Wrong Place. Wrong Time. Right Viscount.

Chapter 6

“Well, I never thought I would see the day that Alexander Kentworth willingly attended a ball during the season.”

Alec turned from investigating an honestly horrendous painting of Duke Rallings in one of the smaller parlors just off the ballroom to find Daniel Harrington grinning from ear to ear, arms stretched out in welcome. Alec smiled back at his old friend.

“Oh believe me, I’m not here by choice. My father insisted I return this year and participate in this carnival.” He rolled his eyes as he gestured to the ballroom. Alec had never understood the draw of the season, of the balls and the courting and the nonsense. He was glad that he”d been away all these years, avoiding the entire thing, and, more importantly, avoiding marriage. He was here because his father bade it, and, really, his father asked very little of him, let him live the life he’d chosen when many others in his position wouldn’t have. Alec could give him this.

“Well, it is about time, is it not?” Daniel held out his glass and Alec tapped it with his own. “It’s good to see you. How long has it been? Three years?”

“About that, I believe. At…at mother’s funeral.” A pang echoed through Alec’s chest at the thought of his mother.

“That’s right,” Daniel said, looking down into his glass. A heavy silence lay between them for a long moment before Daniel cleared his throat. “Well, I for one am glad you’re back. I don’t think I could stomach another of these dreadful things alone.”

“Didn’t land a wife last season, eh?”

“Courted a few prospects, but they didn’t accept. We aren’t all future viscounts after all,” he said with a grin.

“Don’t remind me,” Alec grumbled, taking a deep sip. Another thing he had no interest in? His title, being the true Lord Kentworth, running a house, joining his father’s various business ventures. He wanted none of it. Until recently, he”d had an entirely different life planned. Now, he supposed he”d be resigned to accepting the life he”d tried so hard to avoid.

“Not to worry though, I have no plans to take any of these lovely ladies off the market and out of your grasp.” Daniel arched a dark brow. “Father bid me come and show my face at these events. He did not demand that I actually take a wife. So,” he gestured to himself, “here I am.”

“And I’m sure everyone is much appreciative of that,” Daniel laughed, “though you probably could have at least shaved?” Alec smirked and Daniel laughed harder, shaking his head ruefully. Daniel had learned long ago that though Alec was technically high born, he much preferred to act otherwise.

“So, have you got your eye on anyone in particular?” Alec asked, swirling his drink around his glass.

“Well, it’s early yet, but the Wilshire twins are both high on the list this year.” He gestured towards two raven-haired girls across the way, a few men surrounding them. They weren”t exactly unattractive, but they wouldn’t be called beautiful by any means. And when one let out a high-pitched peel of laughter, both Alec and Daniel winced. ”Their father recently came into a large inheritance from some long-forgotten uncle from what I understand. A much larger dowry than before is anticipated.”

”I don”t think any dowry is worth being saddled to that for the rest of my life,” Alec said as the second girl snorted with laughter, knocked over an entire tray of drinks as she threw her arms wide, and then began to berate the maid as if it were her fault. It was people like this that had made Alec want to leave London in the first place.

”Hmm, I see your point,” Daniel said, huffing out a laugh and pursing his lips. ”The MacTavish girl is a prize, of course.” He nodded towards Rose, dancing with who Alec believed was one of the Delvington boys. Rose was like a younger sister to him, and it was hard to see her as a young lady ready to be courted. She would always be the girl in braids who pushed him into the creek when he told her that girls shouldn’t ride or hunt—she’d only been eight or nine at the time but had knocked him neatly on his arse. He smiled into his glass at the memory. God, he’d missed her. The whole MacTavish family.

“And her cousin? My God man. You have never seen anyone so beautiful. She’s like Aphrodite come to life.” Alec raised his brows at that. Daniel glanced through the crowd. “I can’t seem to find her now, but when you see her, you will know it. Don”t know much about her though. She”s come from America if you can believe it. There”s gossip a plenty about her sudden appearance, but I haven’t the foggiest idea what of it might be true.”

“I shall keep my eyes peeled,” Alec said dryly, though he couldn’t deny he was intrigued. He”d known the MacTavishs all his life and he”d never heard mention of this cousin or any family in America.

Daniel slapped Alec on the shoulder. “I suppose I should continue to make the rounds.” They parted ways, promising to meet at one of the gentleman’s clubs later that week. Alec began to wander through the crowd, keeping to the edge of the room and trying to avoid detection as much as possible. He’d entered the ball late and quietly enough that most hadn’t noticed him yet, but he was arguably the most sought-after suitor here and mothers would soon be throwing their daughters at him bodily. He would go through the motions to appease his father, but the longer he could go without having extra attention, the better.

