Chapter 10

CHAPTER10

Susanna steeled herself, ready to hear any insult about Anthony that Donald could prepare, yet Donald said nothing. He fidgeted where he stood, constantly readjusting his tailcoat a few times.

“Donald? What do you know of the Duke of Belbridge?” Susanna asked, standing taller. “Are you going to accuse him of being a rake? Of his reputation being marred?”

“No,” Donald sighed as if pained that he could not. “I have heard things though, Susanna,” he whispered, turning to face her fully once again. “He is a man who expects the best in life. We talked of his need for perfection before. He needs the very best, nothing less. So why would he associate with…”

Donald broke off. The suddenness made Susanna’s shoulders slump, for the insult was implicit in the air, even though Donald couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Have you realized what an insult you were about to utter?” Susanna asked quietly. “You were about to say that if the Duke expects the best, why would he be a friend of mine?”

“That is not what I was going to say. I merely meant…” Donald sighed once again and fidgeted where he stood, wringing his hands together. “Susanna, I am merely trying to protect you. That is all.”

The sudden softening of his voice made the rigidity in Susanna’s spine soften too. She turned her gaze down to the champagne glass in her hand and fidgeted with it, back and forth.

“Are you courting?” Donald’s voice was but a whisper, but it still urged Susanna to snap her head upward.

“No such words have been exchanged.” She was startled to see Donald smiled a little as if out of relief.

“Then I have good reason to be suspicious, do I not, my friend?” Donald asked and leaned on the wall beside her. Susanna followed suit, leaning next to him. “I saw the way you two were today in your garden. Bent together, talking at length.”

“We get along well.”

“Very well from what I saw. Any gentleman who is supposedly that interested would have surely talked of courtship by now, unless…” Donald trailed off and shrugged. Susanna nodded knowingly, understanding what Donald was struggling to say.

“Unless he had no intention of speaking of it.”

“Exactly.”

Susanna looked away from Donald, finding she needed to seek Anthony out in the crowd once again. He was not only laughing with Baron Lewis now, but another friend had joined them, someone she did not recognize.

Susanna found her emotions in the last few minutes had gone from one extreme to another. She had first begun with Agnes, thinking that marriage was the furthest thing from her mind, but now with Donald’s intervention, Susanna couldn’t help the growing disappointment that maybe marriage was not something Anthony would ever consider.

I must not over think. Life is to be enjoyed, is it not? What if I spend forever worrying about tomorrow, only for tomorrow never to come?

Remembering the lesson that she had learned from her mother, Susanna put a smile on her face and angled back toward Donald, showing she was unmoved by his words.

“I am not going to think excessively of the future.” She shook her head in emphasis. “I intend to enjoy the here and now, for what else is to be done in life?”

“What of your reputation, Susanna?” Donald whispered in clear horror. “If you become a mistress to the Duke… people will talk!”

“Whoever said I intended to become a mistress? Quite frankly, Donald, you have insulted me enough for one night.” Susanna stepped away, deciding this conversation had to end.

“I am not trying to insult you; I am trying to protect you.” Donald walked after her, clearly keen not to let her go just yet.

“I appreciate your friendship, but for the moment, leave this decision to my own mind.” Susanna turned back and delivered the words firmly. Donald seemed so stunned that he stepped back as if she had delivered him a wound. “If you would excuse me, Donald, I must see my godmother.”

With these words, she stepped away and hurried across the room, intent on finding Agnes. But first, though, her feet took on a path of their own. She wasn’t walking across the room toward Agnes but to Anthony.

When he saw her, such a smile grew across his face that Susanna forgot her worries. She didn’t think of what her godmother had said about marriage, neither did she think of how Donald had accused her of being the Duke’s mistress. She only thought of that smile and how much fun she’d had in Anthony’s company earlier that day.

They had been there for hours in her garden. Neither one of them had made reference to their lessons on this occasion; they had simply enjoyed one another’s company. At times, he bent down off his stool from where he was drawing and had asked her to tell her the names of the plants. She had shown him her favorite, a peony, and caressed the petals of a blooming flower.

As she looked at Anthony now, she could still remember the way he had taken the bloom too, his fingers brushing against her own. The memory of that touch made an excited tremble pass up her spine.

Susanna was walking toward him. She couldn’t help herself. Even though there was a distance between them, he could clearly sense it, for he angled himself to face her too then a body passed in front of Susanna, and she was forced to look away from Anthony.

“Susanna! Come, come; you must speak to Juliana.” Agnes took Susanna’s arm and pulled her away before she could reach Anthony. “Oh, she is so excited to hear of your friendship with the Duke of Belbridge, she will not stand still. She is bouncing on her toes like some wild hare!” Agnes laughed heartily at her own joke.

Susanna followed though she glanced back to Anthony, sharing one last smile with him before she had to turn away.

