To Capture a Duke's Heart (9 page)

“Well, I’m not so sure about that,” Penny replied in a quiet, unassuming tone, “but even so it is difficult to imagine that any of my future partners could possibly compare to you, Your Grace.”  Then realizing how her words may have sounded, she was quick to clarify her statement.  “Compare to your expertise on the dance floor, that is,” she hastened to say.  “In fact, I’m quite sure that my former dance instructor would marvel at your skill.” 

Gabriel chuckled.  “You can thank my mother for that if the two of you should ever chance to meet, for she loved to dance and insisted that each of her sons be proficient in the art.”

“Oh?”

“Indeed,” he replied with a rather doleful expression.  “Much to our youthful indignation, my brothers and I were required to spend hours under the tutelage of one of London’s most celebrated and exacting dance masters.” 

“How incredibly awful for you all,” Penny replied with a teasing smile.  “Your mother must have been a dreadful tyrant.”

Gabriel couldn’t help but grin.  “I confess that I may have thought so at the time.  However,” he continued, his expression sobering slightly as he regarded the enchanting young woman in his arms, “it is on the occasion such as this that I freely acknowledge the error in my judgement.” 

Oh my, Penny thought, his words sending the kaleidoscope of butterflies she’d felt earlier fliting about within her stomach once again.

“Would you care for a refreshment, my lady?”

Maryanne briefly shifted her malevolent gaze to the inquiring footman as she accepted one of the crystal flutes from the silver serving tray he held aloft, and then promptly returned her focus to the center of the ballroom, watching through narrowed eyes as the Duke of Ainsworth spun her stepdaughter in graceful, sweeping turns across the parquet floor.

“Bastard,” she cursed under her breath.  Then raising the champagne glass to her lips, she downed nearly half the contents in a single swallow.

“They make a lovely couple, don’t they?” Lady Gilchrist commented as she came to stand at Maryanne’s side a few seconds later. 

“Oh, who’s that?”

“Why Penelope and the duke of course,” the countess replied with a radiant smile.  “I think he’s taken quite a fancy to her,” she proclaimed, turning her gaze back to the dance floor.

Maryanne didn’t respond. Instead, she raised the crystal flute in her hand, swallowing the remaining portion of her champagne before returning her own gaze back to the couples revolving gracefully within the center of the room.

“In fact,” the countess continued, seemingly oblivious to Maryanne’s lack of response, “Eleanor informed me that Ainsworth could scarcely take his eyes off of Penny last night during the recital.  And then, this afternoon Lady Marsh mentioned that she had seen the two breakfasting together this morning.”

Maryanne’s head swung around.  “Did she?”

Lady Gilchrist nodded exuberantly.  “Isn’t it wonderful,” she gushed.  “To think, Maryanne, that if all goes well our darling Penny could very well become the next Duchess of Ainsworth.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Eliza,” Maryanne replied brusquely.  “Everyone knows that Ainsworth is on the verge of offering for Cecelia Penworthy.”

“Oh twaddle.”  Lady Gilchrist waved her hand dismissively.  “Tis only gossip at this point.  Besides, you know as well as I that nothing is official until the contracts have been signed.”

“Really, Eliza, I hardly think-”

“Oh dear,” the countess interrupted as her focus was suddenly redirected toward something over Maryanne’s shoulder.  “You’ll have to excuse me, Maryanne, for I see Eugenia motioning to me quite frantically from across the room.”

“Yes, of course.  Do see to your daughter,” Maryanne replied with a benevolent smile, a smile that abruptly disappeared as the countess hurried away to attend Eugenia.

It was to Penny’s infinite disappointment when the music slowly began to fade and her waltz with the duke slowly drew to its end, as she would have been utterly content to spend the remainder of the evening clasped within the breadth of his tantalizing embrace. But as that wasn’t a possibility, she simply smiled and offered a polite thank you as he released her and took a step back.

