Chapter Six
Fenton House
St. James’s Place
Mayfair, London
Diana glanced with longing at the double French-paned doors of the ballroom that opened into the back garden of the large townhouse.
It was one of the rare properties in St. James’s that wasn’t attached to its neighbors, and since it stood alone, it was a bit more private than the other homes in the same area.
Yet because it was raining outside, that meant she couldn’t make scandalous use of the spring gardens tonight…
and she very much wanted a coupling with Lord Holdcraft.
After being teased and providing the same to him, she suffered from unfilled longing with desire circling hungrily through her lower belly.
What am I becoming? She feared the answer, for it might not be entirely proper.
The ballroom was crowded and the dance floor even more so with happy, chattering people.
Buzzing conversation was punctuated by laughter and greetings.
Every once in a while, she saw someone she recognized, and she would either lift a hand or stop by to chat for a few moments.
And it was different this time around from when she was married to Atterbury.
There was an excitement to each footstep and happiness bubbling through her chest knowing she wouldn’t return home to a house where her husband resided, and there was no need to do the pretty with him while in public.
Truth to tell, there was something freeing about being back in society on her own terms, and quite frankly, she reveled in it.
With every step as she made her way around the perimeter of the ballroom, she breathed in the scent of the hothouse flowers in several arrangements placed strategically about the room. Potted ferns and other plants added much needed freshness and a green hue amidst the bouquet of colorful gowns.
Over the next hour, Diana danced sets with a few men, and she hadn’t remembered how lovely of a time taking in such exercise was.
She flirted with men she found attractive, received compliments on her gown of periwinkle silk, and more than once she let her gloved fingers trace the round amethysts stones in her necklace.
Yes, it was delightful to again be in society and wear pretty things for the mere purpose of having people notice her.
As she sipped from a glass of punch one of her admirers had brought for her, Diana could help but wonder where Nathaniel had gotten off to?
Was he even now trysting with a younger, prettier lady?
After all, he’d made no secret of the fact that he was a rake and that he enjoyed being such.
The thought sent a wave of hot irritation through her chest. If that were the case, had what they’d already shared together meant nothing?
By the time she drained her cut-crystal punch glass, she glanced over, and there was the viscount, prowling toward her as if there was no one else in the room than her.
Odd flutters went through her lower belly, and her fingers tightened on the glass.
There was a certain gleam in his mossy eyes that promised wicked, delicious things if she dared enough to ask him for them.
Did she?
While her heartbeat accelerated, Diana kept her gaze on him.
He was so wonderfully handsome in his black evening attire, but it was the sky-blue satin waistcoat that drew her attention to his flat abdomen.
As he came closer, she discerned white stars and a silver crescent moon embroidered on the garment.
“Ah, Lord Holdcraft. How lovely to see you here tonight.” For the life of her, she couldn’t remember the words to anything more erudite than that.
What is wrong with me? I’m not an untried young woman at her first ball!
“Equally as lovely as seeing you, Lady Diana.” A mysterious grin curved his lips, and all she wanted to do was curl her fingers into his cravat, pull him to her, and then kiss him for as long as she liked.
“I must say, it appears that you’ve become quite popular. You have not lacked partners tonight.”
How long had he been watching her? With a frown, she set her empty glass onto a silver tray of a passing footman before giving the viscount the whole of her attention. “Never say that annoys you. I’m as surprised at my success as you. Only this time, I’ve much more experience and wisdom behind me.”
“Perhaps you should use a tad more discernment. At least one of the men you danced with tonight is a bounder with pockets to let. I don’t wish for you to be taken advantage of,” he said as he drew her along the wall until they stood near the doors that led into the corridor and away from where a group of wallflowers sat in delicate chairs with gilt legs.
“I don’t believe I asked for your protection,” Diana replied with a hint of frost in her voice. “And all I did was dance. There was no contract offered and no promises made.”
He grunted. “I can do no less than look out for you since you are my best friend’s sister.”
