In Want of a Wife? by Cathy Williams Page A

lingered on the way the dress clung to her body, before he pushed himself away from the door and headed in her direction.
    Over the sound of the saxophone, she was unaware of his approach until she felt his breath warm against her neck, and heard his lazy drawl as he asked her whether she was having a good time.
    Lizzy started, spilling some of her champagne, and turned around. She hadn’t seen him, although her stomach had churned at the knowledge that he was in the house somewhere.
    ‘Thank you. Yes.’ She took a step back because his proximity was wrapping itself around her and stifling her ability to think clearly. ‘It’s very … er … fancy. Lots of people.’ He looked drop-dead gorgeous in a pair of dark trousers, a white shirt which he had cuffed to the elbows and a bow tie with a swirly paisley pattern, which she found herself staring at because looking directly at him made her jittery. Very quickly, she swallowed the remainder of her champagne. ‘Are these all friends of Nicholas?’ she carried on.
    ‘Mutual friends.’ Louis gave an indifferent shrug.
    ‘How on earth did they all get here?’
    ‘Let me put it this way, they had lots of fun taking over the first-class carriages on the trains up. The rest flew.’
    ‘I’m surprised they made the effort.’
    ‘Are you? I invited them.’
    ‘And naturally they wouldn’t consider refusing.’
    ‘You got it in one.’
Since when had he been prone to uttering statements of that nature?
‘Dance with me,’ he said abruptly and Lizzy’s eyes widened in surprise.
    ‘Dance with you? Why?’
    ‘Do I have to provide a reason?’ Louis asked irritably. ‘I’m being polite. After our acrimonious dinner the other evening,
    I think it might be a good idea to call a truce, at least for the duration of this party.’ Had he ever been turned down by a woman for a dance? Louis didn’t think so.
    ‘Is … is Freddy here?’ Lizzy asked, shying away from the thought of being held by Louis to the very slow number being played.
    Instantly Louis stiffened and narrowed his eyes on her. ‘Why do you ask?’
    ‘I just wondered. He said that he was going to come.’
    ‘And is that the reason you’ve dressed to kill? Forget it. No money there.’
    ‘I knew it! You just can’t be polite to me for more than five seconds, can you?’ In a curious way, it felt good to be angry with him because it camouflaged far more disturbing responses. ‘So, in answer to your question, no—I
don’t
want to dance with you!’ But she wasn’t quick enough to dart away and she felt his hand circle her wrist. It was like having a live current shot through her. She almost gasped aloud, and when she spoke her voice was thin and uneven.
    ‘What do you think you’re doing …?’
    ‘I apologise. I shouldn’t have said that.’
    ‘I still won’t dance with you,’ Lizzy muttered. She clung frantically to the thought that he was still tarring her with the same prejudiced brush that he had used to tar her entire family.
    ‘Why? Are you scared?’
    ‘Scared of what? I’m not scared of anything.’
    ‘Because I don’t bite,’ he said softly. And then with amusement is his voice, ‘At least, not until I’m asked.’ He held out his hand and, after having announced her lack of fear of anything, Lizzy had no option but to allow herself to be led to the small area that had been cleared for dancing.
    The slow music played on. His arm went round her waist and the feel of his muscular body against hers brought a soft groan to her lips. This wasn’t right, she thought feverishly.
    This was dancing with the enemy. But without even thinking her head rested against his shoulder and her body, wilful and disobedient, moulded against his as she let him guide her.
    She didn’t know whether he was even aware of it, but his thumb was making small, erotic circles against her back and she shivered and drew fractionally closer to him.
    Thank the good Lord the music didn’t allow for