Captured Love (3 page)

She was here because several of the
ton
were in business with her father,
but she was only tolerated, not welcomed.

Her father was coming later this evening, yet he’d bid
Meredith to come early with Rowena, as he’d had a meeting with his business
partner over dinner.

Meredith’s gaze spun about the ballroom as they
entered. It was overcrowded; she could hardly see through the crush of people,
but even so her gaze searched for one person. She wasn’t even sure if he was
coming. Rowena had not said, and Meredith did not like to ask. Where was Rowena’s
brother? She’d not seen him since last evening, and he had not taken them out
as he’d promised. His cousin’s wife had been in the barouche when it arrived.

Meredith’s heart kept beating with a firm rhythm. She
knew Lord Morton did not like her, though she’d tried hard to be pleasing. She
just wished he might at least smile at her. He never did.

Like the others in the
ton,
he thought she was lacking because of her low birth, and that
was insurmountable. Why did it have to be him her heart favored?
Someone so very proud.
He always looked as though he thought
he was above most of life. The only time he showed any interest in anything was
when he looked at Rowena.

“Now then, Rowena, Miss Divine, shall I fetch you a
glass of
orgeat
, to refresh you before you dance?”
Lord Edward spoke to Rowena first,
then
glanced at
Meredith.

Meredith smiled. Lord Edward smiled back.

He seemed pleasant and far less judgmental than his
cousin. Yet there was little between the two men in handsomeness. They were lean,
muscular and tall. Though Lord Morton’s hair was a lighter brown, and Lord
Morton had hazel eyes, rather than Lord Edward’s dark blue.

Meredith had been lost in Lord Morton’s hazel eyes
last night as they’d danced, and she’d dreamed of them too, and dreamed of that
waltz, of being held and steered so beautifully by his muscular arms.

Her heart fluttered as she nodded a thank you to Lord
Edward, accepting his offer.

Her attraction to Rowena’s brother had been
instantaneous on their introduction. Yet he’d only ever looked at her with
disdain and suspicion.

She glanced about the room again as Lord Edward left
them.

She still could not see Lord Morton. Now that he had
passed the responsibility for chaperoning Rowena to his cousin’s wife, Meredith
had no idea whether he would even come. He never normally danced. Last night,
then, had been a very precious exception.

For long, unending minutes she’d thought he would
leave her standing there like a prize idiot, but then he’d finally asked,
obviously unwillingly. She was going to treasure the memory of that dance. She
was certain it was the closest contact she would ever have with him. He was too
many miles above her reach. It was just a shame her heart would not be directed
elsewhere.

“Lady Rowena, may I impose upon you for a dance...?”

Meredith’s gaze spun to the older gentleman, Lord
Kendrick, who’d been introduced to them last night.

Rowena was blushing. Earlier she’d whispered to
Meredith that Lord Kendrick had asked to marry her today. He’d met Rowena only hours
before making the offer. Of course, Rowena had declined.

Meredith’s heart pounded again. If an offer was made
for her, she knew her father would not let her decline. Whoever the man was,
she would have to accept him, and she’d even be expected to show she was glad
of the honor he’d shown her, no matter her feelings. What was worse was her
father’s impatience for her to make a match. Her days were numbered. If she did
not make a choice soon, her father had said a week ago, he would make the
choice for her.

Yet Meredith had met no one she wished to encourage,
apart from Lord Morton, who was not interested, and would barely even look at
her.

Yet last night when he had looked at her, for the very
first time he had glanced down at her lips as she spoke and looked right into
her eyes. She’d felt faint as he’d held her, and she’d wondered if he’d sensed the
trembling she’d felt inside.

“
Come,
let me introduce you
to my family, Miss Divine.” Lady Eleanor touched Meredith’s arm, gently
pressing her elbow to lead her.

It would be embarrassing if Meredith was left to sit the
dance out. Especially as she was with people she hardly knew. She glanced back
at the people dancing,
then
looked desperately about
the edges of the room, trying to catch the eye of some gentleman who might ask.

“Ellen.”

Meredith’s heart felt as though it did a leap in her
chest as her gaze spun to Lord Morton. He’d come from the direction of the
entrance; he must have just arrived. His voice had that deep, subtly angry
pitch she’d become used to, but nevertheless, her heart still ached at the
sight of his harsh countenance.

His eyes were a clutter of light brown, green and
gold.

His gaze dropped from Lady Edward to Meredith, as if saying,
I did not speak to you, why, are, you, looking at me. Then in his very formal voice,
he said, “Miss Divine,” before looking back at Lady Edward.

Meredith felt sick.

“Miss Divine, would you accept my hand?”

Meredith turned again to face Hugh Holland. Hugh had
no title, but he was born from old money, simply a couple of generations below
any wealth. He was fortune hunting. But he was not hunting any fortune from her;
her dowry was as many miles off what this man needed as the level of her birth
was below what Lord Morton considered genteel.

However, Hugh wished something else from Meredith. He’d
made numerous inappropriate suggestions since they’d been introduced. She did
like him, though. If he had been at all prepared to make an appropriate offer,
he was one man she might have been willing to accept, although she’d never love
him. But she did enjoy dancing with him. Hugh made her laugh.

She had even let him kiss her once or twice, but never
let him do more. The last thing she needed was to have a ruined reputation on
top of a poor heritage and an equally poor dowry.

“I would be honored,
Mr.Holland
.”
She dropped a curtsy, and smiled, feeling Lord Morton’s gaze burning into the
back of her head. Her skin prickled. Lord Morton made her feel such odd,
delicious things. It was him she wished to dance with, not Hugh. But she would
simply have to keep wishing, because undoubtedly, last night’s dance would not
be repeated.