“Ha.” A trace of amusement went through her chest. She refused to let him off that easily, so she crossed her arms beneath her breast, and lifted an eyebrow when the viscount’s gaze briefly dipped to her décolletage.
“Why is it acceptable for men to draw women to them for anything from flirting to trysting, but when a woman does the same, those same men turn angry and possessive?” To be fair, it was fun to tease him, and the fact he did show a bit of possession only deepened the interest surrounding him.
“I’m not either one of those things.”
“Are you certain?” When he didn’t answer, she pressed her advantage with a faint smile.
“Then you must be jealous? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have said anything.
” Was that true, then? “And if that is the crux of your grumpiness tonight, you need to have a good look at yourself.” She lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper.
“Just because you and I had a bit of fun together, that doesn’t give you the right to restrict whatever I wish to do in my own life.
Especially since you aren’t willing to give up the lifestyle you’ve chosen for yourself. ”
Shock went through his expression, and his eyes widened, but the dratted man grinned. “Touche. Perhaps I am jealous.”
“Oh? I’m surprised that you admitted it.” This whole conversation was delightful.
A dark flush rose over his cravat on his neck. “Not much else I can do. How you managed to call me out on it is the true question of the night, though.”
Diana shrugged. “Someone needs to do so. You seem to need to be taken firmly in hand and shown another way of living.”
The wicked expression returned, and he dropped his voice as he shuffled a bit closer. “Is that what you’ve planned, then? To take me firmly in hand? For that sounds quite delightful.”
Heat sprang into her cheeks, and though she wanted to narrow her gaze at him for stepping over the line, she couldn’t, for she wished to do exactly that to him; he was just a stop along the journey of her soul’s freedom.
Wasn’t he?
“That depends on what happens from this point forward tonight.”
“Ah.” Slowly, he nodded. “How many of the men you’ve danced with tonight did you agree to have call on you later this week?”
The poor thing couldn’t help himself. Diana’s smile widened.
The feeling of womanly power that rose in her chest was rather interesting, for she’d never had that before.
“If you must know, I didn’t ask any of them to call.
They were perfectly lovely to share a dance with, but they are all too immature to want them hanging about my life, even at the periphery. ”
It was adorable how the viscount’s expression lightened at her answer. “I see.” He drew her closer to the door but paused before escaping the room. “I wouldn’t blame you if you wished to take one of the young pups to bed and show him a thing or two.”
“Do stop, Holdcraft.” She gently rapped the spine of her closed fan on his chest. “I am certainly not that sort of widow.” Unless it involved the man standing before her right this minute.
Yet as they continued to talk, there was no shortage of female eyes that followed Nathaniel’s progress through the room or shot her daggers that she’d been able to snag his attention.
Was she merely making a fool of herself for tarrying with him at all?
Perhaps she should step aside and the let the younger women have a turn.
Too bad she was quite stubborn. “At this stage of my life, I do enjoy more intelligent conversations than how much a man likes to hunt or what is going on in parliament.”
Then the string quintet struck the opening notes of a waltz. Couples proceeded to fill empty spots on the parquet dance floor. It reminded her of happy colors within a spring floral bouquet seeing all those skirts and waistcoats beneath the candlelight.
Nathaniel softly cleared his throat. “Would you like to dance this set or the next with me, Lady Diana?” He waggled his red eyebrows. “I’ll wager I’m a better partner than the ones you’ve already partnered tonight.”
“No thank you. I don’t feel like dancing any more tonight.”
“Oh.” His expression fell, and a trace of disappointment went through his eyes, much to her continued amusement. “What do you want to do with the remainder of the night?”
“Honestly?” When he nodded, she continued. “I really just want to talk. With you,” she said with what she hoped was a speaking glance. “I would like to know you better, listen to the things you care about in life.”
“I see.” Hope sprang into his face, and it was as if the sun came out from behind the clouds. “Then by all means, let us remove to a more quiet room, especially since your brother told me he would also be in attendance at this ball.”