He swiped the air in front of her with his hand.
“They are searching for the next young lady they might accost,” he said, warning her. “What is to say it is not you?”
Selina shook her head.
“I am sure that I would not be chosen, given my friendship with Lady Amelia,” she said, firmly. “Lord Telford would not consider it, given that surely, as he would expect, you would have spoken to me of his deceit and manipulation.”
Lord Barrington looked away before clearing his throat hard, shaking his head as he did so.
“I believe, Lady Selina, that he is a man capable of a great many things,” he replied, slowly. “You must be careful.”
Selina frowned, holding Lord Barrington’s gaze and wondering if there was more to his words than he was able to express at present. However, he said nothing more and she was only able to nod and thank him for his concern, although her worries and her questions still remained within her heart.
“Lady Selina, good evening.”
Selina’s stomach dropped to the floor but she forced herself into a curtsey as none other than Lord Telford bowed first to Lady Hayward and then to her.
“Good evening, Lord Telford,” she replied, doing all she could to keep her expression one of amiability. “I do hope that you are enjoying this evening?”
He smiled at her, tilting his head just a little.
“I would enjoy it all the more if you would be willing to allow me a dance, Lady Selina,” he said, gesturing to her dance card. “Or am I much too late?”
Selina hesitated, looking down at her dance card and wishing that she had the confidence to tell Lord Telford that she had no desire to dance with him and that, therefore, she would rather he did not.
“No?” Lord Telford asked, now looking rather delighted. “Then I do hope you will allow me to take whichever dance you have remaining.”
Swallowing hard, Selina forced a smile to her lips and then tugged her dance card from her wrist. She did not give it to him straight away however, aware of Lady Hayward’s presence beside her and using that encouragement to find a little strength for herself. “I believe that one dance would be suitable, Lord Telford,” she said, as firmly as she could, “for we would not wish to give people the wrong impression, and I am rather fatigued this evening.”
It was a poor excuse and, as the smile slid from Lord Telford’s face, she knew that he was aware of her true feelings. It was clear that she did not wish to be in his company for long. Hopefully, he would consider it a result of her first introduction to him, when he had made such eager advances towards Miss Newington and Lady Amelia.
“The country dance,” he said crisply, looking at her directly as a thin smile pulled at his lips, a darkness in his eyes that made Selina shudder inwardly. “One I hope you will enjoy, Lady Selina.”
Selina murmured something quiet and Lord Telford stepped away, but not without shooting her a hard glance and a dark scowl. Lady Hayward watched him with an equally hard gaze before she turned to Selina.
“I do not like the idea of you dancing with Lord Telford, Lady Selina,” she said, as Selina let out a long breath. “You could easily have refused him.”
A little ashamed of her lack of courage, Selina nodded.
“I am aware I could have done such a thing, Lady Hayward, but I lacked the strength of will. After all, it would be perceived as remarkably rude to refuse a gentleman, when I still have dances unclaimed.”
Lady Hayward nodded, a sympathetic look crossing her face.
“I shall not reprimand you, for you are right that others would see it as rude,” she said, softly. “But I am inclined to agree with Lord Barrington. You must be on your guard.”
Selina smiled tightly.
“I will,” she promised, knowing that Lady Hayward would be watching her also. “And let us hope that the dance will be of short duration!”
“Shall we, Lady Selina?”
Taking Lord Telford’s arm, Selina suppressed a shudder and stepped out with him onto the dance floor.
“I am inclined to believe that you do not wish to be here with me, Lady Selina,” Lord Telford said, his voice low and grating. “Is there some particular reason?”
Recalling the shame that had come with her lack of courage already, Selina forced herself to speak with as much honesty as she dared.
“Do you not recall the first time we were introduced, Lord Telford?” she asked, lifting her chin as she spoke to him, although she kept her gaze averted. “I am surprised that you would expect me to think well of you after such behavior.”
Lord Telford snorted with derision.
“I did nothing untoward, Lady Selina,” he said, a sneer pulling at his mouth. “Lady Amelia chose to come into the room without her brother or Lady Barrington – it cannot be that you would think me responsible for that?”
“I think you responsible for even approaching Lady Amelia when she was without proper chaperonage, regardless of whether she had chosen to be in that room alone or not,” Selina replied, her heart beating so loudly that she was certain Lord Telford could hear it. “I cannot think well of you, Lord Telford.”
She spoke more honestly than she had ever done before to Lord Telford – and she could tell from the way his jaw set that she had angered him. Her stomach twisted, her anxiety growing steadily and, as the dance began, Selina felt herself almost overcome with nervousness. Part of her feared that Lord Telford would do something so improper, and yet so overt that everyone present would know of it, whereas another part worried that he would not return her to Lady Hayward when the dance came to an end. Would there be punishment for her words of honesty to him? Would he think of something he might