* * *

“I can see where your eyes are.” Joseph’s words beside Anthony made him look sharply away from Susanna.

He had been looking for her all night, ever since he had arrived in the room. When he had at last seen her, he had found himself quite dumbstruck, struggling for words.

Tonight, she wore a gown that was quite stunning. The pale blue silk shimmered softly in the candlelight and hugged her curvy figure, leaving little to Anthony’s imagination. The short, capped sleeves and deep neckline offered a hint of bosom, enough to make a heat rise in Anthony’s chest. Her curly hair was escaping its updo with loose curls teasing her neck in an elegant fashion.

Yes, she is elegant in her natural way.

“Who are you looking at?” The third gentleman with them urged Anthony to look away once again.

“Lord Garrick, you do insist on poking your nose in, do you not?” Joseph said with a laugh and clapped Anthony on the shoulder. Anthony could feel what his friend was trying to do in that touch. He was angling Anthony away from Susanna, so that where he was looking would not be seen by Lord Garrick. “You are a notorious gossip. What do you think would persuade us to tell you a secret?”

A secret?

Anthony felt wrongfooted. He was not really aware he had intended to keep his relationship with Susanna a secret, but he supposed it was necessary. After all, there would be a scandal if anyone knew exactly what they had done together in his house!

“Oh, then there is a secret to know, Lord Lewis?” Lord Garrick lowered the claret glass in his hand and looked between the two of them. “Your Grace, has a young lady turned your head?”

“It is hardly any great piece of news, is it?” Anthony asked with a sigh as Joseph passed a glass of claret to him. “Many a gentleman’s head is turned every day.”

“Perhaps so, but not a duke’s.” Lord Garrick shook his head emphatically.

Anthony paused with his glass raised near his lips, watching the older gentleman before him with interest. Lord Garrick had a habit of turning up and interfering in his conversations with Joseph, but it seemed to be more and more these days. As Joseph had pointed out, the man was an infernal gossip, and heavy suspicion hung over Anthony’s head that Garrick might have a connection to one of the scandal sheets.

“Garrick, find somewhere else to peddle your gossip tonight.” Joseph gestured to the crowd with his own glass. “There is no story here.” Anthony smiled, thankful for his friend’s protection then his eyes moved of their own accord. Once again, Anthony’s gaze slipped back to Susanna across the room.

She was deep in conversation with the Marchioness of Follet and two other ladies. As she laughed, her face lit up, and Anthony found himself longing to be a part of the jest.

“Well, I never…” Lord Garrick stepped forward, his tall and lanky frame somewhat ungainly on the floor. “I do not believe your eyes are resting on the Marchioness of Follet, Your Grace. Therefore, they must be resting on her ward, Lady Susanna Curtis.”

Anthony snapped his gaze back toward Lord Garrick.

“Yes, indeed they are on this occasion. Lady Curtis and I are friends.” Anthony shrugged as though the matter were no great deal and sipped from his glass. He had to remind himself to address her as Lady Curtis and not Susanna as they were in public.

“Lady Curtis?” Lord Garrick’s lip lifted into a sneer. “You wish to associate yourself with such a lady?”

“What do you mean by that?” Anthony asked. His fingers had clenched so tightly around the glass that he could have sworn he felt it crack in his grasp.

“Shall I take that?” Joseph said with an upbeat tone beside him. “Another few seconds, and claret will be everywhere.” The glass was quickly taken from Anthony’s hold. “Lord Garrick, perhaps it is best we leave this conversation where it is.”

“No. No, Joseph, I wish to know what Lord Garrick meant by that.” Anthony would not let Lord Garrick leave just yet. “You implied an insult against the lady.”

“No insult meant, Your Grace, I assure you.” Lord Garrick’s smile had grown though as he held up his hands defensively and stepped back. “I merely mean that Lady Curtis has something of a reputation for being…”

“For being what?” Anthony felt his hands ball into fists at his side. He grew aware of Joseph moving to stand a little behind Lord Garrick’s shoulder, so he could signal silently to Anthony. He waved a hand in front of his face, urging Anthony to be quiet.

“For not being entirely proper.” Lord Garrick chuckled as if he had told some great jest. “I heard when you danced with her at a ball last week, she quite forgot the steps. Imagine that! A lady who does not know how to dance?”

Joseph pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly realizing that he was fighting a losing battle as Anthony stood taller, breathing deeply.

“I have seen many gentlemen forget the steps of a dance, and yet, it is not brought as an insult against them. The lady and I were simply consumed in our conversation. What is more, it would not matter to me had she forgotten every step in the dance.”

“I see I have touched a nerve, Your Grace.” Lord Garrick’s smile grew wider. Joseph tried to wave his hand at Anthony again, begging him to be silent, but Anthony could not hold back now.

How dare this man insult Susanna in such a way?

Deep down, Anthony knew it was not a surprise. He had thought as much himself before — that people would gossip about Susanna because she was not quite like other ladies of the ton, but now it infuriated him, more than he could put into words.

