Scandalous Summer Nights by Sue London & Kate McKinley & Grace Callaway & Jennifer Haymore & Sabrina Darby & Vivienne Westlake & Sandy Raven

Author:Sue London & Kate McKinley & Grace Callaway & Jennifer Haymore & Sabrina Darby & Vivienne Westlake & Sandy Raven [London, Sue]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jennifer Haymore
Published: 2014-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“In fact, if you listen carefully enough, everyone is telling you what they want all the time.” ~ Lord Lucifer

Elisa fanned herself, having decided to sit out the next dance. Fortunately, after all this time her suitors were well-trained to her moods and knew to avoid her when she plied her fan. Little did they know, she actually was deuced hot after the last country dance.

To her surprise, Lady Spencer appeared at her elbow. “Miss Javis, if I could make an introduction? Miss Jarvis, this is Mr. Howards. Mr. Howards, it is my pleasure to present Miss Jarvis to you.”

The statuesque blond widow was usually a study of languid grace, but had rushed the introduction as though she had been concerned that Elisa would find some way to refuse it. The gentleman, Mr. Howards, bowed briefly in greeting.

Elisa recognized him and chuckled. “I thought you knew how to not wear out your welcome, Mr. Howards.”

The gentleman actually blushed a bit at her gentle rebuke and his eyes didn’t quite meet hers, focusing somewhere on her forehead instead. “The honor of a dance, Miss Jarvis?”

It was generally considered good form to accept an invitation to dance. But if she accepted him in this instance, then her admirers might believe that her rules had changed. Standing so close to him she could see that he was of a height with Casimir, with a similar set to his shoulders. Perhaps she could imagine that she was dancing with her sophisticated continental beau rather than the typical British gentleman before her. The dancers were assembling on the floor for a waltz and Elisa decided quickly.

“I would be delighted, Mr. Howards.”

She could have sworn she heard Lady Spencer give a sigh of relief as she accepted Mr. Howard’s arm to the dance floor. They proceeded as a thousand other dances in her life had proceeded. Mr. Howards was a perfect gentleman and held her at precisely the appropriate distance, with such a light touch of his gloved hand on hers that they might as well not have been touching at all. The hand at her waist was similarly light as gossamer. She couldn’t help but to compare his touch with Casimir’s and find him wanting.

As he didn’t seem inclined to chat, she began the conversation. “How do you occupy your time, Mr. Howards?”

“Oh, er… Reading,” he told that spot on her forehead that he had apparently grown quite fond of.

“Really? Anything that I might have read?”

His eyes flicked down to meet hers briefly. “I recently finished Waverly.”

“I’ve recently begun reading it, so you can’t ruin it for me,” she teased.

That garnered a shy smile from him. “I shall endeavor not to do so.”

When he smiled he looked almost a bit charming. But that just made her wish for Casimir all the more. Surely, if Casimir had gone to a masque ball he would go to other balls as well? Or could he only go to the ones he could sneak in to?

She realized that she had been woolgathering.

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