Page 34 of His Scandalous Viscountess
Her stepson visibly swallowed. “I’m surprised you would allow such a brute near your tenderhearted sister.”
“Yes, well, the heart does as the heart wants. I’m afraid they took an instant liking to each other upon a casual meeting.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “You can imagine everyone’s surprise at the discovery.”
“Indeed,” Wallthorpe drawled. “Well, it was lovely visiting with you both.”
And then he moved along, through the crowd. Julia watched him closely as he crossed the room, and then made his way toward the foyer of the Weatherly’s home.
Wolf captured her hand between his big palms. “Jules, are you well?”
She drew a deep breath. “I believe I am. He seemed rather disconcerted by Flint’s pursuit of Ros.”
Wolf grunted in reply.
Her curiosity piqued, she turned to face him. As always, his chiseled features elicited her admiration and had her heart skipping necessary beats. “Is there ought I should know of his character? I must say, Wallthorpe’s reaction makes me curious to know more about him, particularly as he called him a brute.”
Wolf shoved a finger into his collar, and seemed to be seeking a bit more room. “Well, hedoeshave a bit of a reputation as a boxer.”
Julia stared at Wolf. “A boxer? That seems a bit mundane for such a reaction. Many gentlemen box. What aren’t you telling me?”
He looked down at his feet. “He is also something of a bare-knuckle brawler.”
Julia could not hide the horror she felt. “Wolf! You cannot mean to say you have sent my sister off in the clutches of such a man?”
“Do not be so overdramatic. Not only is Flint a perfect gentleman, but he would never dream of hurting your sister. And if Wallthorpe were to become overly aggressive, Flint would be the man to call on to end such behavior.”
“I suppose that may be true. But I do not like their pairing, even if it is a hoax.”
She turned to find her sister among the crowd. When she spied Ros across the ballroom, her sister’s cheeks were pink as she held on to Flint’s arm.
Neither Julia nor her sister were in great demand for dances, so they were free to dance or not as they wished. She watched the couple for a while, and noticed that as the man loomed over her sister, most of the men who had claimed a dance with her approached, but never made it close enough to claim their partner.
She couldn’t be sure if Flint caused them to scamper on purpose. It could merely be a byproduct of his brutish presence or, she supposed, his reputation alone repelled the less intrepid men. Nevertheless, Ros did not seem at all perturbed to be standing next to him. In fact, she glowed.
A waltz was then announced, and Julia decided it was time to cease worrying about her sister. She was clearly safe for the moment. “Wolf, come dance with me.”
“Only if you are finished brooding about your sister.” He let one brow arch, which caused her own cheeks to heat.
Friends could be such a hassle.
“I’m done. While I’m not sure about Flint as a stand-in suitor, Iamconfident she is secure under his care for the moment.”
Wolf nodded and took her hand to escort her onto the dance floor. As the waltz began, he gathered her into his arms and the first sweeping twirl of the dance. “Flint may have been the better choice of my friends, actually. I’m abashed to say I simply did not realize the strategic value of having him escort Ros.”
Curiosity wouldn’t allow her to let the topic go. “I assume you are referring to his violent reputation?”
“In part. Because of his reputation, he rarely—no, henever—attends Society’s entertainments. Which, of course, means seeing him here tonight,andin the company of your sister, all but marks them as engaged.”
The crowd around the edges of the ballroom streaked by as Wolf continued to lead her through the waltz.
“Well, that is…concerning.”
His blue gaze trapped her as surely as the strong band of his arms did. “I thought that was what you sought? To have her claimed in such a public fashion that Wallthorpe could not pursue her in lieu of you.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I did, but I thought…” She broke off. “It doesn’t matter what I thought. You’re correct in that his presence has been more than effective. Wallthorpe turned tail and ran, and Ros appears well and truly claimed.”
“As do you, if you would only smile at me a little,” Wolf chided.
Then he pulled her closer to his chest—indecently close, if she were still considered an innocent. At the far end of the dance floor, the terrace doors stood open, allowing the evening air to cool down the overheated attendees.
