Alexandra whispered. “Aren’t you coming?”
“Not just now,” she answered. “Go on without me.”
As the quadrille came to an end, the dancers dispersed. He began to walk toward her.
She’d always dreamed of this scene. What girl hadn’t? The dark, handsome man locking gazes with her across the crowded ballroom. Striding toward her, unwavering in his intent, drawn to her beauty, acting on an inexorable melding of desire and destiny.
It wouldn’t happen that way. Not tonight. She refused to stand there meekly while Gabriel Duke made his manly strides across the ballroom to claim her.
Penny was going to meet him halfway.
When she began to move toward him, Gabe cursed under his breath. This was a wrinkle in his plans. She was beautiful beyond words. Beyond his words, at any rate. And he’d counted on having a long, slow saunter across the floor to search his brain for a compliment that would be remotely sufficient.
Instead, she was going to intercept him before he had any chance.
When they met in the center of the ballroom, he was speechless.
She broke the silence. “I want to say something witty or cutting. One of those worldly remarks that brings a man to his knees. But I can’t think of anything, so … The ball is lovely. You look quite handsome.”
“And here I was just cursing myself for my complete inability to describe how beautiful you look. You deserve a sonnet. An ode? I don’t even know the difference between the two. Next time, I’ll hire a poet.”
She smiled and shrugged. “We are who we are.”
“We are who we are.”
God, he loved who she was. But what was more, he loved who they were together. He couldn’t lose that.
“I don’t want to take you away from the party,” he said. “I just had a brief question to ask you.”
“I have a question for you, too.”
“You go first,” he said.
“No, you go first.”
“I insist.”
“I insist more.”
“Fine,” he said. “Will you marry me?”
She stared at him. “This was your brief question? This.”
“It’s four words on my part. Your answer only requires one. That’s the definition of brief.”
“Is it?”
He reached for her hands. “I know it’s not a romantic proposal, but I wanted to ask before your brother arrives. I need you to know that your answer is the only one that matters. The things I said to you were unforgivable. That contract was a horrid, thoughtless mistake. You were right to shred it to bits, and I’ve made certain my solicitor’s copy was torn to pieces, too. The thing of it is, I was afraid. I’m afraid no one will believe you married me for love, because I find it so difficult to believe it myself. It seems impossible that you could love me. But then it once seemed impossible that I could love anyone, and now I love you with a ferocity I can’t describe. Not because I need a poet, but because I don’t want to frighten you away. You’re the kindest soul I’ll ever meet, and we’re astounding together in bed. I don’t think I could live without you. Well, I don’t know. Perhaps I could. In the past, I learned to survive without a great many things. But I don’t want to live without you. I realize you might not forgive me yet for being a shameless, presumptuous prick, but—”
“Yes,” she interrupted. “The answer is yes. Adorable as it is to watch you nervously rattling on, if you want my answer before my brother arrives, we don’t have all evening. So yes.”
“Thank God.” He closed his eyes and exhaled gruffly. “Damn it. I left the ring in the safe.”
She laughed. “Best proposal in the world.”
“So what was your question?” he asked.
“I’d almost forgotten. I was going to ask if you’d care to dance. With me.”
“Penny.” His heart clenched like a fist. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to, so long as it’s with you. Everything is different with you.” She licked her lips, anxious. “They’re playing a waltz. The waltz wasn’t in England yet when I … when I first learned to dance. It would be entirely new for me.”
He brought both her hands to his lips and kissed them. “I’m so honored. And I wish like hell that I knew how. Neither of us would know what we’re doing, I’m afraid.”
“It couldn’t possibly be a more alarming scene than my last attempt at dancing in public.”
He supposed that was true.
“Even if it is a disaster, what’s the worst that could happen? No one will invite us to another ball for a decade. What a shame that would be.”
“In that case …” He waved his arm in the direction of the dancing. “After you.”
To Gabe, the waltz seemed to be nothing but a great deal of mincing, turning, and mincing while turning. He felt like a clumsy ass, but he did his best for Penny’s sake. For the remainder of his life, he’d do his best for Penny’s sake.
She stopped in the middle of a mincing turn. The music continued, and the dancing went on, but Penny was frozen in place, staring at something over his shoulder.
“Penny?”
Her gaze held emotions he’d never seen in her before. Emotions he wouldn’t have even believed to be in her character. Fear. Fury. Hatred.
And Gabe knew—he just knew, in his soul—there could be only one reason for it.
She pasted a false smile on her face and threaded her arm through his, turning him to face a pair of men. The younger of the two looked to be about the same age as Gabe, but he had Penny’s light hair and blue eyes.
This one must be Bradford.
The other man was older, though not old. He had brown hair gone gray at the temples, and an insidiously average-looking face.
This one must be the Devil.
“There you are, Penelope,” her brother said. “We’ve been looking for you.” He settled cold, suspicious eyes on Gabe. “Introduce us to your friend?”
“Bradford, this is Mr. Gabriel Duke. Gabriel, this is my brother Bradford. And this is Mr. Lambert. He’s Bradford’s father-in-law.”
