Instead of leaving, he stepped farther into the room and rubbed the tip of his boot against the spot on the floor near the settee where he’d held her in his arms. He smiled to himself as he remembered the feel of her there as they danced. What was it about her that had so captivated him after only a few minutes’ interaction? It was a good question and one that had plagued him all these months. She’d been… unexpected. Her demeanor, her words, her actions. Everything about her had been the exact opposite of what he encountered with most debutantes. She’d been unapologetic too. That was something he admired about anyone. She’d been lively where other debutantes always seemed to be attempting to win an award for being quiet and demure. Both of which drove him mad. His sisters weren’t quiet and demure. He preferred ladies who spoke their mind and enjoyed themselves. Precisely as Madeline had seemed to.
Madeline had also been…mysterious, and he realized with some irony that part of his attraction to her was that she’d seemed completely unaffected by him. Normally, when a debutante encountered him at a ball, she endeavored to act charming or beguiling to cajole him into asking her to dance. Madeline, however, had rushed from the room the moment he'd indicated he didn’t enjoy dancing. She’d been more interested in the dancing itself. And that—for some completely unknown reason—intrigued him. He hated that it was true, but there it was.
He blew out a breath and tipped back his head. Facing the ceiling, he closed his eyes for a moment, imagining the strains of the same waltz that had been playing during their dance last year and pretending he could feel her delicate gloved hand in his. She’d smelled like lilacs. He’d had his house filled with them all last spring.
Loud female voices sounded in the hallway, breaking the spell, just before his three sisters rushed into the room.
“There you are, Justin,” Veronica exclaimed, glancing around the darkened room. “What are you doing in here?”
“Trying to have a moment of peace,” he replied with a tight smile.
“In an empty drawing room?” Jessa asked, frowning.
“That’s what makes it peaceful, Jessa, the emptiness,” Eliza offered helpfully.
Justin crossed his arms over his chest and eyed his three sisters. He’d learned long ago that the best way to get them to stop asking questions was to ask questions of his own. “What are all of you doing here?”
“Looking for you, of course,” Eliza replied with a shrug. Eliza was the most reasonable of his sisters. He doubted she’d come of her own accord. No doubt the forceful Veronica and her equally dogged associate Jessa had insisted Eliza accompany them. Eliza and Jessa may have been identical in likeness, but their personalities were far different. Jessa acted much more like Veronica, who loved fashion and Society and poking her nose into her brother’s private affairs whenever possible.
“Edgefield told us you’re hunting for a certain lady,” Jessica blurted.
“Did he?” Justin arched a brow, inwardly sighed, and made a mental note to thank Edgefield later.
Veronica gave Jessica a condemning glare. “You’re not supposed to tell him that.”
“What do you mean?” Jessica replied, her brow furrowed. “You don’t think he already knows he’s looking for a lady?”
Veronica put the back of her hand to her forehead. “No. I meant you’re not supposed to let him know we know he’s looking for a lady. Now he’ll refuse to tell us anything.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint,” Justin said, already moving back toward the door. “But there is obviously no lady here.”
“I told you both this was a waste of time,” Eliza drawled.
Good, sensible Eliza. She had been dragged along by the other two.
Justin had nearly made it to the still-open door when he glimpsed a light pink ballgown and the profile of none other than…Madeline standing in the corridor.
There she was, hovering outside the door. No figment of his imagination. Only, the moment he saw her, she was just as quickly gone. She scurried off in the opposite direction toward the back of the house.
Justin quickly turned to his sisters. “I have just recalled that I promised Hazelton I’d meet him in his study for a drink with some other chaps.” And with that hasty excuse, he strode from the room.
Out in the corridor, he barely saw the last bit of pink satin round a corner toward the right. He nearly ran after her, intent on not letting her go this time without getting a surname. When he turned the corner, he was in the back of the house. He glanced around. The door to the servants’ staircase was just closing. He frowned. Where was she going?
Without thinking, he followed her. He pushed open the door and glanced up to see pink satin wending its way up the staircase above him. With no more thought than before, he began climbing the stairs.
“Stop!” he called. “I must speak with you.”
A small feminine gasp echoed from above, but her footsteps did indeed stop. He jogged up the last several steps to her.
She stood there looking lovely in a soft pink gown with tiny white rosebuds embroidered along the bodice. She was wearing long white gloves, a small white fur stole around her shoulders, and sparkling diamonds on her ears. She was as ethereal as he remembered. More so, perhaps, with her fine bones and bright blue eyes. She was blinking at him with a mixture of surprise and—dare he hope—delight on her face.
“Madeline,” he breathed, coming to a stop in front of her, his breath only slightly elevated because of his climb. “I’ve…you came to the drawing room?” It was an obvious and idiotic thing to say, but he was just so pleased with the fact that she had come. She’d been there. Right where he’d met her last year. His noisy sisters must have frightened her off.
Madeline swallowed and nodded. But she still said nothing. She glanced around as if worried they’d be discovered. He still did not know why she’d climbed up the servants’ staircase. But now that he was standing here staring at her, he realized how, well, rude it all must seem to her.
“I must apologize,” he began. “I hope I didn’t…frighten you. I hope you’re not unhappy that I wanted to speak with you.”
Her bright blue eyes blinked, and she shook her head. “No…only…” She bit her lip in the charming way he well remembered from last year.
