Page 70 of The Duke on Her List
No one had looked her way yet. No one seemed to have noticed her. That was some relief, at least.
Her friends walked on either side of her. She had the impression they were trying to protect her, a gesture that both touched and irritated her. She didn’t need their protection, but it was kind of them to want to give it.
“We needn’t stay very long, I think,” Dorothy said. “I mean…if the party isn’t much fun, we may as well just leave early.”
Agnes felt a rush of fondness for her friend. It was far too soon to hazard a guess at whether or not the party was going to be any fun. Dorothy had said that out of concern for Agnes’ well-being, not because she feared they might have a bad time.
“It’s all right,” she said. “We can stay a while. Lady Kerrington loves to spend money, and I’d like to see what kind of food and drink she’s serving. I’m sure people will be talking about this party for a while.”
“It will do them good to have something new to talk about,” Violet murmured, looking around. “Something that isn’t sheer gossip.”
They really do care for me.In a few weeks, when the pain wasn’t so sharp, Agnes thought she might tell her friends everything that had happened. They were good people. They were entitled to the truth, and she would be grateful to have someone to share her tribulations with.
But not today. Today was about simply getting through this ball.
“Shall we take a turn around the floor?” Dorothy asked. “And then perhaps we can go and see about some drinks.”
“That sounds like a fine idea to me,” Violet said. “Agnes?”
“Yes,” Agnes said firmly. Her friends were accustomed to her being the leader of their little group. She could see that they were trying to fill that role for her right now, but she needed to stepup and show them that she was still who she had always been. “And perhaps we can step out and see the gardens as well. I’d be willing to wager that Lady Kerrington grows all manner of exotic plants that are unsuited to life here in England, personally.”
Dorothy giggled. “That does sound right,” she said. “Big tropical flowers, maybe. I’d love to see that!”
The three friends began to make their way around the ballroom, and Agnes felt herself relaxing slightly as they went. It wasn’t so bad after all, being here. As long as she didn’t look directly at the people dancing on the floor, it was possible to keep thoughts of her time with Gabriel at a distance. She could force herself to forget the way it had felt to be in that moment with him, to have her hand in his. The excitement of waiting to hear what he would say next. The thrill of it all.
And then, as they curved around the far edge of the ballroom and started back the way they had come, she froze.
He wasthere.
He was standing right in front of her, talking to a lady Agnes didn’t know. He hadn’t noticed Agnes yet, and everything in her wanted to retreat, to tell her friends that this had been a bad idea and that she couldn’t do it after all. She wanted to run away from the whole business quickly, before?—
He turned.
His eyes locked on hers for a moment.
His gaze darkened.
She hadn’t been wrong. Hewasangry, though she still didn’t know why. He turned away abruptly, and she shivered.
Her friends had noticed. “I didn’t know,” Dorothy was saying. “I didn’t think he would be here. There’s so much shame around him right now, frankly I thought he would have the decency to stay at home. Shall I go over there and tell him what we think of him?”
“No,” Agnes said quickly, catching Dorothy’s arm in case her friend decided not to listen. “No, Dorothy, you can’t do that. It would be too embarrassing. Leave him be. Let’s just go out into the garden so that we won’t have to see him.” She turned and headed toward the door.
But someone stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
She looked up and saw that it was the lady Gabriel had just been speaking to. She had green eyes that flashed, a narrow face, and a high forehead under hair so red it was nearly orange. She leaned in, a sneer on her lips.
“So,” she said. “It’s you, is it?”
“I don’t know who you are,” Agnes admitted, mystified. “Why do you know who I am?”
“Oh, everyone knows who you are. Do you think a lady could behave as you have and not gain notoriety? Mothers warn their daughters about you. Everyone knows the notorious spinster who tried to steal the heart of the Duke of Bellmoor and failed.”
A tremor shook her. “I never tried to steal anyone’s heart,” she said.
“Oh, please,” the lady scoffed. “I know all about it.”
“Who are you?” Dorothy interjected. “Why should we care what you think about things that don’t concern you?”
