Harlequin Historical October 2019--Box Set 2 of 2 by Julia Justiss

Author:Julia Justiss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

As he watched Rowenna dancing, Robbie’s anger was replaced with grudging admiration. Rowenna was an excellent dancer, light on her feet and in perfect time with the rhythm. She was clearly enjoying herself immensely and was lost within the music and steps. Robbie smiled, despite his instinct to disapprove, envious that Rowenna could behave with a sense of abandon that he could never permit himself to indulge.

Every move of her hand was flamboyant. Every graceful twirl of her skirt sent the fabric rippling. Her lips were parted in a wide smile and her dark eyes gleamed. She and Cecil were performing the same steps as Mary and Lord Dunhelm, but even from this distance Robbie could see the suppressed energy in Rowenna that seemed almost certain to burst out at any moment. Robbie’s feet began to tap along with the rhythm and he suppressed a treacherous and completely unexpected thought—that dancing with Rowenna looked much more fun than dancing with Mary.

If only it had not been Cecil, with his charismatic manner, she had been bestowing her attention on. He drummed his fingers on the table and tried to convince himself that Rowenna would display the same pleasure in the dance, no matter who her partner was. It grew on him with rising outrage that he was not the only man in the room whose attention she had caught and that around the outside of the room other men besides him were watching her with interest. He had recognised since meeting her again that she had grown into a very beautiful woman and the effect had not been lost on him. Now he witnessed that the effect was equally alluring to other men and he wasn’t sure whether he liked that realisation.

The lines of dancers threaded through each other, bringing Rowenna and Cecil closer to Robbie. Rowenna caught Robbie’s eye as she crossed behind Cecil, skirts lifted gracefully to one side. Her step faltered for the first time and she paused. Her eyes widened as they fixed on Robbie until Cecil gently tugged her arm and she disappeared back into the dance with a laugh and not as much as a backward glance in Robbie’s direction. His stomach knotted and he sat poised on the edge of his stool, determined to be the first to reach her and ask her to accompany him in the next dance. He would advise her to behave with more caution.

* * *

When the music came to an end Rowenna was at the other end of the room, and before Robbie had reached her another young man was intent on claiming her attention, bowing and holding out a cup of wine, which she took with enthusiasm. Writhing in frustration, Robbie turned away and noticed Mary was curtsying farewell to Lord Dunhelm. Robbie caught himself guiltily, remembering that he had intended to ask Mary to dance. He had completely forgotten to watch her since noticing Rowenna.

He could do nothing to prevent Rowenna disgracing herself without pulling her away and causing more of a scene, so he made his way swiftly to Mary.

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