“It was my utmost pleasure, Lady Penelope,” the duke assured her with an answering smile.  “Perhaps we shall have the opportunity to share another during the upcoming Season.”

Yes please!
  “I would like that very much, Your Grace.” 

As the duke led her from the dance floor, Penny was pleasantly surprised to see Michael Ashcroft leading Eleanor from the floor as well.  Heavens, with her attention focused entirely upon the duke during their waltz, she hadn’t even noticed them amongst the other couples.  But how perfectly wonderful, she thought, for now both she and Eleanor would be able to look back upon their first waltzes with the fondest of memories.

Catching her friend’s eye, she and Eleanor shared a meaningful look as the two Ashcroft brothers escorted them to their respective parents.  And then, just a few minutes later they snuck off to a private corner where they proceeded to discuss every glorious detail of the momentous event. 

After depositing Lady Penelope at her father’s side, Gabriel noted a number of expectant glances cast his way as the next set was announced. 
Damn!
  Clearly his waltz with the Earl of Beckford’s daughter had given renewed hope to the host of young, unmarried ladies in attendance, he realized in dismay. And so, eager to escape the sudden barrage of fluttering eyelashes, inviting smiles and come-hither expressions, he determined that a breath of fresh air would do him a great deal of good and promptly made a beeline toward the nearest set of doors leading out to the rear terrace.

Nodding politely to the handful of people meandering about the open space, he continued on until he found an unoccupied section of the patio and the sounds coming from the ballroom’s open doors slowly began to fade.  Glancing around, he made certain that there was no one else about before leaning forward and resting his forearms atop the smooth marble balustrade.  The cool evening breeze was a welcome change after the warmth of the ballroom and he couldn’t help but emit a contented sigh as it lightly ruffled his hair.

Turning his gaze to the cloudless sky, he marveled at the sheer number of stars visible in the night sky, so very different from the dim, hazy view one was most often afforded in the midst of the city.  Standing there, he allowed his thoughts to drift until they turned invariably to Lady Penelope as they had done with increasing frequency since the day before.  She intrigued him, he realized, and made him want to know more about her life, her character, her interests and her passions.  And of course, recalling the hot rush of desire that had flooded his loins as he’d held her on the dance floor, he couldn’t help but imagine what it would feel like to see her lying naked upon his bed, to run his hands across her smooth, ivory skin and trace his lips across every last inch of her sweet, delectable body.  He swallowed hard, feeling his cock begin to throb within his trousers.  Hell, Cecelia Penworthy had never made his cock so much as twitch, he acknowledged with a sudden frown.

Noting the sound of approaching footsteps a few moments later, Gabriel was pulled abruptly from his musings.  Straightening, he directed an irritated glance to his right, fearing for a second that one of his more brazen admirers might have followed him out onto the terrace.  He was relieved, however, to see that it wasn’t a woman who approached, but rather Philip Danbury who was coming toward him, a knowing grin visible upon his face despite the darkness that surrounded them.

“I thought I saw you duck out of the ballroom,” Philip remarked as he neared Gabriel’s side, amusement evident in his expression.

“You always were an observant fellow,” Gabriel replied, smiling good-naturedly.

“Hiding from your throng of adoring females, I presume?”

“Is it that obvious?”

Philip chuckled. “I don’t envy you, my friend, truly I don’t.”  Crossing his arms, he leaned his hip casually against the terrace railing.  “Hell, man!  The wealth, the title and that good-looking mug, it’s as if you were cursed at birth,” he continued jokingly. 

“Bollocks!”  Gabriel shook his head in feigned consternation.  “So you’ve no desire to trade places with me then?”

“Sorry mate, but I am quite content with my present lot.”

“As you should be, Hayford,” he stated with a heartfelt smile, his tone reflecting absolute sincerity now, “for I haven’t the slightest doubt that you and Eugenia are about to embark upon a wonderful life together.”  

Philip nodded in agreement.  “You know, I thought that I would be nervous about tomorrow, but oddly enough I feel surprisingly calm.”

