“I don’t think—”
“Oh, Your Grace!” Monsieur Fermin’s voice pitched higher with excitement. “That would please me so much.” He looked at the three women. “And the ladies would benefit from dancing with a gentleman. If you please, Lady Bridget.”
“Oh no.” Bridget waved her hand as she plopped down in a chair next to Julianna. “I just finished dancing. My feet need a wee bit of a rest.”
Monsieur Fermin grimaced when his gaze landed on Julianna. “Miss Henney,” he said as his eyes trained on Elise. “If you please.”
Her heart jumped to her throat. “I couldn’t possibly—” Her protests died as Reed stepped in front of her and offered his hand.
“Miss Henney, may I have this dance?”
His voice was like thick, smooth honey. She stared at his hand until Julianna elbowed her, jolting her enough to make her shoot to her feet. “Leave room for Jesus,” Julianna teased.
Elise had no choice but to take his hand. This time only she wore gloves, and his touch sent a shock of electricity across her skin. There was a flash of surprise in his eyes, but that stony mask returned so fast she thought she’d imagined it.
“The waltz, Your Grace?” Fermin asked.
Reed nodded as he placed a hand on her waist. As the pianist started a slow waltz, he began to lead her into the dance. Elise realized that with the exception of last night, this was the closest they’d ever been. At this distance, she allowed herself to breathe in his scent—and her senses were filled with something earthy and delicious, like the scent of fresh rain and strangely enough—sunscreen. It reminded her a lot of lazy summer days at the beach.
The other thing she realized was that Monsieur Fermin wasn’t lying. Reed was an excellent dancer. When she danced with Fermin earlier, the instructor was precise, but at the same time, light on his feet and almost feminine.
Reed was the opposite. His presence was commanding, but he led her around the room with a sensuous and unmistakable masculinity that made her knees weak. Though her lashes were lowered, she could feel his hawk-like gaze on her, and she cursed herself silently when she felt the heat creep up her cheeks.
His hand tightened its grip on her waist as he pulled her to him. Her wolf reveled in the closeness—which was, by today’s standards, nearly scandalous. She realized he had somehow drawn them to the farther end of the ballroom.
“Nothing to say today, she-wolf?”
Her head snapped up to meet his gaze. Oh God, why did she go off on him last night? But she couldn’t help herself. He was just so infuriating. “We are in a room full of people, Your Grace,” she said. “I wouldn’t dare say anything.”
“Maybe you can show me your claws again when we’re alone.”
The way he said those words made heat curl up in her stomach. When we’re alone, he said. Not if.
“Maybe I won’t make that same mistake again.” She suddenly stopped, bringing their waltz to a halt. “Your Grace,” she added.
“Is everything all right?” Monsieur Fermin called as he motioned for Devereux to stop playing.
“It’s all fine,” Reed said. “I just found the waltz too … boring.”
She fumed silently. Boring?
“Lady Bridget is an excellent dancer,” Fermin offered. “Perhaps you can dance the Quadrille with her?”
“Of course.” Reed turned away from Elise and toward Bridget. “May I have this honor, cousin?”
As Bridget took her place, Elise silently padded back to her chair next to Julianna. She avoided the other woman’s gaze and kept her eyes down to her lap. When she tried to look up and saw Reed and Bridget dancing, a strange tightness in her chest began to form and her wolf growled softly. Shut up, she told her animal. Bridget and Reed were cousins. There was no need to feel … weird just because he was touching her. And yet that feeling wouldn’t go away.
Finally, after what seemed like hours—though it had only been a three-minute dance—Eleanor declared it was late, and they should all prepare for dinner. Elise was glad to be out of there—almost as glad as Julianna it seemed as the younger woman practically fled out of the dance room.
Elise was glad that Melinda was waiting in her room. The maid explained that they had traveled behind the earl’s coach and she had spent the afternoon making sure her room was ready. Melinda helped her bathe and get dressed in a simple cream evening gown, cut in an empire style that was fashionable in these days.
Dinner wasn’t as bad as yesterday. Since Reed and his grandmother were technically hosts, they sat on either end and Elise was in the middle, next to Signore Rossi. The charming Italian man had seemed to take a liking to Julianna, who kept extolling her beauty and virtues, much to the duchess’s horror.
When dinner was over, all the men went to the library to partake in some drinks and cigars, while the women went to the parlor for coffee and some sweets. When the dowager duchess decided to retire, that meant the ladies could as well.
“I’ll come to your room later tonight,” Julianna whispered as they walked up the stairs while Bridget was behind them. “So we can start the search.”
She nodded and then bid her and Bridget good night as she went to her own room. Melinda was already there, and the maid helped her undress, get freshened up, and change into her bedclothes. As soon as Melinda closed the door, she threw the covers aside and sat up.
Without a clock, she couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but it seemed to crawl by. She nearly jumped out of her skin when the soft knock came at the door.
“It’s me,” came Julianna’s soft whisper.
Elise released the breath she was holding and opened the door. Julianna put a finger to her lips and then gestured for Elise to follow her. They walked down the long corridor, then down the stairs to the main
