Every female in the room watched as he made his way through the milling children toward the terrace.
“Well, I never,” uttered Ariane. “What do you think he meant?”
Harriet sighed. “Who knows? It almost sounds like I’ve made my point about marrying for love. It’s likely he’s decided not to propose at all since he doesn’t love me.”
“I can’t believe you two. It’s obvious the man’s in love with Harriet. I thought that when he was here last Christmas. I mean, he spent most of his time with you, not Trello. I’d expected him to court you this season. There must have been a reason he didn’t because I’d bet my life on it he loves you.”
Diane’s words took her breath away. “You’re too young to understand.”
“Not so young I can’t read people.”
“I must admit. I too always thought he held a tendre for you. We both did. That’s why we had those dreams of a double wedding. Why didn’t he court you this season?”
“He did have a good reason. Something for Prinny involving Princess Charlotte.”
Diane smiled and handed Ariane another holly bush to add to the tree. “I knew it.”
“If he loves me, why won’t he tell me?”
Ariane brushed the sticky fir fronds off her gown. “Some men don’t know how to say it. It’s frightening to say those words and not know how it will be received. I know. Will you let him slip away because of that? Can you learn what’s in his heart with no declarations of love from him?”
Could she? The ball was tomorrow night. She’d run out of time. She glanced outside and the first pair of eyes that meet hers was Blade’s. He gave her a smile that curled around her and made her heart expand in her chest. She loved him.
Loved him with all her heart.
She could not imagine herself married to any other man.
She turned away, wondering if he’d read her love in her eyes. For a moment she thought she’d seen love in his. But then perhaps that is what she wanted to see, given she had to know her answer by midnight tomorrow night.
Chapter Seven
“Your eyes are blazing fire,” Ariane said as she tightened her grip on Harriet’s arm as they strolled around the ballroom filled with most of the local gentry who had known her all her life. Many kept coming up and giving her sly smiles.
“I’m so angry. Everyone is expecting a marriage announcement tonight. Trello took Blade out last night on purpose. I don’t know what the men are up to, but if Blade thinks I’ll say yes to his offer just because it’s in front of a crowd, he’s mad.”
The ballroom was so hot and with the first sprinkling of snow today, the doors to the terrace remained solidly closed. If it were not for Ariane by her side, she would have found it difficult to breathe through her panic. In two hours, it would be midnight and her father had already berated her about making a fool of him and the scandal that refusing Blade’s offer would bring upon her and the family. Everyone invited knew there was to be an announcement, so what would they think when there was none.
Her father had given her until midnight to come to her senses.
Luckily Blade had placated her father. She did not know what he had said, but her father looked at her with a warm smile that screamed, ‘I’m up to something’.
However, the guests had already suspected something was not as it should be because Blade and Trello had ensconced themselves in the card room and had barely shown their faces. She clenched her fists. Trello had promised her they would dance with the young ladies in attendance. They had left her to fend off the gossips and face the music alone. She would never forgive them.
“May I have this dance, my beautiful lady.” Kingsley, Ariane’s fiancé whispered in her friend’s ear, and envy and joy in equal measure flooded Harriet’s heart.
“Go on, Ariane. I need a moment to myself, anyway.”
“Are you sure?
She smiled away her nerves. “Absolutely. Go and enjoy the dancing with this handsome man.”
Kingsley beamed her a smile and a wink. As she watched them take to the floor, she had never seen a couple more suited to each other and so in love. The love was in each touch, each smile, and she was thrilled for her friend. This is what she wanted too. She wanted this with Blade.
Needing space away from prying eyes, Harriet made her way through the supper room looking as if she was heading towards the retiring room, when she darted left and made her way to her haven, the library. As soon as she entered her mind calmed. The silence and dimming fire, which made the room cooler than the ballroom, was just what she desired.
She moved to stand at the large terrace windows, but the clouds covered the moon and she could see nothing but the snowflakes hitting the glass. She could also feel the cold coming through, so she moved to stoke the fire before finding her favorite chaise lounge. She heard her slippers plop to the floor as she lay down. If anyone looked through the open door, the back of the settee would hide her. She just needed time to gather her pride before someone found her and dragged her back to face the music at midnight.
She didn’t know how long she’d been lying there and perhaps she had dozed, but the sound of the library door closing jarred her awake. She hoped it wasn’t an amorous couple looking for privacy. She peeked over the back and to her surprise she saw it was Lord Fallon. He wasn’t on her guest list. He was leaning his back against the door, his cravat undone, and the smile he gave sent a knot of nervousness through her.
“Lady Harriet, at last I’ve found you.”
She rose to her feet. “I didn’t realize I was lost,” she tried to make it sound like a joke, but Lord Fallon didn’t laugh.
Her inner senses told her to move away as he strode closer. All too soon she found herself backed up against the glass doors out to the terrace. But Lord Fallon kept coming.
“A little birdie tells me you may decline Lord Bladestow’s offer. To say you have surprised me is an understatement. Pleasantly surprised, I might add. I thought I may have been too late.”
Too late? For what? He didn’t stop until his chest was almost touching her breasts, and the doors to the outside were marking her back as she pushed against them, trying to put distance between them. For the first time she wished he was as tall as Blade so she didn’t have to look him in the eye, because what she saw there frightened her. Desperation.
“I’m expected back in the ballroom. Please let me pass.”
A finger ran down her cheek, and she turned her head away. His touch made her skin crawl. “I don’t think so. You see, you are the answer to my predicament.”
At her frown, he laughed. “So innocent, but not for long. If I ruin you, your father is still likely to allow our marriage to stand because he won’t want his eldest daughter ruined. It dampens the chances of the second daughter making a fine match. Your dowry will be forthcoming because he won’t want you to suffer in poverty like I and my family are suffering.”
Fear almost made her knees buckle, but she refused to let him see it. “My brother will kill you if you touch me.”
He gripped her chin in his hand. “Most likely. So best we depart for Gretna Green before that can happen. So convenient that from York it’s only a few day's ride.”