Never Courted, Suddenly Wed by Christi Caldwell

around the flute of champagne dangling from his fingers. He eyed the couples as they completed the intricate steps to the dance around Lord and Lady Cavendish’s ballroom floor. “A single dance should do. A waltz would be even better. Of course if you are feeling very generous then two dances would sufficiently quiet the viscountess.”
    The Duke of Mallen glared at him from the corner of his eye and then redirected his attention out around the ballroom floor. “If I’m feeling very generous? I’d say in having agreed to aid you, my actions constitute extreme magnanimity.” A servant materialized with a tray of fresh champagne flutes. Mallen deposited his empty glass and retrieved another. “You’re fortunate my mother is off in the country with Emmaline and Drake, else you’d find yourself on your own with this foolishness.” A shudder wracked his frame. “I don’t even want to consider what my sister will say when she comes out of confinement.”
    A momentary twinge of guilt stabbed at Christopher but he pushed it aside. Mallen was his closest friend in the world. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for the other man. “Someday I shall return the favor,” he promised.
    “I’ll not have any need of such an outlandish plan as the one you’ve concocted. Nor for that matter would I ever require intervention on your part.”
    Christopher grinned. Mallen was entirely too cocksure of himself. Christopher had little doubt that Mallen’s mother was fast tiring of her only son’s marital state. He chose to let the matter rest. Instead, he returned his attention to the crowded ballroom. “Where is she?” he muttered.
    Mallen tipped his head toward the corner of the room where a row of wallflowers sat. “The young lady just found a seat.”
    Christopher followed Mallen’s focus. Sophie Winters stifled a yawn behind the floral fan in her fingers, and with her bored expression, appeared a good deal less than interested in the evening’s festivities.
    Then his gaze fell to her ankles. Her feet tapped to a lively little beat atop the marble floor, effectively ending the lady’s attempt at detachedness.
    He told himself the desire to cross the room and secure the next set had nothing to do with the wistful expression he read in Phi’s eyes and yet…even though they had been childhood nemeses, he still did not care to see her forlorn and forgotten along the wall. “Join me, will you?” Christopher murmured to Mallen.
    Christopher started out across the room, pausing when he reached Sophie’s side. “Hullo Miss Winters,” he said with a bow.
    Sophie peered at him like he’d sprouted horns. She seemed to remember herself and scrambled to her feet. “My lord,” she said with a curtsy.
    “Miss Winters,” Mallen said. Sophie’s gaze moved from Christopher to the duke who claimed her hand and placed a kiss along the top of her wrist.
    “Your Grace,” she murmured. A rush of pink infused Sophie’s cheeks and damn if she didn’t look fetching with that delightful hue of pink on her skin.
    Christopher frowned. And damn if he didn’t abhor that captivated way in which she studied Mallen. The bright-eyed gleam in her eyes as she studied the duke was not part of the plan Christopher had concocted. He told himself that the interest in her cornflower blue gaze could only complicate things for all of them.
    He cleared his throat.
    Sophie returned her attention to Christopher. The pale pink in her cheeks deepened to the red hue of a deep, summer sunset. For what reason? At being caught studying Mallen? Something hot and volatile stirred in Christopher’s chest.
    “I trust you and Duke made it home from London Hospital without incident?” Mallen said, grinning at Sophie.
    London Hospital? What is this about?
    “We did, Your Grace. Thank you.” Her husky tone possessed a honeyed warmth that made Christopher grit his teeth.
    What business did Sophie Winters have at London Hospital? And why had she seen to that