Chapter 9
The orchestra began playing another waltz when her dance partner left Genevieve at Vincent’s side.
She’d not seen Theo all evening, and had assumed Vincent had been assigned chaperone duty for the evening.
If she discovered later that the man had gone out on assignment without her, Genevieve would make his life miserable.
Looking up at the man her parents had rescued along with her and her other siblings from Ruckley’s servitude, Genevieve offered him a bright smile. A horse riding accident had left Vincent deaf several years ago, and using sign language, she said she needed some air as the ballroom was hot.
“I’ll go with you.” Although he couldn’t hear himself speak, Vincent’s voice was softer than most as he fought to keep from yelling when speaking with others.
“No. I need a few minutes alone,” Genevieve shook her head as she signed her reply. “I won’t be gone long, and I promise not to wander off the terrace. I’ll be quite safe.”
Vincent scowled at her, but reluctantly agreed as she touched his arm in a silent plea for his agreement. Satisfied she’d convinced him to let her go unaccompanied out to the patio, Genevieve made her way around the dance floor, occasionally stopping to exchange greetings with someone she knew.
By the time she reached the doors to the terrace, she felt as if she were in a hot-house dressed as if she were going out into freezing temperatures.
The cool, fresh air of the patio was a welcome respite from the heat of the ballroom.
For the past three weeks, she’d managed to avoid Theo except for the four nights she’d ventured into the East End when C had provided them with something new to investigate.
Genevieve had kept her distance from him as much as possible.
She’d even gone so far as not to argue with any of the instructions he’d given while in the field, despite it taking a great deal of effort to bite her tongue and not argue with him.
The one point of solace was that she knew her polite obedience unnerved him.
Looking up at the night sky, she remembered what the sky looked like under the stars at Callendar Abbey.
What would it be like at the croft, staring up at the stars with Theo holding her close?
The unexpected thought made her heart skip a beat, and Genevieve muttered a soft oath.
Such a thing happening was little more than a dream.
A soft cough sounded behind her, and Genevieve turned around to see Count Ansbach standing a short distance away from her. A broad smile on his lips, the count moved toward her. Despite her dislike of the man, she offered him a welcoming smile.
“Miss Rockwood, I am delighted to see you this evening. London’s ballrooms and parlors have been quite dreary without your beauty to grace our presence.” Ansbach stopped in front of her to capture her hand in his and kissed it.
“Good evening, Count Ansbach.”
The distance between them was less than a foot away from her, and she wanted to scream at him to step back.
Instead, she gently pulled her hand from his while taking a small step back.
His expression growing serious, Ansbach tilted his head this way and that, as if inspecting her.
The instant she arched an eyebrow questioning his scrutiny, the man smiled with approval.
“You look radiant this evening, Miss Rockwood. Can I assume from your appearance you have recovered from your recent malaise?”
“Yes, quite,” she nodded, ensuring to keep a pleasant smile on her face. “I’m sorry I was unable to meet with you when you called all last week. But I am most grateful for your concern, and your flowers were lovely.”
“If they helped improve your spirits, then I am delighted. Now that you are feeling so much better, might I entreat you to go riding with me tomorrow morning?”
At Ansbach’s question, Genevieve assumed a thoughtful look as if trying to recall her schedule for tomorrow.
The man had called on her almost every day last week, and even though she knew she needed to further her acquaintance with the man, she found him tedious and full of himself.
Suppressing a sigh, she smiled at the man.
“I am free for an hour or so tomorrow morning before another appointment. Would nine o’clock do?”
“Wunderbar,” the man exclaimed with enthusiasm. “I shall call on you then. So, tell me, how are you enjoying this evening’s event? I hope you will give me a waltz before the night has ended.”
“I’m finding the evening a bit tiring, but it’s a lovely affair. Lord and Lady Barrington always acquire the best musicians. The orchestra tonight makes me believe they intend to play until dawn.”
“Then you plan to dance the night away?”
“I confess I enjoy dancing almost as much as I do riding. But if I danced until dawn, I’m afraid I would be unfit to ride in the morning.”
“Then I insist you must leave the ball at a reasonable hour tonight so that you will not miss our ride in the park.”
