Major Westhaven's Unwilling Ward

Then, carrying herself with all the grace she could muster, she stepped inside the ballroom.

‘Ah, Miss Pevensey, there you are!’ Kitty was on her at once, with a naughty wink, laying a hand on her arm. ‘I was just telling the Major you could not have gone far.’

Lily smiled. ‘I was just outside, Lady Stanton, taking some…air…’

She faltered as her eyes fell on the man who stood beside and slightly behind her friend. She should have been prepared—it was obvious, thinking about it now, who the man who so wished to meet her would be.

It was the mysterious stranger whose eyes had followed her so insistently all night.

Close up, his looks were just as striking, the contrast between his dark hair and lighter eyes only highlighting the fact. Ancient he was certainly not, but Kitty had been right—he must be at least a decade older than Lily’s own twenty-one years; his face bore the look of a man who had seen much, experienced life.

Taking all this in, she realised that his eyes—somewhere between blue and grey—were watching her with an odd expression in them once more, almost as if he knew her. And yet Lily was sure she had never beheld this almost indecently handsome man before tonight. Surely she would have remembered?

What she did remember, however, was the mocking salute with his glass, and his dismissive attitude to the merrymaking about him.

She forced herself to smile, though he was still staring.

‘Liliana, may I introduce you to Major Daniel Westhaven?’ There was a girlish excitement in Kitty’s eyes that amused Lily, even as she smiled politely. ‘Major, my good friend, Liliana Pevensey.’

‘Major.’ Lily held out her hand. He took it in strong, warm fingers and bowed over it, eyes still on her face.

All at once her hand was suffused with an odd, tingling warmth that spread up her arm and deep into her belly. There again was that curling attraction, reaching across the space between them, making her feel most peculiar inside. Exasperated with herself for her reaction—let alone the knowledge that she was flushing an alluring shade of pink—Lily hastily withdrew her hand, chastising herself inwardly. Just because he was the best-looking man she had seen in a long time did not mean she should behave like she was still in petticoats! Looks, as she had seen earlier this evening, could cover all manner of other vices, and she hated rudeness and snobbery above all things.

Where had he sprung from, all of a sudden, to torment her so?

‘The Major is back with us after the war in America,’ Kitty informed her, as if sensing the unspoken question.

Lily’s eyes widened even as she captured and buried, through long practice, the stab of painful misery the very mention of those words awoke in her. She half-frowned at her friend, wishing Kitty had thought to warn her, even as she nodded carefully, composing herself invisibly, talking herself back into the persona of the carefree, effervescent lady she must be tonight.

She smiled up at the man before her. ‘The fighting was finished a year ago, my lord,’ she said lightly. She looked at him through her lashes, ever so slightly flirtatious, the way she had practised endless times in front of the mirror, thinking of Kitty and quashing her pride. ‘Where have you been hiding yourself?’

‘I have a house in the country,’ he said, voice deep and rich, yet measured somehow, as if he was careful with his words. ‘I have found little occasion to come to town these few years.’

‘Yet now you join us.’ She allowed the corners of her mouth to tilt up alluringly, while her eyes told him how she really felt. ‘We are fortunate, my lord.’

She knew he had not missed the sarcasm under her cool exterior. Something crossed his face that looked very much like displeasure, but was hidden again so fast that Lily could not be sure.

‘Oakridge is very beautiful, so I hear,’ said Kitty helpfully. ‘My mother has never forgotten the balls your parents used to give, my lord.’

‘Yes,’ he said shortly. ‘Well, it has been some time since I had visitors.’

‘We could redress that for you,’ Kitty told him, touching his arm conspiratorially. ‘You should have a ball—would that not be delightful, Miss Pevensey?’

Lily, swiftly stifling a grin at her friend’s daring, nodded. ‘It would indeed be most enjoyable, my lord.’

He smiled tightly. ‘I would be honoured to have so beautiful a guest in my home, Miss Pevensey.’

Lily gave him her usual sparkling smile. And yet, there was something not quite right. It was exactly the sort of thing she had expected him to say, in truth, yet she could not escape the feeling that he had said it precisely for this reason. There was, she realised, looking up into his closed expression, nothing sincere in his manner at all.

She was distracted by Kitty laying a hand on her arm.

‘I must go and find my husband—I fear he has escaped home while my back has been turned—do excuse me, Miss Pevensey, my lord!’

With this she headed hastily into the throng, leaving them alone.

Lily, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at such an obvious exeunt, turned back to Major Westhaven and—just for a moment—there fell an awkward silence the like of which was unfamiliar for her in such a situation. She refreshed her smile.

‘Tell me, my lord, have you recently become acquainted with Lady Stanton, or are you old friends from when last you were in society? She said her mother knew your parents?’

‘Indeed. And her husband is a member of my club.’ His tone was dismissive, his manner somewhat changed now, darker, more subdued. ‘Miss Pevensey, I wonder if I could call upon you tomorrow?’

‘Oh!’ Surprised, Lily blinked. ‘I thought you wished us to visit you, my lord?’

‘In time,’ he said shortly. ‘But I have something I need to discuss with you. Would that be acceptable?’

Taken by surprise, she was unable to think quickly enough to fabricate a reason why she would not be at home, so she could only nod dumbly. ‘Why, of course…Well…shall we say mid-day, then?’

He nodded, expressionless.

‘I…shall look forward to it.’ Lily could not entirely mask her bewilderment. What could he possibly have to say to her? For such a handsome man, he was disconcertingly lacking in social graces. Perhaps all he needed was to relax a little. If she was to entertain him tomorrow she supposed she should give him another chance.

‘I must confess to noticing you earlier tonight, my lord,’ she told him, wondering if she could broach the subject of his blatant staring.

‘Indeed?’

She nodded. ‘You did not look as if you were enjoying yourself.’

He threw her a measured look. ‘How could I not, in such company?’

His ironic tone caused her teeth to grit instinctively. Carefully rearranging her features into one of polite disinterest, she smiled coolly. ‘You do not care for Lord Langley’s brandy? I am told it is of the finest quality.’

For an instant confusion clouded his face, then he followed her gaze to his glass, still half-full. He raised an eyebrow. ‘I see you have taken careful note, Miss Pevensey.’

‘As you appeared to be doing with me, my lord,’ she replied sweetly.

‘You are not used to gentlemen watching you?’ It was said low, almost a growl, and it reached Lily deep in her stomach. Startled by the sudden hot lurch within, she raised her eyes to his. What she saw in their stormy depths was uncharted, dangerous—and suddenly she knew that this cool exterior, this frosty disdain, was not the real man at all. He was capable of much more than this…much more passion, hinted at in the curve of that generous mouth. The mouth that was, in truth, not so far from hers…

Lily dragged her gaze away from his lips, unaware that her own were parted sensuously. Everything seemed very far away suddenly, everything but him—he stood close enough to touch, looking at her so differently all of a sudden.

What was happening to her?

Lily stepped back slightly. ‘People usually seek an introduction if they wish to speak to someone,’ was all she could think of to say, lashes covering her confusion.

‘As did I.’

‘You did.’ She looked away for a moment, gathering her wits about her. ‘Eventually. I suppose manners recovered are better than manners lost for good.’

There was a short, surprised pause. Then he drew himself up. ‘Miss Pevensey, I am not sure—’