Wallflower (Old Maids' Club, Book 1) (21 page)

“
Is your ankle still
troubling you?” Lord Leith asked. “If not, would you oblige me with
a dance?” His near-black eyes held the devilish twinkle usually
reserved for her cousin.

“
I would love to dance,”
she replied.

Lord Leith winked at Jo and Toby, and
then he placed Tabitha’s hand over his arm to sweep her off. “Well,
never say I kept you waiting.” They joined the lines of dancers,
only a few positions down from Lord Devonport and Miss
Jennings.

When the figures of the dance brought
them together for a moment, Lord Leith leaned close to her. “Your
brother still looks fit to be tied. It seems every gentleman in the
room has his attention trained upon you, and he doesn’t quite know
how to handle it.”

“
I thought Toby wanted to
see me married off,” Tabitha said. “Shouldn’t he be pleased that
I’m finally commanding attention?”

“
Indeed, he
should.”

They were separated again, and moved
in and out between the dancers on either side of them. In one pass,
Lord Devonport’s probing blue eyes caught hers and held. Tabitha
smiled in return—sly and beguiling, or so she hoped. She wanted him
to see what he had lost. What he could never have. His gaze pierced
her, and she nearly lost her footing from the penetrating need she
found in them. Then she turned away from him and back to Lord
Leith.

“
Devonport can’t take his
eyes off you,” he commented. “Nor, it seems, can almost any man
present.”

“
I suppose I shall be the
subject of drawing room conversation tomorrow.”

Lord Leith laughed, a rich, deep
sound. “Tomorrow. Next week. Perhaps most of a month. The shade of
your gown alone is enough to keep them talking for
days.”

Oh, lud. “Do you really think it will
go on so long?” No, it didn’t matter. Tabitha was no shrinking
wallflower any more. Never again. If they wanted to talk about her,
let them talk.

“
That depends,” Lord Leith
said, but he did not elaborate in time. The dance separated them
again, and she twirled about, drawing near Lord
Devonport.

His eyes pierced her with their ardor,
the blue of them turning the color and heat of intense flame.
Tabitha’s heart felt like it had leapt to somewhere in the vicinity
of her chin and tingles coursed over her skin everywhere his
scrutiny traveled. And travel it did. His eyes roved over her gown,
from top to bottom, examining every minute detail. They landed on
the bodice of her gown and Tabitha felt her breathing increase.
When finally he raised his gaze and met her own, she thought she
might grow overheated from his torrid stare.

“
Are you well?” Lord Leith
asked as they drew together again. “Your skin seems
flushed.”

“
Flushed?” Hotter than the
sun might be more apt. “No, I’m quite all right.”

He winked at her. “Very well. It seems
our set has come to a close.” Had it really? Already? Tabitha
hadn’t noticed. “Shall I return you to your brother, or would you
prefer to go to Miss Faulkner?”

Tabitha didn’t have a chance to
answer. Three other gentlemen acquaintances had flocked to her
side, each entreating her for a dance. She granted Lord Villiers
the next set, Lord Fairweather the set after that, and Lord Kinloss
requested her hand for the first waltz. She couldn’t remember the
last time she’d danced four sets in a single night.

Once she had each of them marked on
her dance card, Lord Villiers led her back out to the floor to
begin their set...just in the nick of time, too, since Lord
Devonport had deposited Miss Jennings at her mother’s side and was
making his way over to her. She didn’t know his purpose, but it
didn’t matter. He would have to wait.

Tabitha had gentlemen to dance
with.

~ * ~

Torture. Sheer and utter torture. That
was what Lady Tabitha was putting Noah through tonight.

Her gown was molten fire—the most
delectable and scandalous shade of red he’d seen an unmarried,
genteel woman wear in all his thirty-one years. For the first time
since he’d known her, she wore the latest trend in fashion, a gown
cut low enough he’d wager one could see straight down to her toes
if one were tall enough and looked down. If the generous bosom
virtually pouring out of the top weren’t enough, a strand of rubies
strung its way down into the cleft between her breasts, pulling at
his eyes as though they weren’t already drawn there. Noah wanted to
trace his tongue there, too, to taste the sweetness of her skin. It
was the only time in his life he could ever recall being jealous of
a piece of jewelry.

