Smirking, hewatched his brother trail after the girl he claimed he had not morethan avuncular feeling for.
“Lady Seraphina Waller-Mitchell.”
Glove skimmingthe balustrade, Seraphina Waller-Mitchell descended the stairs. Inher other hand she held her fan, positioned just beneath thedécolletage of her deep blue gown. The colour offset the creaminessof her skin, the graceful sweep of her neck, and highlighted herimpressive cleavage. Her dark hair was twisted in complicated knotsand curls, shining in the candlelight as did the diamonds drippingfrom her ears.
Conversationceased as she continued her descent, her appearance commandingevery eye. Gaze downcast, a demure smile played about her rose-pinklips, as if she were embarrassed by the attention.
It was quite aperformance, though he did concede shewasstunning.
As she reachedthe gathered throng, a lord stepped forward and offered his arm.From his vantage, Stephen couldn’t see who it was, but Seraphinaaccepted him and allowed him to escort her in the direction of theballroom.
Pushing off thewall, he made his way to her. “Lady Seraphina,” he said, bowingbefore her.
Her dazzlingsmile did not dim, but the skin around her eyes tightened. “LordStephen, what a delight to see you this evening. This is LordStephen Farlisle who interrupts us, Lord Bancroft. He is brother tothe Earl of Roxwaithe. We met at the Pruitt ball where he saved mefrom that most direst of fates: a torn hem. Lord Stephen, do youknow Lord Bancroft?”
His jaw tensed.Something about how she said his name set his teeth on edge. “I donot.” Shifting his gaze to the man at her side, he nodded.“Bancroft.”
“Lord Stephen. A pleasure, I am sure.”
Stephen smiledwithout mirth. A more unenthused utterance of those words he couldnot imagine. “Lady Seraphina, I would speak with you if you wouldgrant me the honour.”
Sliding her gazeover him, she fluttered her fan. “I will speak with you if you askme to dance,” she said archly.
Annoyance tensedhis muscles, but he did as she bid. “Lady Seraphina, may I havethis dance?”
“Imust check if I am free.” She made a show of consulting her dancecard. Moments passed, one sliding into the next as he resisted theurge to shift his weight impatiently while Lord Bancroft glared athim from her side.
Finally, hisimpatience got the better of him. “Lady Seraphina.”
Eyes on herdance card, she said, “Yes, Lord Stephen?”
It took all hehad not to grit his teeth. “May I have this dance?”
Dropping hercard, she smiled prettily as she held out her gloved hand. “Youmay.” She flicked her gaze to Lord Bancroft. “I shall be backshortly.”
The manspluttered impotently as Stephen led her to the dance floor. Asthey lined up with the other dancers, the orchestra began the firststrains of a quadrille.
Holding up ahand to execute the first move, he asked without preamble, “What doyou want?”
She missed astep, offering an apologetic smile to the dancer she stumbled into.“I beg your pardon?” she asked from the corner of hermouth.
“From me,” he clarified. “What do you want fromme?”
Her demure smiledidn’t falter. “I’m sure I don’t know to what yourefer.”
“Youknow very well to what I refer.”
Still smiling,he watched as she very deliberately stepped on her gown, causingher to again stumble. “Oh dear,” she cried.
“What is it?”
“I’ve turned my ankle. Will you escort me to the retiringroom?”
His lipstwitched. How very convenient. “Of course, LadySeraphina.”
She limpedrather convincingly as he helped her leave the ballroom in favourof the room set aside for ladies to gather themselves. Glancingabout them and finding them quite alone, she tugged him intoanother room, this one dark and unoccupied.
He glanced aboutthe room with interest. “I had no idea this room washere.”
