantine stealthily made his way to Adrian’s study, he decided her beauty was not worth the aggravation she had stirred in him. He had more responsibilities than ever now, and the last thing he needed was some nosy lady coming in and making a mess after all he had done to make things appear clean again.
Constantine opened the study door and his mouth, ready to tell Elara he was leaving; his brows rose, and his mouth snapped shut when he found the room lit by oil lamps but otherwise empty. He took a step into the room. Then another. He walked over to the back of the couch facing him, peered down at the darkgreen velvet cushions, and found them empty as well. Elara was not there.
Just where is she? Does she intend to make a fool of me?