“Of course
you’re
calm.  It’s Eugenia who’s bound to be nervous, for while you are securing a diamond of the first water, she is on the verge of being stuck with your sorry arse for as long as you both shall live.”

“Gad, you’re right!” Philip exclaimed, his eyes going wide in exaggerated dismay.  “Do you think she’ll still go through with the wedding or will I be left standing alone at the altar on the morrow?”

Gabriel cocked his head consideringly.  “I would imagine that she’ll make it to the church, as for whatever the reason the young lady seems inordinately fond of you.”

“She does, doesn’t she?” Philip grinned.

“All jesting aside,” Gabriel said, thumping his friend amiably upon the back of his shoulder, “I couldn’t be happier for you both.”

“Thank you.  I’m glad you and the lads were able to come, by the way.”

“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Gabriel assured him.  “However, you do realize that having come all this way, Michael and Rafe are insisting upon a visit to Hawick after your nuptials tomorrow?”

“Yes, I heard,” Philip replied laughingly.  “McKesson must be over the moon in anticipation of your visit.”

“No doubt; I can almost feel the letting of my pockets as we speak.”

“You have my sympathies, my friend, although it
could
be worse.”

“Oh?” 

“Hell, with the amount of coin my father spent outfitting my three sisters each Season we likely could have filled an entire stable with the earl’s champion stock,” Philip informed him with a doleful shake of his head. 

“I suppose I shall consider myself fortunate, then, that
my
money will be spent on top quality horseflesh and not an abundance of bonnets and ball gowns that will indubitably go out of fashion at the start of each new year,” Gabriel replied with a light-hearted chuckle.

“Do you think Eugenia would take offense if I requested that she provide me with naught but sons during the course of our marriage?” Philip queried with a chuckle of his own.

“Even if your bride-to-be
could
honor such a request, I doubt that it would matter in any event, for I am reasonably certain that you would find yourself promptly kicked out of the marriage bed if you should be foolish enough to voice such an appeal.”

“Alas, I’ve a feeling you’re right.”  Straightening, Philip stepped away from the railing and glanced back to the opposite end of the terrace.  “Speaking of my bride-to-be,” he said with a genial smile, “I should probably get back inside before she sends a search party after me.”

Gabriel nodded.  “Of course.”

“Are you coming back in, or are you planning on hiding out here for the remainder of the evening?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll return before the celebratory toasts begin.”

Alright then,” Philip replied.  “I shall leave you to the shadows for the time being.”  He made to leave, but then hesitated and turned back.  “By the way, you do realize that you have likely made your afore mentioned plight considerably worse by waltzing with Beckford’s daughter, don’t you?”

Gabriel sighed.  “Regrettably, I do.”

“Even so, one could hardly blame you, for Lady Penelope is a rare beauty and likely to be considered the next
incomparable
once the
ton
gets its first look at her.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“So tell me, are you rethinking your intention to offer for Elingsford’s daughter?

“Good lord, it was just a waltz, Hayford.”

“Ho,
just
a waltz,” his friend scoffed.  “Since when do
you
waltz with debutantes?”

“I’ve danced with a number of young ladies over the years, as you well know, your three sisters included.”

“True, but I believe I said
waltz
, not
dance
,” Philip pointed out. 

Gabriel thought back.  Damn, Philip was entirely correct.  “I see your point,” he grudgingly acknowledged.

“So, the question remains. 
Are
you rethinking your intention to offer for the fair Lady Cecelia?”

“I didn’t say that,” Gabriel hedged.

“Fine, don’t answer the question,” Philip replied good-humoredly.  “But you should know this; if the rumors that you are considering Cecelia Penworthy for your future duchess haven’t already done it,” his friend continued, “once word gets out about your waltz with Lady Penelope every blue-blooded mama with an unwed daughter is going to assume that the
ton’s
most eligible bachelor is finally in the market for a bride.”