Chapter 18 #2
Yes, she was meant to be with Dorian, only now she was not certain that she wanted such a thing. And with her confused feelings attacking her whenever she saw the young redhead, a petty idea came to mind. But one that she felt was justified.
“No, no,” Penelope said to Barbara. “I am dancing with…” She bit into her lip as she searched the ballroom, her gaze falling on that of one of the other young lords who Dorian had put aside to catch his sister’s interest. “Lord Westport. Yes… he and I have decided to dance together this evening.”
Barbara frowned. “Lord Westport? Why are you –”
“Because he is here with his father and has nobody to dance with,” she spoke over Barbara. “It is nothing to concern yourself with,” she then laughed as if it was all in good fun. “Merely a matter of happenstance.”
With that in mind, Penelope hurried toward Lord Westport.
He was a young gentleman about the same age as her, the son of an earl, and still unmarried. Penelope knew little else about the man, but the few seconds that they had spoken for he appeared a nice enough fellow. And seeing as he hadn’t caught Barbara’s eye, he was available for a single dance.
“Lord Westport,” she greeted with an affable smile as she came for him. “How is everything this evening? I trust you are enjoying yourself?”
“Your Grace…” He affected a short bow. “Wonderfully, of course. And might I say, this is a fine event – full marks for the effort. And the wine,” he added, brandishing his glass and then having a sip.
“I am glad you are finding ways to pass the time.” She stepped into him and rested a hand on his arm. “Say, I was wondering if I might suggest something…”
She was quick to tell him about the dance, making it clear that he didn’t have much of a choice but to join her as a partner. He was fine with it, which didn’t surprise her, and he was sure to tell her to come and find him once the time was ready to begin.
Penelope sighed with relief as she walked away from Lord Westport, feeling that a crisis was averted. And it was because she was not paying attention, that she failed to see Dorian coming right for her.
A good thing, as she likely would have turned in the opposite direction if she had.
“What was that about?” Dorian asked her.
Penelope came to a grinding halt, caught completely by surprise. She tried not to let it show, but this was the first time they had stood so close since the previous evening and it was doing things to her that she had not planned on.
It was his musky smell, filling her nostrils, transporting her back to that night.
It was his presence, looming over her, trapping her in a way that she liked more than she could admit.
It was his eyes, deep pools, locking onto her so she could not look away.
And it was his lips, full and tempting and she remembered how they had tasted…
“Wh – what?” she stammered stupidly, tearing her eyes from him as she tried to calm her beating heart.
“Lord Westport,” Dorian said, looking past her. “I saw you talking just now.”
“Oh, you noticed, did you?” She cocked an eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips. “I thought you might have been distracted.” She peered past him. “What happened to your shadow?”
“My shadow?”
“You know the one,” she continued haughtily. “Far too young for you with red hair. Hanging off your arm as if she is attached. I am surprised to find the two of you separated.”
Dorian’s eyes widened and in them she saw guilt, which she took as confirmation for what she suspected. “Penelope,” he groaned. “That is not what it looks like. Lord Kenbrook merely asked that I keep an eye on his daughter while he –”
“I do not care,” she cut over him. “Nor is it my business. What I would have thought, husband, was that you would have had the good grace to at least be subtle. A little common courtesy, as it were.”
“It is not what you -- do you really think I would do that, Penelope?”
“The truth?” She made sure to be looking right at him, wanting Dorian to see how little she cared.
“The truth, Dorian, is that I do not know you at all. Not nearly as well as I should. But you have made sure of that.” Her words were harsh, perhaps a tad uncalled for, but she was angry and hurt and she was sick of being made to feel stupid.
“As to Lord Westport? He and I will be dancing together, I was just confirming that now.”
“You and…” He leaned back with confusion. “I thought that you and I –”
“Oh, I just assumed that you would be occupied. Or that you would not have any trouble finding someone else to dance with.” She made sure to be looking right at him, her meaning clear.
Then, not wanting to continue the conversation, fearing that if she did that it would only make things worse, she put her head down and strode past him. And thankfully, Dorian knew better than to follow.
Her heart was thundering in her chest. Her legs were shaking from the adrenaline that coursed through her veins. As she walked, Penelope tried to do so with her chin pointed and a smile on her face, wishing to feel as if she had achieved some great victory just now.
Even if it doesn’t feel remotely like I have…
In truth, that interaction was an abject failure. She had wanted to talk to Dorian and find out the truth, to learn finally what was going on and what had really happened last night. Although she suspected that she knew the reason, there was that part of her that hoped otherwise…
Rather than that, she accused him, put him down, and made a mess of what was already a messy situation. If there had been even the remotest of chances that she was misreading Dorian’s feelings about her, she had gone and ruined that now.
Maybe she deserved to be alone? With the way I just behaved, I can’t help but think that I do.