A moment later, someone ran headlong into him, his drink sloshing over the side of his glass. He glanced down and was…awestruck. She was the most beautiful woman Alec had ever seen. Her hair was the color of morning sunlight and though it was piled atop her head, tendrils had pulled free around her face. The imperfectness of it made her even more attractive, though he couldn’t quite explain why. Perhaps it was because the women at these things were so hellbent on being perfectly perfect that it was suffocating. Alec didn”t blame them—the importance of these events, of being perfect at all times and finding a proper husband had been ingrained in them since birth—but it made him feel like nothing was real.

The girl’s skin looked as if she spent her days in the sun, and though that typically denoted someone of low birth, he admittedly found it exceedingly attractive. She had high cheekbones, flushed with color from dancing, he supposed, a slender nose that upturned ever so slightly at the end, and her lips bowed in an obscenely alluring way. A swift and unwelcome desire to press his lips to hers rushed through him, and he quickly forced the thought away. Then it hit him: this must be the cousin.

”Oh!” she gasped, glancing up. He could only stare back for several long moments. Alexander Kentworth left speechless? She had the most beautiful blue eyes, like sapphires, almost the exact shade of her shimmering dress. They were rimmed with kohl and her lids were dusted with some kind of dark, shimmering powder, giving her an intensely sultry look. He couldn’t stop his gaze from skating down the length of her again. Thin but not frail, her arms having the slight curvature of muscles, as if she did actual labor? How odd, he thought, but then again, America was a very different place for ladies from what he understood. His eyes slid downward. My God her curves…He had to stop himself from rubbing his hand across his mouth. Her chest was still wet from his drink and the sight made him long to wipe it away.

Perhaps using his tongue.

He tilted his head, his brow furrowing ever so slightly. Where had that thought come from?What in heavens is wrong with me tonight? He shook himself and made sure that his mask of indifferent boredom was firmly in place.

She began to wipe the mess away with her hands, ruining her gloves. Interesting. Most women he knew would be in a tizzy over a spill like this, would never absently wipe it away like it was nothing. He realized then that he was still staring like an oaf and he needed to speak.

”My drink,” he said simply, because it was honestly all he could think to say in that moment.

”I”m sorry?” she said, sounding confused. Her accent was very strange, but not unpleasant. He had to remind himself again that she was from America. Perhaps that explained her behavior and her overall demeanor. She wouldn”t have been brought up with high society London in mind, though he knew that Jocelyn MacTavish would have prepared her as much as possible since her arrival.

”Ah, good, so you do know how to apologize,” he said in a cool voice.

”What?” She stopped wiping her chest and yanked her gaze up to meet his. He was again struck by the vibrant blue.

”Well, you did spill my drink. It is only polite to apologize.” He frowned. “Are proper manners not taught to ladies in the Ton these days?” She narrowed her eyes at him and it made him want to smile. She obviously had no idea who he was and he liked that very much. If she did, she would never react this way. She”d be fawning and apologizing and being insufferable.

”You have got to be kidding.”

”Oh, I never kid about choice alcohol. This is a lovely vintage and you wasted half of it.” Her eyes went wide and incredulous, and he fought a smile.

”You spilled your drink on me. I thought the men in the Ton,” she sneered with thick sarcasm, “were supposed to be gentlemen.”

“I never claimed to be a gentleman.” It was true. He was one by birth, but he was a rake and almost as far from a gentleman as one could get.

The girl glanced around, casting an easy smile to a few other men. Her teeth were straight and brilliantly white and he knew that smile could open any door for her, make any man drop to his knees. She”ll have suitors lined up down the street tomorrow morning. She cut her eyes back to him, the smile disappearing almost instantly and calculation glinting in her eyes.

“And I never claimed to be a lady,” she said quietly before knocking the bottom of his glass, spilling what was left within it. He leapt backwards, watching the contents hit the floor in shock before looking back to her, torn between amusement, astonishment, and annoyance. Had she really just done that? She smiled again, this time a cunning curl of her lips, like a cat who had just caught a mouse. “Clumsy me,” she said sweetly before turning to storm off.

In shock, he watched her leave, admittedly enjoying the sensual sway of her hips as she walked. He”d never seen a lady in the Ton walk like that. She had an effortless grace about her, a confidence that drew every eye in the room. And her backside…He shook himself and clenched his jaw. He watched as Lady MacTavish beckoned her over, quickly pulling the girl into one of the many adjoining rooms. Alec waited a moment and then followed, standing just outside and leaning in close. Eavesdropping wasn’t gentlemanly, but, as he’d told the girl, he’d never claimed to be one.

