“No.”Henley’s voice was clipped, and he glanced around as if realizing how his tone could be interpreted by those surrounding them.
Pere turned her attention to Hawthorne, the fire snapping in her expression catching him off guard for a moment.She took a step toward him, and though never one to retreat, he was tempted to take a step back but held his ground.
He regarded her, waiting as she seemed to weigh her next words.With a smile, she gave a small wave of her dance card, and waited, her brows raised expectantly.
It took exactly two seconds for Hawthorne to understand her strategy.And one second more for him to decide to use her scheme against her.
“I’d be honored, Lady Peregrine.”He bowed graciously.“If you’d allow me a dance.”
Lady Peregrine’s lashes fluttered as she offered her dance card, the one she’d been waving around just a few moments before.
Hawthorne glanced to Henley, who was watching the whole exchange with tight lips.“If you’ll grant your permission, the supper waltz?”he asked, watching as Henley gave a slow nod, as if trying to figure out what Hawthorne’s angle was in playing along with Pere.
“Excellent.Lady Peregrine, I shall see you soon.”He penciled his name beside the supper waltz and held out her dance card for her to retrieve.
As her fingers closed around it, he held tight.
Her eyes flickered to his, confusion in her expression as he took a small step closer, lowering his tone and gazing into her eyes.“I’ll be counting the minutes, Lady Peregrine.”With practiced precision, he allowed a sultry smile to tease his lips as he darted his gaze to her mouth, then lazily raised his attention to her eyes once more, still holding the dance card, tugging her inch by inch closer.
Her eyes darted to his lips then, and he tasted victory.“Until later.”He whispered the words, angling his head as if to kiss.
He was too far away to even attempt it, should he dare, but he wasn’t about compromising her in a crowded ballroom.No, this was to teach her how easily it was for a charming rake to tease her tender sensibilities and ignite passions she didn’t understand.
He was quite certain she didn’t care for him; in fact, he wasn’t sure she even liked him particularly, but it didn’t take love, or even like, to create an enticement.This was a lesson she needed to learn.
And he was delighted to teach her.
“Lady Peregrine?”He caressed her name with his tone, waiting for her to respond, to say something, anything.
He was giving her an opportunity to break the spell he’d woven around them.
She blinked, as if not recognizing her own name.
Abruptly, he released the dance card and walked away, resisting the urge to capture her shoulder when she swayed slightly at his quick change of posture and demeanor.No, she needed to ask questions of herself, and he fully expected for her to question him during their waltz.He hoped she would.
Because it was one thing to be told no by an elder brother; it was an entirely different situation to be warned by another man.And he owed it to Henley, who had no need to befriend him, but who had anyway.It was the least he could do.
And it was the only thing he’d do.
If she disregarded his words, then so be it.His hands would be clean, and his conscience would be as well.
He’d made it halfway across the ballroom when he finally glanced back to Henley and Lady Peregrine.
Henley’s expression had lightened, and rather, it was now Lady Peregrine who held the glare.
Hopefully, this was the tables turning.
For her sake.
He told himself that was the only reason his pulse still drummed a reckless tattoo against his cravat.
Chapter Three
Pere wasn’t surewhat was more confusing; the fact that Lord Hawthorne had dared to use his charm on her, in front of her brother, or the fact that she’d been completely taken in by it.
She rather thought she was made of stronger stuff than that.It was disappointing to have been so fully caught off guard—and, devil take him, interested!In Hawthorne!It truly was a maddening scene.Her pulse still fluttered like a trapped sparrow against her ribs, and she blamed the waltz music, not the man.Her hands balled into tight fists as she heard the first strains of the supper waltz begin.She released her fingers and took a deep breath, scanning the crowd for her partner.
“Lady Peregrine.”
