When the set was over, she and Oswald made their bows and curtsies. Oswald offered her his arm, and Caroline willed herself not to look for Mr. Yorke.
“I rather think Mr. Pascoe would enjoy standing up with you for a set,” Oswald said.
“He will have to wait until I have claimed mine,” Mr. Yorke said, appearing out of thin air for the second time.
He put out his arm. His eyes always seemed to be on Caroline rather than Oswald. It was a circumstance she wondered at, for if his intent was to elicit a reaction from Oswald, she would have expected him to watch for such a reaction. Otherwise, what was the purpose?
Oswald’s arm was stiff beneath Caroline’s glove, but he gave a nod, and Caroline smiled at him before transferring her hand to Mr. Yorke’s arm.
“I was not certain you would grace us with your presence,” Caroline said, aware of his physical presence in a way she hadn’t been aware of Oswald’s as he led her to her place in the set.
“You insist on doubting me, my lady,” he said as she released her hold on his arm, his eyes sparkling playfully.
“There is no insistence,” Caroline replied. “It comes quite naturally.”
His smile grew, as though he enjoyed her reply rather than taking offense at it.
He took a few steps backward to his place.
Caroline was beginning to doubt she could wound him no matter how cutting she was. It was simultaneously infuriating and impressive.
The music began, and Mr. Yorke bowed deeply.
“I must thank you,” he said, as they met in the middle of the set, their palms pressing together.
“For what?”
“Defending my honor.”
Caroline gave a laugh. “I defended reform.”
He cocked a brow. “Did you?”
“Yes,” she said firmly as they turned and changed direction, circling one another.
“You could have easily done so without including me in the defense. You might have said, ‘Mr. Yorke is too stupid to support a cause as worthy as reform.’ But you did not.”
“I am glad to hear you find reformworthy.”
Mr. Yorke’s mouth drew into a grin. “Does that mean you will support me instead of Oswald?”
“Doyou support reform?” She fixed her gaze on him, her tone more serious than before.
He met it, and their eyes held for a moment.
In that instant, Caroline wondered…if hedidshare her views, would she be tempted to put her support behind him? And if so, what would the repercussions be with Oswald?
But as Mr. Yorke held her gaze, her reason discarded such a ridiculous hypothetical. Mr. Yorke’s express purpose in comingto Trelowen was to take advantage of what he had assumed an easy victory. It would make no sense to reform the system of voting he relied upon to achieve his aims—indeed, reform was likely to deprive Trelowen of its MP altogether.
“I am quite moved by your defense of my good name,” he said. “I could see it in your eyes: pistols at dawn on the quay. Or perhaps swords in the drawing room.”
“How very lively is your imagination, Mr. Yorke,” she said with amusement.
“Amoresusceptible man might have swooned. Even I was very near to doing so when you called me a man who knows his own mind.” He fanned himself while Caroline silently swore never to defend Mr. Yorke again.
“And do you?” she asked. “Know your own mind?”
The way he regarded her for a few moments before responding made her heart stutter and tumble in her chest. “I believe I do.”