“Will you be riding the prized mare you won at cards from Viscount Gabbot a few nights ago at cards? I understand she’s quite beautiful.”
“She is, and I shall ride her tomorrow so you may see her. I am delighted that Lord Gabbot challenged me to a game. I initially refused as he was doing well at the tables, but when he suggested we wager something unique as opposed to coin, I accepted.”
“Do you enjoy gambling?” Genevieve asked.
“Only if the prize is something other than money.” Ansbach arched an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps I could persuade you to wager a kiss if you agreed to a game of cards.”
“Now that would be incredibly indiscreet of me,” Genevieve said with a laugh as she rejected the idea. In the back of her head, a voice whispered that if Theo had offered such a wager, she would have accepted with alacrity.
“Ahh, but quite pleasurable, I’m sure.”
The Prussian count caught her hand in his again, where his lips lingered on her skin.
If it had been Theo taking his time brushing his lips over her fingers, the sensation would have made her shiver.
With Ansbach, she felt nothing other than revulsion.
The sooner she learned enough about the man to confirm whether or not he was a spy, the sooner she could reject him.
“It is a beautiful night, although a bit chilly. I am surprised you are not shivering without a wrap.” Ansbach’s statement made her lips curve in a genuine smile, and she laughed.
“It is obvious you have not spent much time in the Highlands, this is quite warm compared to being on the moors at night.”
“You are correct. I have been to Scotland only once, and I found it even more brisk than my lands in Prussia,” Ansbach’s features filled with an emotion that surprised her.
He appeared wistful, almost homesick at the mention of his home.
He focused his gaze on her and smiled. “I think you would find my homeland quite beautiful. Perhaps you will visit one day.”
“Perhaps. I can tell by your expression you miss home a great deal.” Genevieve tipped her head to study the count, her curiosity piqued. “Tell me about your home. What is it like?”
“It is almost as beautiful as you, meine schatz. My schloss overlooks the Rhine in a small town called Falkenstein. The mountains are quite stunning.”
“It sounds wonderful,” Genevieve’s reply was sincere, startled by Ansbach’s display of passion for his home.
For the first time since their introduction, the man had dropped his obsequious, pompous manner as he described his home. If he loved his home so much, why did he remain in England? The only reason she could think of was that Ansbach was spying for the Kaizer as C and her cousins suspected.
“I do, but I am trying to keep the peace between my cousin and the Kaiser. They are both stubborn men, and I fear the impact of political strife between Prussia and England will prove most destructive,” the count said with a sigh.
“But I would be failing in my duty to both empires if I did not at least try to help keep the peace.”
“It must be difficult though, to be gone from the home you love so much,” Genevieve pressed a little harder.
“Until I met you, Miss Rockwood, it was more difficult than you could imagine, but you make me forget to be homesick.”
“That’s a lovely thing to say, but I hardly think—”
“Have you not realized by now that I am captivated by you, meine schatz?” The count said with a fervency that caught Genevieve off-guard as he stepped closer. Fear and panic slid through her. Not even when she’d danced with him had the count been so close to her.
“You fill my thoughts constantly, and you are driving me mad with desire.”
The count suddenly reached for her, sweeping her up into his arms and bending his head to kiss her. Horrified, Genevieve arched backward as she turned her face away from him to avoid his mouth.
Revulsion made her stomach churn as she suddenly froze, unable to push him away.
Her brain screamed a command for her to fight the man off, but horror held her motionless.
A low rumble that reminded her of a snarling animal filled the air, and in the next breath, Ansbach was yanked away from her.
The Prussian stumbled backward and landed on his backside with Theo towering over him.
Genevieve gasped as she saw Theo reaching down to grab the man by the lapel of his jacket, his other fist ready to hit the count. Dear God, he looked ready to kill Ansbach. Rushing forward, she wrapped her fingers around Theo’s arm and tugged hard to stop him from hitting the man lying at his feet.
“Stop this,” she snapped. “Stop this right now, Lord Selbourne.”
When he resisted her command, she tugged even harder against the arm drawn back, ready to hit the fallen Prussian.
The muscles beneath her fingers were hard and taut as Genevieve stared up at him, and she flinched the instant he jerked his head in her direction.
Cold fury darkened Theo’s features, making her mouth go dry.