By Jove, he’d been hard since the
moment he saw her dancing with Leith, and there seemed little hope
for relief.

Every time he saw her, he wanted her
more. During one set, Fairweather took her to the refreshment table
and she looked up at him with a sultry laugh upon her lips and her
silver eyes sparkling in the gentle glow of candlelight, twirling
one of the soft, brown curls about her finger next to her
bosom.

Later, when she waltzed with Kinloss,
she looked relaxed in his arms to the point of moving her body
closer to the man than she had with Noah a mere two weeks prior.
Kinloss’s hand at Lady Tabitha’s waist squeezed—just a trifle—and
Noah choked down a groan.

“
It’s the supper dance,”
Shelton said, coming up behind him. “Kinloss will be the one to
take her in.” He clapped Noah on the shoulder and looked at him
questioningly. “So? When is your set with her?”

“
I haven’t been able to
ask her yet. Every time one dance partner finishes with her, she’s
surrounded by a dozen more, all clamoring for her attention.” It
was killing him. Slowly. Painfully.

Shelton cursed beneath his breath,
crossing his arms over his chest and glowering in his sister’s
direction. “It’s that damned gown. She’s never dressed like that
before. I don’t know what’s come over her.”

Whatever had come over her, Noah
wouldn’t complain—apart from the ever-present stiffness currently
begging for attention inside his trousers. “I think there is more
at play than just her gown. It’s her entire deportment. She’s more
animated than I have ever seen her in public.”

Tabitha was virtually glowing from
some sort of inner poise, illuminating everyone and everything
around her in the process. With this sort of bearing, it was no
wonder that numerous men were drawn to her. She shone like the
North Star for a sailor, pointing him home.

“
Yes,” Shelton replied. He
shuffled his feet. “Well. I suppose that could be. You’d be a
better judge of that than me, I’m afraid.”

“
You can’t bother to take
notice of something such as that in your own sister?”

“
That’s exactly the
problem. She’s my sister.” Shelton looked over to the dais where
the orchestra had signaled the impending end of the dance. “I don’t
particularly care for having gentlemen looking at her the way they
are tonight.” Noah raised a brow. Shelton didn’t seem to
mind
his
lust-filled looks at Lady Tabitha. “You’re different. You’re
already family. I don’t feel as hostile toward you in general. I
already know your motives.”

“
As does she. Lady Tabitha
is not as receptive as you are to the reason for my attention. Or
at least one of my reasons.”

The musicians played the last strains
of the waltz, and the dancers cleared the floor to move in to the
dining room for supper. Shelton put out a hand to stop Noah as he
made to follow them. “You need to make her understand the rest of
your reasons. We can all see what you feel for her. What she feels
for you. It’s obvious to everyone around you even if it isn’t to
the pair of you.”

Noah felt ready to rip out his hair in
frustration. “How can I do that if I can’t even pull her aside to
speak with her for a moment?”

Shelton’s shrewd eyes followed his
sister and Kinloss as they slipped from the room. “After supper.
I’ll come up with a plan to send her off on her own. Watch for it.
And follow.”

Just what Noah needed: yet another
moment where Lady Tabitha’s brother played a hand in things. She
would recognize her brother’s participation in an instant. But
desperate times and all that. Noah nodded and then followed the
congregating throng.

~ * ~

Tabitha could hardly
believe how auspiciously her plan had worked out. She had already
danced four sets tonight, and her dance card for the rest of the
evening was nearly full. And not a single one of
these
gentlemen were
fortune hunters. They all talked and laughed with her, and had
seemed genuinely interested in her during their interactions. Could
it have been this easy all along?

