Page 33 of A Single Obsession

What a depressing thought. But was she any better? She loved Beau and knew they shared the same passion for horses and the outdoors, but she was willing to marry him without ever having talked about things that mattered. Was it enough that she cared for him, or was she being foolish?

Back at her sister’s side, Eliza tamped down her uncertainty and focused on Beau as he made his way toward her to claim her hand for the next set.

To her dismay, Miss Whitlow waylaid him before he reached her. Eliza’s spirits plummeted as her rival took his arm in a possessive manner. He must have asked Horrible Harriet to stand up with him.

She swallowed her disappointment and, in her efforts to appear cheerful, she greeted Anthony’s arrival with such a dazzling smile that an onlooker might have suspected this was where her heart lay.

His customary grin spread until his entire face beamed back at her. “Dance?”

Eliza nodded and took his arm, relieved to have a break from warding off unwanted attentions.

She kept her gaze lowered as they moved across the ballroom to take their place in the set, resisting the temptation to discover Beau’s whereabouts.

“You’re not responding to any of my compliments.”

Eliza’s head jerked up. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

Anthony sighed, a teasing look in his eyes.

“Don’t you know the rules? Everyone flirts with Lord Castleford’s good-for-nothing brother.”

“I’ve told you before, I’m not everyone. Why would I want to flirt with you? You’re like an honorary brother to me.”

“Ouch! You certainly know how to take the wind out of a man’s sails.”

Though his words were playful enough, his tone was uncharacteristically hollow, and the mirth had gone from his eyes.

Eliza gulped hard and looked away. Was he saying he wished he were something more to her?

No. She must be mistaken. He had declared his determination never to marry more times than she could remember. It was just as well. She would hate to come between Beau and his best friend.

A few moments later, Anthony resumed his teasing, with no hint of awkwardness in his voice.

“Is there no one you feel tempted to flirt with? You can confide in me as your honorary brother.”

Without thinking, Eliza looked around the room until her gaze settled on Harriet, who still clung to Beau’s arm. Too late, she realised she was in danger of giving herself away, and snapped her attention back to Anthony’s face, trying to look nonchalant.

Had he seen the direction of her eyes? And if he guessed who she was looking at, would he taunt her about it the way he teased her for masquerading as a man in the hunt? She did not think she could bear it.

“Who is he? I’ll make him come and pay homage to you to bring the smile back to your cheeks.”

But Eliza was not fooled. His lips might declare his ignorance, but the brightness in his eyes said otherwise.

Anthony had seen. He knew.

Her gaze unconsciously strayed once more to Harriet, who cast Beau such a provocative look that Eliza turned away in embarrassment. She felt so naïve. How could she attempt to rival that?

“No.”

No? What did he mean? Was he saying she had no chance of winning his friend?

“Don’t try to compete with that,” he whispered in her ear. “Trust me. Don’t change a thing.”

“I couldn’t compete with that if I tried,” she said, peeping up at Anthony from under her eyelashes, making him bark with laughter.

His laugh drew several pairs of eyes, and Eliza had to suppress her amusement at the warmth of the look Anthony gave her in response, as a single word accompanied it. “Minx.”

Eliza shot him an impish smile and hung on his arm as he led her into the dance.