Page 34 of A Single Obsession

Beau was not enjoying the evening. He had opened the ball as required, dancing with Augusta as he had done so many times before her marriage to Lord Helston. After this, he had hoped he would be free to choose his own partners.

But no. His mother had drawn Lady Whitlow and her offspring into his path and openly praised the baroness’s daughter in front of him, making it impossible for him to avoid asking her for the next dance.

Not without being abominably rude and incurring his mother’s displeasure, and he couldn’t afford to do that.

To say he felt uneasy was an understatement. His mother must have heard about the wager by now. Why hadn’t she confronted him about it? What game was she playing? She was always cross and disappointed with him, so it was hard to judge if she was more displeased with him than usual.

One thing was certain. She was more determined than ever to throw eligible females in his direction.

Every woman he danced with smirked and tittered, saying things that would have gratified his vanity if he believed them.

Miss Whitlow was the worst. She hung on his arm as if they had some sort of understanding and flaunted her substantial charms in his face. It felt like a mousetrap. If he let his guard down for one moment, he would be caught, and the ensuing pain would be excruciating.

Did she hope to tempt him to overstep the boundaries of propriety and compromise her, to force him into marriage? Such a thought sent a tremor down his body, and he wished he could run from the ballroom.

But of course, he could not.

There was only one lady who hadn’t set her cap at him. Eliza Merry.

His gaze drifted around the room until he spied her dancing with his best friend. Again.

Just at that moment, she glanced at Anthony in such a way that Beau was taken aback. It was no surprise to see Ant flirt with Eliza, because he acted like that with everyone, but if he was not mistaken, Eliza was responding in kind.

His chest tightened and his hackles rose. A surge of protectiveness swept over him, making him feel exasperated with his friend. What was Ant playing at? He shouldn’t encourage Eliza to fall in love with him. He would never marry her.

Beau refused to stand by and watch him break Eliza’s heart. Why was Georgie allowing such unsuitable gentlemen to focus their attentions on her sister? First Templecombe, and now Ant. He’d have to have another word with her.

At the end of the set, Beau promptly returned Miss Whitlow to her mother and headed straight for Georgiana.

“You shouldn’t encourage your sister to dance with Ant,” he said without preamble. “She knows he’s sworn not to get married, doesn’t she? Aren’t you worried she will fall in love with him and break her heart?”

Beau did not appreciate the amused smile that hovered over Georgie’s lips. She was not taking his words seriously.

“I can hardly stop her dancing with my brother-in-law.”

“I suppose not, but don’t let her lose her heart to him. He’ll never marry her.”

“And you will?”

Beau felt as if he’d been knocked sideways. Would he?

If his mother insisted he take a wife, he would rather marry Eliza than anyone else. Especially Miss Whitlow.

Eliza didn’t have to pretend to like horses, and she had shown a lot of spunk, coming to watch him win his bet.

But he wasn’t ready to lay his cards down yet. He had no wish to fall in with his mother’s plans if he could help it, and he still hoped to avoid getting married at all.

“I’m just looking out for your sister,” he said, refusing to meet Georgie’s eyes.

When Ant and Eliza joined them, they seemed to be sharing some private joke and all Beau’s irritation with his friend came flooding back. If Eliza wanted to flirt, she could jolly well do so with him.

“Would you dance the next with me, Miss Merry?” he asked her in his most formal voice, his smile somewhat forced and in danger of resembling a scowl.

Eliza’s cheeks turned pink, but whether with pleasure or embarrassment, he couldn’t tell. “I would love to.”

Without a word to Anthony, Beau took Eliza’s arm and walked off, though the dance was not yet forming. He needed to get away from his friend before he said something he would later regret.

Beau’s confidence wavered when Eliza kept her eyes fixed on the ground. Would she refuse to flirt with him? Maybe her smiles were only for Ant. The thought was somewhat irritating.