“Do you have any idea who that was, Elle?” Jocelyn asked. Alec had known the MacTavish family his entire life and was quite fond of them, had spent many summers playing in their lake with Rose, going on hunts with his father and Callum MacTavish. In all that time, he’d never heard of Jocelyn having siblings or of this niece, this Elle. And what kind of name is Elle? Of course, he really didn”t know much about Jocelyn”s family prior to her marriage to Callum, so it wasn’t completely unreasonable that he hadn’t heard of this girl before. Shaking off the errant thoughts, he continued to listen.

“Lord Bastard, of the Cambridge Bastards?” the girl responded dryly. He huffed out a quiet laugh, despite himself.

“That was Alexander Kentworth.”

“Bee-Eff-Dee.” What on Earth does that mean? “I don’t care who he is. He was a jackass and I don’t like jackasses.” The way she spoke was very strange, but he couldn’t deny that he…liked it. It was refreshing. She was refreshing.

”He is a future viscount and the most eligible man here. He also happens to be a friend to our family.”

“I’m now seriously questioning your judgment…” Elle muttered, but Jocelyn continued as if she hadn’t heard, though he knew she had.

“And you just threw his drink on him?”

”Ok, he spilled his drink on me first! I just…finished the job.” Quiet pause. He envisioned Lady MacTavish giving the girl that look she had, the one that made a young lad nearly relieve himself in fear when he accidentally ate all of the tarts that were meant for a party she was having…

”Ok, ok, fine. I”m sorry,” Elle said, sounding a tad petulant. “I mean, I”m not sorry I tossed his drink because he deserved that, but I”m sorry that I acted so…unbecoming.” He could practically hear her rolling her eyes and his lips curled up in amusement. ”Anyway, Rosie sure seems smitten with Percival something or another out there.”

”Oh I saw,” Jocelyn said, a smile in her voice. “He comes from a good family. It could be a good match if that’s what makes her happy.” Alec was again reminded how different the MacTavish family was from most of the others in the Ton. Most other mothers wouldn’t care if her daughter was happy, only if the match was advantageous, if it brought riches or glory or both to the family names.

“Are you having fun?” Jocelyn asked.

“I am actually, minus the drink incident. I hope I’m not screwing up too badly.”

“Oh, dear, not to worry. With what I’m hearing, you are the absolute talk of the night.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not,” Elle sighed. “Alright, I guess I should get back out there.”

Alec walked away quickly so as not to be caught and was almost immediately accosted by Matilda Wilshire. He barely stifled a groan. She was a vile woman who looked very much like a toad. In fact, he and Daniel used to ribbit behind her back when they were children, though she could never prove it had been them. The Wilshires were a relatively affluent family, but they had always been on the fringes of the Ton. Matilda had been trying desperately for years to change that fact. Apparently the sudden inheritance had now helped her achieve that dream and she was practically vibrating with smugness and joy.

”Lord Kentworth, it is so lovely to see you. I didn”t know you were here for the season this year.”

He bowed. ”Lady Wilshire.”

She beckoned and her daughters tittered over. ”May I present my daughters? Harrietta and Wilhelmina.”

They fell over each other trying to get closer to him as they curtseyed. They looked at him expectantly and he sighed inwardly. Duty calls.

”Would you do me the honor of a dance?”

”Um, which one of us?” Harrietta asked in a nasally voice. Or possibly Wilhelmina. He”d already forgotten which was which.

It really couldn”t matter less,he thought, but he smiled thinly and extended his hand towards the one on the right. She was slightly taller with a wider nose and she squealed in excitement as they made their way onto the floor.

And so the hell began. Word quickly spread of his presence—largely due to Matilda telling anyone who would listen that her daughter had secured his first dance of the evening—and he quickly became bombarded. He danced as was expected and tried to have conversations with the women, but it was all so…stiff. Rehearsed. As if they were parroting answers they”d practiced a hundred times. Unlike the beauty who called me a bastardand a jackass. They’d found each other several times throughout the evening, their eyes locking across the ballroom as they each danced with their partners. Each time, Elle—whose name was actually Eleanor, come to find out—quickly pulled her gaze away, but his always lingered for an extra moment, watching the way she moved, the way she smiled and laughed.

