Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Next Evening, The Harrisons' Ballroom

" M eredith, there you are," came Gemma's bright voice from several paces away.

Meredith turned to see the debutante and her older brother headed her way through the crowded ballroom. Oh, God. Was she blushing? She never blushed.

The pair came to a stop in front of her.

"It's good to see you, Gemma, Southbury." Meredith kept her gaze trained on Gemma. She could not look at Griffin. Could not .

"Good evening, Meredith," Griffin said as he bowed over her hand, the picture of propriety as usual.

Meredith glanced away when he straightened. Oh, God. She couldn't look Griffin in the eye. He obviously didn't have the same problem. Why didn't he have the same problem ? How could he act as if he hadn't been at the Onyx Club last night? As if she hadn't been crying into his ear with pleasure?

Meredith cleared her throat and shook her head. She needed to say something. She was acting strangely. Being far too quiet. "Are you enjoying the party?" she said, more to Gemma than Griffin.

"I was ," Gemma replied, a frown on her face.

"Oh, dear, what happened?" Meredith asked, still steadfastly diverting her eyes from Griffin. She tugged at the bodice of her gown. Why was it so hot in here tonight?

"Lady Mary Costner is at it again." Gemma sighed.

Meredith played with her necklace next. Anything to distract herself from thoughts of being in bed with Griffin last night.

"What did Lady Mary do this time?" Meredith was desperately trying to feign interest in Gemma's words, but all she could think about were Griffin's hands on her body last night, making her explode into a thousand pieces, making her moan and?—

"She is positively horrid," Gemma continued. Her hands had turned into fists on her hips and a mulish expression covered the younger woman's face. "You should hear the things she said to poor Cecily tonight."

"Who?" Meredith asked. Was she perspiring ? Honestly. She dabbed at her forehead.

"Cecily Grundy?" Gemma answered.

Ah, yes, Cecily. Excellent. Something to concentrate on other than Griffin's hands and mouth and— Meredith cleared her throat. She moved her gaze over to the larger-than-usual group of wallflowers. Cecily Grundy was a plump girl with an unfortunately abrasive and overbearing family. But she had always been a sweet soul with blazing orange hair, cornflower-blue eyes, and a bright smile on her face. Cecily waved at Meredith, who waved back before turning again to Gemma. "What did Mary say?"

"I hate to repeat it," Gemma said, shuddering. "But mostly she made light of the fact that Cecily hasn't been asked to dance since the Season began. Poor Cecily was nearly in tears."

"Oh, dear. That does sound awful," Meredith agreed, wincing.

"Why does Lady Mary even care?" Gemma continued. "She's already made it quite clear that she has set her sights on the Duke of Grovemont. He's the most eligible man in the room. Besides Griffin, that is," Gemma finished with a smile aimed at her brother.

Griffin arched a brow in response. "Don't drag me into this. I have no intention of offering for Lady Mary."

"I'm certainly glad to hear that ," Gemma replied, still smiling.

"Excuse me for a moment, won't you?" Griffin asked.

"Go, go," Gemma said, waving him away.

Meredith let out her pent-up breath. She'd been only too happy to excuse him. She shook her head again and tried to recenter her thoughts on what Gemma had been saying. Meredith frowned. Wait. "Is it true? Cecily hasn't been asked to dance all Season?"

"Yes," Gemma replied solemnly, nodding. "I'm afraid so. I've asked half a score of gentlemen to ask her to dance, but not one of them said yes."

"Oh, dear," Meredith replied.

Gemma crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "There are times when the snobbery of the ton makes me want to scream. It's positively unfair how a lady must be possessed of beauty, money, and a good family if she is to have any hope of finding a decent match."

"I agree with you," Meredith replied as she contemplated the situation. Cecily was the youngest daughter of a bankrupted baron. She wore clothes that weren't particularly fashionable. She giggled far too much when she was nervous, and she had an unfortunate tendency to tell rambling stories. But every young lady deserved to be asked to dance. At least once. Meredith tapped a finger to her lips. "We must see to it that she is asked to dance and by someone who?—"

"Wait a moment!" came Gemma's surprised voice.

Meredith glanced up and followed Gemma's gaze to the dancefloor, where, to her delighted surprise, she spotted Cecily twirling about in the arms of none other than…Griffin. Cecily was staring up at him as if he were Adonis descended from the heavens. Griffin was looking down at the girl as if she were the only woman in the room.

Meredith's heart clenched. Griffin was the kindest soul she'd ever known. Oh, why hadn't she thought to ask him to begin with? She could only blame it on how befuddled she'd been in his company tonight. Of course he was dancing with Cecily. Of course he was.

Meredith watched with a bright smile on her face and a sheen of tears in her eyes as the waltz ended and Griffin escorted Cecily back to her mother and sisters' sides. He made small talk with the family and gave Cecily a deep, formal bow over her gloved hand before leaving them and returning to where Meredith stood.

"Are you quite all right, Mere?" he asked when he was again by her side. Gemma had flown off somewhere, no doubt to help the next wallflower in need.

"Yes," Meredith breathed. She wanted to give him a big hug. She would have given him a big hug if it was at all suitable to hug a man in a ballroom. "That was one of the loveliest things I've ever seen you do. And I've seen you do many lovely things."

"It was my pleasure," Griffin replied with a wink. "She's a sweet girl."

Oh, no. No more blushing. Meredith pressed her palms to her cheeks and the two of them watched as a small line of gentlemen formed next to Cecily's mother, clearly vying for the opportunity to ask the girl to dance.

As the next gentleman took Cecily out on the floor, she caught Meredith's gaze, and a huge smile lit up her face. "Thank you," she mouthed. Meredith realized that Cecily believed she had been responsible for sending Griffin over. She nodded and smiled in response. She'd tell her the truth later, but for now, Cecily should just enjoy all the dancing.

"Our Society is so predictable," Meredith said with a lighthearted sigh, giving Griffin a sly smile. "A handsome, eligible duke asks a girl to dance and suddenly she's the most sought-after girl in the room."

"You think I'm handsome?" Griffin replied, batting his eyelashes.

Meredith's mouth went dry. The memory of him kissing her neck last night nearly made her knees go weak. What exactly was his plan? Did he truly intend to act as if they hadn't done what they did last night? On the other hand, they had both been wearing masks and neither had admitted they'd known the other. Perhaps it was best if they kept up the ruse.

"You know you're handsome, Griff," she finally replied. "Your future bride is going to be quite fortunate indeed." She cleared her throat. Yes. Good. In addition to pretending as if she had no idea it was him last night, she should continue to keep his future wife in mind each time she thought about kissing him again. "And speaking of your future bride, aside from Cecily, I haven't seen you dance with anyone else tonight." There. Best to change the subject. It might just serve to help her stop thinking of last night every time she glanced at him.

"Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it didn't happen," Griffin replied with that sly smile of his .

Meredith crossed her arms over her chest and arched a brow at him. "So, you've danced with her?"

"No. But I believe you are attempting to keep the subject off yourself, Your Grace ."

"Me?" She gave him a beatific smile. "Whatever do you mean?"

Griffin lowered his voice. "I mean you went to the Onyx Club last night, did you not? I've been waiting all evening to hear how it went."