Damian nodded. “Thank you for the information.” He offered her his arm. “Shall we go in?”
Making no attempt to join him, she shook her head. “I couldn’t find them. But I’m sure they’re out there meeting somewhere. Wouldn’t you like to search for them? You might discover something of interest.”
“What makes you think I’m interested?”
She made a dismissive sound with her lips. “I can see it in your eyes, Lord Ballantine.”
He leaned forward and stroked a finger beneath her bottom lip. “What you see is my frustration with your stubborn intention of placing yourself in danger while fighting the desire to kiss you. And I shall give in to the impulse should we remain here a moment longer.”
“Oh! You are outrageous!” With a shrug of her shoulder, she flounced ahead of him.
Damian restrained a bark of laughter and followed her. He would escort her to the drawing room, see her settled safely beside her grandmother, then undertake an exploration of the gardens.
Chapter Six
Seated beside hergrandmother, Diana nibbled her bottom lip as she watched Lord Ballantine leave the room. What had just occurred perplexed her. Ballantine’s intense alertness when she’d described how Lord Montgomery had spoken French at dinner belied his insistence that she saw danger where there was none. While his threat to kiss her alarmed her, it had intrigued her far more. She’d fought to remain unaffected, but it was all she could do to turn away from him with an indifferent shrug of her shoulder.Indifferent!The heat in his eyes had thrilled her. Had he really meant to kiss her? He’d left her wondering what kissing him would be like. She suspected it would differ from the kisses of other men, which had always left her feeling a trifle flat. She grimaced and grew annoyed with herself. Ballantine had used the threat of a kiss to distract her. And he had succeeded admirably. Now, reacting to the information she had given him, he had left to pursue the men in the gardens without her!
“Why are you fidgeting, Diana?” Grandmama turned to observe her with a worried frown. “You are quite flushed. Are you well?”
“It is a little too warm in here, and my corset pinches,” Diana whispered. It had since Ballantine had robbed her of breath.
“Then sit up straight. And don’t frown. Lord Byron is about to begin. I’m surprised I have to remind you of that.”
“I’m sorry, Grandmama.”
Diana gazed around the room. Neither the Frenchmen nor the fair-haired Englishman had returned.Drat!
The flamboyant poet took his place beside the fireplace and after the scrape of chairs and the odd cough, a polite hush came over the room. How long before she could escape again? Grandmama would retire after the poetry reading and give her time to search for the men in the garden. It might be possible to catch them before they concluded their meeting. If that was what they were doing.
Her sharp intake of breath drew in the stuffy air mixed with perfume, snuff, and body odor. What if she ran into Lord Ballantine? He would be angry. He might even carry out his threat and kiss her.
“You shivered, Diana,” Grandmama declared. “Don’t tell me you are well. I won’t believe it. Off to bed immediately, my girl, with a warming pan.”
Gathering up her reticule and gloves, her grandmother rose in stately fashion before Byron could open his mouth. “My lord,” she said, addressing the stunned poet, “I apologize. My granddaughter seems to have caught a chill and must retire. I hope you intend to gift us with another reading before we leave.”
Byron met Diana’s gaze. He looked intrigued, and he murmured something polite in reply.
Diana silently followed her grandmother from the room. She groaned under her breath when her father rose to follow them.
Grandmama approached a footman in the hall and issued her orders for a hot drink and a warming pan to be brought to Diana’s bedchamber.
When they reached the staircase, her father held Diana by her shoulders, his dark-blue gaze studying her. “You feel ill, Diana?”
She felt a terrible fraud. “No, Papa. A little tired, perhaps.”
“Go to bed,” he said with a relieved smile. “A strapping girl like you, you’ll be as fit as a fiddle tomorrow.”
“I’m sure I will, Papa.”
He bent to kiss Grandmama’s cheek. “Good night, Mama.”
“Good night, Frederick.” Her grandmother gathered up her lilac skirts and mounted the stairs, with Diana following.
Grandmama entered Diana’s bedchamber and fussed around her, while Tims assisted her to undress. “Is your accommodation comfortable, Tims?” Diana asked her maid as she finished brushing her lady’s hair.
“Yes, my lady. I like to meet new people. The footman, James, is full of mischief and made us all laugh at supper.”
“My, how noisy it must be down there in the servants’ hall,” Grandmama said, causing the maid to wince. “You may go, Tims.”