He couldn’t stop himself from searching for her again now as he somehow managed to get a break from dancing. She was a mystery to him and he had always been interested in mysteries. His gaze roamed the room, finally spotting her dancing with Henry Astley. Alec scowled. He and Henry Astley had hated each other since they were boys and had gotten in more than one row over the years. Astley was a bastard, truth be told. While Alec pretended to be a haughty, arrogant prick, Astley really was one. He’d always been jealous of Alec, always tried to prove he was smarter or faster or stronger—usually to no avail. Alec wasn’t even sure when or why the rivalry had started, and as happy as he would be to just forget Astley existed completely (which he usually did), being back here for the season meant that that wasn’t an option.

Alec watched them through narrowed eyes and realized that Elle didn’t seem to be enjoying herself at all. Her body was tense and rigid, her smile tight and brittle. When she’d danced with other men, she had been relaxed and genuinely looked to be having fun. Now, it looked like she wanted to be anywhere but with Astley.

Before he even realized he was doing it, he strode forward, interrupting the dance. It wasn”t exactly polite, but really, he could pretty much do as he pleased. Astley scowled but nodded in greeting.

”Kentworth.”

”Astley. I hate to interrupt—well, that’s a lie, isn’t it? I’m more than happy to interrupt,” he said with a thin smile. Henry looked as if his blood was beginning to boil, his face turning a deep shade of red. “But I believe that Miss Montgomery actually promised me this dance.”

Elle”s eyes flew wide, darting between the two men. She was clearly relieved for the interruption from Astley, but wasn”t exactly fond of Alec either. Alec arched a brow and extended his hand. She debated for a moment more and then gave Astley a stiff smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

”He”s right, I”m afraid. Apologies, Mister Astley.” She quickly took Alec”s hand and they began to dance as Astley stormed off, hands clenched and face blotchy with rage and embarrassment.

”I’m not going to thank you,” she said stonily as they began to dance. He chuckled low, unable to stop himself. They danced in silence for a few moments. She was an excellent dancer, but there was something different about the way she moved, unlike anyone else in the room. An extra roll of her hips, a sensual fluidity as she transitioned from one movement to the next that Alec had never seen before.

”You know, I don”t think anyone has ever thrown a drink on me before.”

”I find that extremely hard to believe.”

”Do you know who I am?” he asked, amused. This was oddly the most fun he’d had in…well, too long.

”I”m aware,” she replied coolly. ”Am I to act impressed? Fawn? Maybe worship at your feet?”

”If the mood takes you, I shall not stand in your way. I am rather impressive and do enjoy a good worshipping.” She clenched her jaw, clearly fighting not to respond, and he smirked. He enjoyed ruffling her feathers, and, even more so, he enjoyed that she allowed her feathers to be ruffled. Most women in her position wouldn’t deviate from the perfect puppet-like persona no matter what he said or did. He could put his clothes on backwards and run screaming through the room that the sky was a lovely shade of green, and they would simply agree with his assessment and compliment his impeccable style.

But Eleanor had no reservations about pushing back against him. She didn’t seem as if she were at all concerned with trying to impress him, and he wondered why that was. Jocelyn had explained who he was, but perhaps the girl didn’t truly understand what that meant? Or perhaps she already had another man in mind for her hand?

They continued to dance, but a strange heaviness seemed to settle in the air around them as their bodies drew closer and then apart, over and over. He was suddenly very aware of her body, of every sinful curve and the delicious fragrance gently wafting from her. It was slightly floral, but not cloying, and brought to mind sunny mornings in his mother’s garden.

When they stood palm to palm and began to spin slowly, their gazes locked and held for an endless moment. For those few heartbeats, the tense animosity fell away and something else took its place. Something that made his pulse quicken and his mind race. Her lips parted on a soft inhale and her pupils expanded. He shook himself, clenching his jaw and she scowled, pressing her lips into a thin line as the strange spell broke around them.

”This is the longest song in the history of songs,” she grumbled.

”So anxious to be rid of me?”

She gave him a mocking smile. ”Pretty and smart. You really are quite the catch.”

”Ah, so you think I”m pretty then?” She ran her tongue over her teeth in irritation and he actually grinned. Finally, the music ebbed and the dance ended. They quickly stepped away from each other and Alec’s hands clenched into fists at his sides.

”Thank you for the dance, Miss Montgomery.”

”My favorite part was the end,” she responded with a smile and quick curtsey, before turning on her heel and rushing from the floor. He stood for long moments, staring after her, perplexed by this strange woman.

Perplexed, but admittedly intrigued.