Lord Kinloss pulled out her chair to
assist her up after supper. “I had a lovely time, Lady Tabitha. Am
I too late to secure another dance with you this evening? I fear I
might have to wait until the next ball.”

A second dance? Surely he was jesting.
But the expression she found in his warm, brown eyes, square jaw,
and thin lips was sincere. “I believe I still have one open, my
lord.” Tabitha reached for the card hanging from her wrist, but
Toby slipped in behind her and startled her before she could fully
sort it out.

“
My apologies, Kinloss,”
he said, “but I’m afraid I must kidnap my sister for a moment. Do
excuse us.” He started to pull her away before she could argue with
him.

“
Of course, Shelton,” Lord
Kinloss replied. “I look forward to seeing you again, Lady
Tabitha.” He dropped into a bow before coming up with a sleek
smile.

Tabitha could do no more than dip her
head briefly. “My lord,” she said, then turned her attention to her
brother. “What in God’s name has gotten into you?” she whispered
forcefully. “This is ridiculous.”

“
You ought to thank me.
Perhaps you will later, when you realize I’ve rescued you from
sudden calamity.”

“
I hardly think accepting
a second dance with a gentleman such as Lord Kinloss could qualify
as calamity,” Tabitha huffed. Her brother tugged even more
forcefully on her arm, pulling her away from the crush and into a
secluded hallway. She’d had enough of his high-handed manner of
late. With a heave, she pulled her arm free from his grip.
“Enough!”

Toby faced her and frowned. “The
calamity to which I referred has nothing to do with Kinloss, sister
dear. It has everything to do with a rip in the back of your gown.
I saw it when you stood, and thought to assist you before anyone
else noticed.”

“
Oh,” was all she could
manage. Would Toby truly seek to assist her in such a way? Usually
he would delight in her looming downfall, or so she had
thought.

“
Oh
, indeed. I believe you’ll find the ladies’ retiring room if
you continue along this hall and turn right at the end. I’ll find
Jo and send her to help you.”

Damn and blast, she hated having to
thank her twin for anything. He was just so smug about everything.
But he likely had saved her from utter disaster. “Thank you,” she
finally said, though it pained her somewhat to do so.

“
You’re welcome. Now hurry
along.” Toby turned and headed down the hallway back toward where
they had come from.

But she had promised Lord Brackly the
next set. He would surely be looking for her. “Toby,” Tabitha
called out, and he stopped. “Will you please find Lord Brackly,
too?”

“
Your next dance partner?”
he drawled. Why did he have to sound so surly about it? She thought
he was trying to marry her off. “I’ll let him know you’ve had a
minor emergency, but nothing he should worry himself about.” Then
he was off again, loping away with long strides.

Tabitha started down the long hallway
again, heading in the direction Toby had indicated for her. She was
halfway to the end when the rushed clopping of a man’s heavy boots
against the marble floors echoed behind her. Why was Toby coming
back so soon? She turned to ask him just that as the sound nearly
reached her, but it wasn’t Toby.

Lord Devonport closed the distance
between them until he stood close enough she could feel the heat of
his body and the scent of his cologne tickled her nose. His breath
fanned over her face, brushing back the curls that surrounded her.
His eyes had taken on that fiery radiance again, blazing down upon
her in the faint light of the torchieres that lined the hall. The
ever-present smile he always seemed to wear was gone, supplanted by
a resolute set to his mouth that made his smooth-shaven jaw seem
stronger, more unyielding. His boyish look remained, but something
wilder, less gentle, had taken its place.

He looked like a man unleashed. She
had seen such a look in a man’s eyes before. But not in many years.
She never thought to see it again.

Against her will, Tabitha shivered,
even as an intense warmth spread through her body, starting with
her stomach and moving outward. Downward, to the secret places of
her womanhood. Upward, making her breasts feel full and taut and
needy. All just from a look. “May I help you, my lord?” Strangled.
Her voice sounded strangled even to her own ears. Blast, why could
he always do that to her?