Interest sparked in Harriet’s eyes as she looked past her sister at Mr. Sharpe. “I must say, he is not unpleasant to look at,” she remarked with a grin, her gaze sweeping over the man’s tall stature. “And how do you know he’s a lowlife? He seems quite amiable to me.”
Doing her best to keep her thoughts focused on what her sisters were saying, Leonora turned to look at the man across the room herself.
While there was nothing villainous in his appearance, Leonora did detect a bit of a wicked gleam in his eyes. He stood tall with broad shoulders and angular features that betrayed little of what he thought, except for that amused smirk that seemed to linger continually upon his face. In fact, he reminded her a bit of Phineas.
Christina quite clearly disagreed for she spun around to glare at her sister. “How can you say that? He is most definitely not a gentleman, and Sarah deserves better.” She slipped an arm through Sarah’s, hugging her friend to her side. “I promise you, I shall do what I must to prevent this marriage from happening. You have my word.”
Although Sarah smiled a grateful smile at Christina, the look in her eyes told Leonora that she had little hope. “You are a most kind and loyal friend, Chris. I consider myself most fortunate to have you by my side.”
Leonora hoped with all her heart that Sarah would either come to care for Mr. Sharpe or Christina would truly find a way to prevent this marriage from happening. Unfortunately, that thought inevitably led her back to her own predicament, and her eyes wandered over to the ballroom’s entrance.
To her utter shock, it was none other than Lord Gillingham who arrived in that moment.
His cold eyes met hers, and a sickening smile spread over his face, triumphant and victorious as though they had been at war, and now, he knew her defeated, close to surrender.
Leonora once more began to feel faint. She was no closer to a solution than she had been that afternoon. Of course, how could she be. After all, she had spent the rest of the day distracting herself from her problems instead of focusing on solving them. Yet, deep down she had known that there would be no solution, not one that would see everyone emerge from this unharmed, untainted.
The simple, yet terrifying truth was that Leonora had two options. She could either marry Lord Gillingham and find herself tied to the man who had attacked her for the rest of her life. Or she could refuse him and ruin all of her sisters’ futures in one night. How did one go about making such a choice?
The moment Lord Gillingham started toward her, Leonora turned away, unable to face him as though ignoring him would somehow make him disappear. Of course, he did not. However, as she turned away, her gaze collided with another’s.
Drake.
He was here, and striding toward her this very moment, the look in his eyes murderous, telling her loud and clear that although she had not told him, he knew.
As he had known before.
Somehow, he simply knew.
Somehow, he always knew.
It was that thought as well as the sight of him rushing over, once more ready to defend her, that gave Leonora strength. The cold chill that had been lingering in her body all afternoon and well into the evening slowly dissipated, replaced by something warm and comforting…something familiar.
It was a beautiful feeling; one she had felt often these past few weeks.
Always in Drake’s presence.
Sometimes even when he was nowhere around.
Yes, slowly, day by day, Drake had given her her confidence back. He had taught her to stand tall and not yield. He had taught her to fight and not surrender.
Leonora smiled at him. It felt odd and completely unexpected. Yet, the emotion slowly building within her chest was not one of fear or regret or defeat. It was one of strength and faith and…yes, even triumph. Leonora could not say how it had suddenly found her, but the moment she saw Drake, it was as though everything suddenly fell into place.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice urgent, deeply concerned, as he reached her side, his hands moving to grasp hers. In the last moment, he stopped himself, eyes sweeping around the ballroom, aware that they were not alone.
Leonora nodded in answer, and somehow it was the truth.
Drake’s gaze narrowed once more before it drifted beyond her head. “It was him, was it not?” Drake asked in a snarl before his eyes once more dropped down to meet hers.
Again, Leonora smiled at him. “How is it that you always know? Before I even say a word, how do you know?” Without thought, she moved closer, suddenly aware that where Drake was concerned, she felt no apprehension or reluctance. She trusted him.
Completely.
And once again, that thought gave her strength and made her daring. She glanced over her shoulder at Lord Gillingham, who paused halfway across the ballroom, his gaze narrowing as it moved from her to Drake. She could see disapproval in the way his nostrils flared and the corners of his mouth drew down. He hesitated for a moment before his eyes moved around the room, looking for something or someone.
Leonora wondered what he was thinking, what he was planning on doing now that Drake’s appearance had no doubt upset his plans.
A look of indecision lingered upon his face for a moment or two. Then he set his jaw in determination, and Leonora felt an unpleasant shiver crawl down her back as she saw him change direction and head over to where…
…the rest of her family stood, enjoying one another’s company, unaware of who was heading toward them this very moment.
“What does he want?” Drake asked, his voice tense. “What is he doing?”
Leonora turned back to face him, her mind racing with what to do. Lord Gillingham could not possibly intend to tell her parents that—
Her eyes flew up and stared into Drake’s. “He wants to marry me!” The words rushed from her lips in a strangled groan as she remembered Lord Gillingham’s determination to make her his bride. Why he did not simply choose another was beyond her. Perhaps he was simply unwilling to admit defeat. Of course, he did not care for her. This was about power and victory. Nothing more.
Shock stood upon Drake’s face for no more than a split second before his features took on a thunderous expression, his gray eyes darkening as though a storm was gathering.
“Who wants to marry you?” Harriet inquired as she stepped closer, Christina and Sarah in tow. “Are you talking about Lord Gillingham?” She glanced past Leonora’s shoulder to where Lord Gillingham was currently conversing with their parents. “Did he propose?”
Leonora inhaled a deep breath as her hands began to tremble. She felt a deep longing to reach for Drake, to feel his hands wrapped around hers, warm and comforting. Still, they were not alone, but out in the open.
“What is it?” Christina’s eyes narrowed as she stepped even closer, her voice lowering. “You look pale, Leo. What is it?”
Worried faces looked at her from all around, and Leonora even saw sparks of suspicion in Christina’s eyes. The truth was that she did not want to keep this from them. They were her family, and they needed to know. It was not a matter of right or wrong, but simply something that needed to be said.
Leonora looked up and met Drake’s gaze. He gave a quick nod, encouraging her to be truthful with her sisters.
Leonora swallowed, then looked from Christina to Harriet, noting a hint of confusion come to Sarah’s face for she did not know what the sisters were speaking about.