Rupert watched Miss Divine walk away. She’d been busy
ingratiating herself into Ellen’s family he saw, while Rowena had been accosted
by Kendrick again. Anger raced through Rupert’s blood. “Is that wise?” he asked
Ellen, looking back at her.

He saw she realized he was speaking about Kendrick,
and her expression changed as she ceased smiling, and gave him an understanding
look.

“I know you expressed your concerns to Edward, Rupert,
and I fully understand, but Rowena is a grown woman. She is intelligent and
sensible. She will not be fooled by any man. Kendrick will do her no harm. He
is well respected about his estates. I do not think him a bad man. His offer
was simply ill-judged.”

“
Ill-judged—
”
Rupert was about to declare just how ill when Edward appeared, with a glass in
either hand.

“Rupert.”

“They are dancing, I’m afraid.” Ellen spoke.

“Ah, and I am left bearing the
orgeat
.”

“I will take one. I’m thirsty, and I shall find a
thirsty person for the other and leave you two to talk.” Edward and his wife
shared a smile and a certain look, which implied Ellen was giving Rupert a
little of Edward’s precious time and company, from the bounds of their perfect
life.

Rupert’s hands slid into his pockets. He did not like
feeling needy, but he had longed for his cousin’s company. Yet, he felt as if
he was seeking charity, or like a child looking for attention.

He’d enjoyed his time with Edward this morning, though.
They had laughed, breathless and energized after they’d sparred, and Rupert had
felt better than he had in an age. Then, as they walked back to Edward’s,
Rupert had shared the tale of Kendrick’s earlier visit.

It had felt good to have someone to speak to. He’d not
had anyone who he trusted with personal concerns since Edward had married Ellen
over a year ago. He shared nothing with his mother
;
 
she
was too ill to bear his burdens too,
and Edward’s brother, Robert, who was more often in town, was not the sort of
man who cared for another’s troubles. Robert was a fast-living rake. He’d have
no interest in Rupert’s concerns about Rowena or his mother.

It had therefore been a great relief to pass his
responsibility for Rowena on to Ellen. Now at least he might focus a little
more time on himself.
 

“I think Rowena’s young friend has a fancy for you,
Rupert.”

Feeling a surge of bitterness, Rupert looked at the
dancers. He did not see Miss Divine. He did see Rowena.

Kendrick was walking a circle with her in the midst of
a country dance and he was speaking hurriedly, while she obviously listened
warily.

“Ellen said Miss Divine seemed extremely disappointed
this afternoon when she saw it was Ellen with Rowena, in your barouche.”

Rupert gave his cousin a sidelong glance.
 

“Miss Divine has seemed equally low in spirits tonight.
She’s been glancing about the room every other moment since we arrived, and I’ve
heard her mention your name to Rowena at least twice.” Edward laughed.

Rupert did not. He sighed.
Lord
, it was the last thing he needed; Miss Divine dropping her
handkerchief in his direction, in the hope he would, metaphorically, pick it up
and begin courting her. She obviously
had
mistaken his offer to waltz with her.

“She is looking at you now,” Edward teased.

Rupert looked back at the dancers and caught the gleam
of auburn curls. She was indeed looking at him. He met the vivid blue gaze he’d
only noticed for the first time last night. There was some thought going on behind
her eyes, she looked as if, had she been stood in front of him, she would have
spoken.

Sensation stirred low in his stomach. He might not
find her stunningly pretty, but he did find her physically attractive. An
unwanted image slipped through his mind, of that hair spread across a white
sheet. He turned away.

Edward laughed again.

Rupert narrowed his eyes. “What she’s probably
interested in is my title. The girl’s a schemer. I want nothing to do with her.
I’ve tried putting Rowena off her, to no avail. So I endure her presence, but I
am certainly not going to encourage it, Ed.”

“Well, that I can see. You bristle about Miss Divine,
like a hedgehog...” Edward laughed again. “Even last night, when you were
waltzing, I could see you loathing it. Yet perhaps a bright, young girl, like
that, is exactly what you need, Rupert —”

“Miss Divine? Are you mad?”

“Not at all.
You’ve seemed low in spirits every time we’ve seen
you lately. Someone, of such a sunny nature, might cheer you up.”

“She is not sunny-natured. She puts her smiles on for
effect. Do not tell me you are fooled?”

“I would say, her smiles cover her anxiety, and the
way she laughs seems to imply the same thing, as if she is hiding her
discomfort. She is on the edge of welcome here, and you know it. It must be a
hard tightrope to walk.”

Rupert’s eyebrows lifted. They’d had a conversation
long ago, when Rupert had first discovered Edward’s affair with Ellen. This
conversation reminded Rupert of that. “The girl fancies my title and fortune
and that is all. If I ever take a wife, I can assure you it will not be any
woman like Miss Divine.”

Edward laughed. “You have a habit of seeing black and
white, Rupert, while I see the shades of gray in between one and the other.
People have many facets. Not everything is so clear as to be black or white.”

Rupert glowered at his cousin.

“So, tell me what Robert, my disreputable brother, has
been up to while I’ve been out of town.” Edward smiled, having obviously
deliberately changed the subject. “What rumors are afoot? Who should I be wary
of, and who must I avoid because he’s slept with their wife?”

~

Meredith skipped into the circle with the other women
while the men clapped, as her eyes were, unwillingly, pulled toward Lord Morton.
She had a constant desire to look at him.

He stood with his usual manner of cool indifference to
the world, tall and stiff. He was speaking with Lord Edward, and no longer
looking at her. His gaze had quite clearly expressed disgust when he had looked
at her.

Hugh grasped her arm, capturing her attention again, and
redirected her as she made an error in the dance steps, and nearly moved
completely awry. She blushed as he met her gaze and smiled down at her. Hugh
did not insult her by ignoring her.