“I look at a lady’s heart and mind when I judge her, My Lord. Not her ability to dance or anything else equally unimportant.” Anthony had had enough of this conversation. “If you would excuse me.” He bowed to Lord Garrick in parting and stepped away.

He had barely gone three steps when he found Joseph hurrying at his side.

“Well done, Anthony.”

“What?”

“You do realize you have as good as announced to one of the greatest gossipers in the ton that you care for Lady Curtis.”

“So what if I have?” Anthony shrugged, hardly caring as he crossed the room with one purpose in mind.

I must be with Susanna.

“Do not tell me you think ill of the lady, just because she forgot a few dancing steps,” Anthony muttered, stopping his walk to turn back to his friend.

“On the contrary, I think no such thing at all,” Joseph assured him with a smile. “If she has secured your good opinion, then that is enough to prove she is a good lady to me. I merely am trying to protect you both from a scandal sheet.” Joseph warily glanced back in Lord Garrick’s direction, clearly nervous of what he might write. “That is all.”

“Then you are a good friend.” Anthony sighed and looked away from Lord Garrick. “I suppose I should not go to her now, should I? I should dance with some other lady or not dance at all, anything to stop adding credit to Lord Garrick’s suspicions.”

“The Anthony I knew two weeks ago would have done that.” Joseph smiled with the words. “Yet… I am intrigued to see what you do now.” Anthony matched that smile, seeing his friend had read him quite well. “Here, take another sip from the claret glass you nearly broke. You will need something to quench your thirst before you go for a dance.”

Anthony thanked his friend and took a gulp from the claret before passing his glass back to Joseph then crossing the room quickly. Striding with purpose, he moved to Susanna’s side.

The Marchioness of Follet and her friends all eagerly curtsied at his arrival.

“Please forgive the intrusion into the conversation,” Anthony said with ease, smiling at them all with politeness before turning his focus on Susanna. “I wished to see Lady Curtis. If you are not engaged for the next dance, My Lady, could I have the honor?” He presented his hand to her.

Around him, he was aware of two of the ladies whispering as if in great delight. Anthony ignored them, thinking only of Susanna. When she placed her hand in his, he felt that familiar shock of energy travel up his arm. As he drew her away, that feeling urged him to entwine their fingers together down at their sides, hiding the intimacy of that hand hold beside the skirt of her gown.

“You will make people whisper,” Susanna whispered to him with an anxiousness to her tone.

“Then let them whisper. I have come to enjoy myself tonight, and there is one certain way in which I know I will be happy.” He purposefully turned his eyes on her, showing exactly what he meant. When a blush grew up her cheeks, he felt that happiness swell inside him.

How can she have this effect on me?

He compared it to some sort of magic, this aura of lightness and happiness when he was near her.

The violins finished the last song and struck up another, playing a long introductory section in order to allow the dancers to swap places on the floor. Anthony led Susanna forward with her hand firmly in his own before he found a place in the middle of the floor and reluctantly released her.

They bowed and curtsied as the string music grew louder, and not once did they take their eyes off each other. Then the three-time beat grew plain, and Anthony stepped forward, offering his hands to Susanna. She moved into his arms, allowing him to take her hand and her waist.

“A waltz,” she whispered, her voice breathy. “It is a good job we practiced this, or I might have made another mistake.”

“In a waltz?” Anthony laughed softly. “There is only one step to remember.”

“Knowing me, I would find a way to make an error.” She mocked herself, her smile growing as he led her into the first of the figures.

For a minute, neither of them said anything. They just danced, moving around one another with ease, the lyrical strings accompanying their movements. Each time Anthony led Susanna one way, he found she followed without issue. At one time, they nearly collided with another pair, but he was able to tighten his hand a little upon her waist and draw her away, towards safety.

“You have a good knack for avoiding disasters,” Susanna observed after a minute. “I shall have to do my best not to fall over tonight.” She looked truly afraid of the possibility.

“Hold onto me; I will not let you fall.” Anthony found the words fell from his lips in a deeper tone than he had intended.

When a quiver passed through Susanna in his arms, he felt as if they could have been back dancing in his sitting room, completely alone, without anyone there to see them. It made him conscious of his hand on her waist, and her fingers that rested on his arm. They gripped him softly, and he wanted that touch to be firmer.

Anthony knew he could not resist temptation for long. There was something about being with Susanna that made the world freer, and he wanted to indulge in that feeling.

“I’ll be sad when this dance has to end,” he said with a sigh.

“As will I.” Her words were whispered as he drew her closer toward him a little more. They danced so near together, Anthony could feel the heat through her gloves and the connection of their palms.

“Then let us have something to look forward to.” He shifted his head, so that his eyes found hers. “Would you come to see me tomorrow?”

She didn’t answer straight away, but a smile grew on her lips.