could not prevent herself from looking back. Dexter was leading Lydia into the set that was forming for a country-dance. He did not look at Laura. It seemed he had already forgotten her.
LYDIA COLE WAS an observant girl. She had already noticed that Dexter Anstruther, though pretending to be utterly indifferent to Laura, had watched her covertly all the way out of the ballroom. She had felt the tension in his body as he led her into the country-dance. She had even noticed that although Dexter was making perfectly pleasant conversation with her, part of his mind was preoccupied with something—or someone—
completely different. She was not the main focus of his attention. In truth, she barely had his attention at all.
She was hugely relieved. Dexter Anstruther, with his tawny golden hair, his deep blue eyes, his commanding physique and authoritative presence, scared her to death. He was far too handsome, far too clever and generally far too overwhelming for her.
Lydia understood her mother’s absolute determination to marry her off. She also knew that Dexter was looking for a rich wife. It should have been the perfect, convenient combination. Except that it was not, for she was sure that Dexter’s feelings were already engaged elsewhere and she…Well, she had formed a tendre for a totally unsuitable man.
She was almost certain that she had fallen in love at first sight.
She glanced over at Faye and sighed. The duchess had the instinct of a major predator where her daughter’s marriage prospects were concerned and was watching Lydia with a mixture of smugness and vague threat as though she was about to pounce on Dexter and carry him off to announce the banns immediately. Matters, Lydia thought, might well become complicated. She had to ensure that she did not end up being bullied into marrying Dexter and she had to try to cure herself of her hopeless passion for another gentleman. She hoped she had sufficient will to succeed. She was not sure that she did.
Lydia glanced at Dexter’s face as the steps of the dance brought them together. He smiled at her but she knew he was not thinking of her. She knew that all his interest, all his energies were concentrated on thinking about Laura. She shivered and felt a secret rush of relief that all the complex emotion and ruthless, sensual demand that she sensed in Dexter was not for her. Never in a million years could she deal with that. There was a hardness, a cynicism and a level of experience in him, for all his outward conformity, that she could not begin to handle.
But Laura could. She sensed that, too. She knew they were well matched and that they should be together.
Lydia sighed. She had lived long enough and knew well enough that things that were meant to be did not always happen as they should.
After that brief smile, Dexter’s attention had wandered from her again. It did not matter in the least to Lydia, for she was no longer thinking of him, either. Across the ballroom her eyes met those of the gentleman who was the object of her affection. He held her gaze and smiled gently but meaningfully at her and she forgot everything else in that instant. It seemed that he was as interested in her as she was in him. The thought made her heart pound. Love at first sight felt wonderful.
CHAPTER SIX
“SO,” LAURA SAID TO her cousin, “when are you going to tell me what is wrong, Miles?
You have been like a cat on hot bricks all afternoon.”
They were standing in the long gallery watching Hattie as she played with the spinning top Miles had brought for her from Hamley’s toy shop in London. Rachel was showing her how to use the little stick to get the top to whirl so fast that its bright colors all merged into a spinning rainbow and Hattie was squealing with excitement. The sun, shining through the mullioned windows, illuminated her eager little face and brought out the chestnut tones in her black hair. At one point she looked up at Laura, her head tilted in
LYDIA COLE WAS an observant girl. She had already noticed that Dexter Anstruther, though pretending to be utterly indifferent to Laura, had watched her covertly all the way out of the ballroom. She had felt the tension in his body as he led her into the country-dance. She had even noticed that although Dexter was making perfectly pleasant conversation with her, part of his mind was preoccupied with something—or someone—
completely different. She was not the main focus of his attention. In truth, she barely had his attention at all.
She was hugely relieved. Dexter Anstruther, with his tawny golden hair, his deep blue eyes, his commanding physique and authoritative presence, scared her to death. He was far too handsome, far too clever and generally far too overwhelming for her.
Lydia understood her mother’s absolute determination to marry her off. She also knew that Dexter was looking for a rich wife. It should have been the perfect, convenient combination. Except that it was not, for she was sure that Dexter’s feelings were already engaged elsewhere and she…Well, she had formed a tendre for a totally unsuitable man.
She was almost certain that she had fallen in love at first sight.
She glanced over at Faye and sighed. The duchess had the instinct of a major predator where her daughter’s marriage prospects were concerned and was watching Lydia with a mixture of smugness and vague threat as though she was about to pounce on Dexter and carry him off to announce the banns immediately. Matters, Lydia thought, might well become complicated. She had to ensure that she did not end up being bullied into marrying Dexter and she had to try to cure herself of her hopeless passion for another gentleman. She hoped she had sufficient will to succeed. She was not sure that she did.
Lydia glanced at Dexter’s face as the steps of the dance brought them together. He smiled at her but she knew he was not thinking of her. She knew that all his interest, all his energies were concentrated on thinking about Laura. She shivered and felt a secret rush of relief that all the complex emotion and ruthless, sensual demand that she sensed in Dexter was not for her. Never in a million years could she deal with that. There was a hardness, a cynicism and a level of experience in him, for all his outward conformity, that she could not begin to handle.
But Laura could. She sensed that, too. She knew they were well matched and that they should be together.
Lydia sighed. She had lived long enough and knew well enough that things that were meant to be did not always happen as they should.
After that brief smile, Dexter’s attention had wandered from her again. It did not matter in the least to Lydia, for she was no longer thinking of him, either. Across the ballroom her eyes met those of the gentleman who was the object of her affection. He held her gaze and smiled gently but meaningfully at her and she forgot everything else in that instant. It seemed that he was as interested in her as she was in him. The thought made her heart pound. Love at first sight felt wonderful.
CHAPTER SIX
“SO,” LAURA SAID TO her cousin, “when are you going to tell me what is wrong, Miles?
You have been like a cat on hot bricks all afternoon.”
They were standing in the long gallery watching Hattie as she played with the spinning top Miles had brought for her from Hamley’s toy shop in London. Rachel was showing her how to use the little stick to get the top to whirl so fast that its bright colors all merged into a spinning rainbow and Hattie was squealing with excitement. The sun, shining through the mullioned windows, illuminated her eager little face and brought out the chestnut tones in her black hair. At one point she looked up at Laura, her head tilted in
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