Without even opening it, she said, “Oh, I can’t accept something like that.”
“You don’t even know what it is yet.”
“It looks to be jewelry. It would be improper.”
“It’s not for you to keep, only for you to borrow.”
“Is it from the Duchess of Greystone?”
His mouth curled up into a teasing smile. “It can be if it’ll make it easier for you to open.”
Laughter almost erupted from her, because she could tell that he thought she was being silly. What did it matter who it came from? Only it did. Especially if it came from him, if it was his thoughtfulness. Her hand was trembling as she took the box, opened the lid, and stared at the beautiful string of pearls.
“I thought it possible that you might not have jewelry to wear tonight,” he said quietly.
“I can’t accept this,” she repeated.
“As I said, it’s only a loan. A lady shouldn’t attend a ball without her pearls, should she, Mrs. Potter?”
“I daresay she should not.” Her landlady stepped forward and smiled kindly. “It’s a special night, Miss Watkins. I can see no harm in it.”
Before she’d even agreed, James was taking the necklace from the box. His hands were bare, no doubt so his fingers could better control the clasp. His warm flesh brushed along her sensitive neck, causing heated desire to pool throughout her. She thought if she were a candle, she’d most assuredly melt into a molten pool of wax.
He withdrew his hands and said, “Just as I thought. They’re as perfect as you are.”
Sidestepping around him, she went to the mirror in the entryway. They
were
perfect, resting just above the hollow at her throat. She had this absurd need to weep. “I feel like a princess.”
“Perhaps you are.”
“I never pictured you as the fanciful sort, Mr. Swindler. I hardly know what to say for so precious a gift, even if it will only be mine for a few hours.”
Suddenly, without making a sound, he was standing behind her, locking his gaze with hers in the mirror. “Reserve a dance for me.”
“You may have them all.”
“That, sweetheart, would create a scandal.”
An emotion flickered over his face too quickly for her to accurately read it, but if she had to guess, it seemed something about his words bothered him, and she wondered if it was the endearment, if it had slipped out with his giving it no thought, and he wasn’t entirely comfortable with it.
“We should be off,” he said, as though he’d decided he needed to put distance between them.
“Enjoy yourself, Miss Watkins,” Mrs. Potter said. “And Mr. Swindler, tell your sister that next time she simply must come in as well.”
As he ushered her through the door, he said, “Thank you, Mrs. Potter, I will. As I said, she’s a bit shy.”
Once they were outside, she said, “I didn’t realize you had a sister.”
“I don’t. But neither did I want Mrs. Potter to think you were traveling in the carriage without a chaperone.”
“What will you tell people at the ball?”
“I don’t think anyone will ask. Frannie is taking you under her wing, and she’s married to one of the most powerful lords in Great Britain. You could walk in wearing not a stitch of clothing and they’d all compliment you on your gown.”
The laughter bubbling up from her throat served to calm her nerves. She was scared to death of making a fool of herself tonight. But it occurred to her that with James by her side, she could get through anything.
As the carriage rattled to a stop, a footman standing in the drive opened the door and assisted her out. James quickly followed, put his hand beneath her elbow and escorted her toward the grand residence. Carriages were dropping off other couples and they were strolling more quickly toward the open doors.
But she wanted to take her time, to absorb every facet of the night.
“It’s almost like a palace, isn’t it?” she whispered.
“A little too large for my tastes,” James said.
She peered up at him. “I quite agree, but still I don’t mind visiting.”
He led her through the double open doors into the entry hallway where the massive chandelier glittered. A footman took her pelisse and James’s hat, then directed them toward the parlor.
“But everyone else is going up the stairs,” she said quietly to James.
“It’s all right. We’re special.”
In the parlor, a dark-haired gentleman and lovely blond-haired lady stepped forward. “Ah, you must be Eleanor,” the lady said. “I’m Lady Catherine and this is my husband, Lord Claybourne.”
The gentleman pressed a kiss to the back of her gloved hand. “A pleasure.”
“James has told me about you,” she said to Lord Claybourne.
“Not too much I hope.”
She couldn’t imagine that this man had grown up on the streets. Nobility was evident in his bearing.
“I didn’t tell her anything to make her think less of you,” James said.
“Then the conversation about me must have been rather short,” Claybourne said with a grin.
“Frannie told us you were coming,” Lady Catherine said. “We didn’t think Jim would provide you with a chaperone so we shall serve in that role, if you’ve no objections. No sense in starting gossip straightaway.”
“I would be honored.”
“Let’s go, then, shall we?”
Nodding, she thought of the distant cousin with no real connections who’d brought Elisabeth to London. How different things might have been had a countess stood at her sister’s side.
“I daresay, you and Jim make a lovely couple,” the countess said quietly as she led the way up the sweeping stairs, with the gentlemen following.
Heat warmed her cheeks, and she could think of no adequate reply.
“I’m sorry if I’ve embarrassed you,” the countess said. “Jim is a dear friend. I’m most pleased to see him happy.”
“He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”
“Most of these scoundrels are.”
“Scoundrels?”
She laughed lightly. “It’s how I think of my husband and his friends. They’ve become respectable, but a small bit of being a scoundrel remains to them. Don’t let it alarm you. It can come in quite handy at times.”
Halfway up, they turned onto a landing that ended at the large ballroom. People were waiting in line to be introduced.
Her heart pounded as she looked over the elegant ladies and handsome gentlemen. They all seemed so confident, so comfortable—smiling, talking, and laughing. Anticipating the night.
“You’re as good as any of them,” James murmured near her ear.
Turning to smile up at him, she nodded. “I can’t imagine an entire Season of this.”
“I think it would grow tedious rather quickly.”
She shook her head. “No, I think each night would be wonderful.”
As they approached the door, Catherine spoke to a man there. He nodded. Then his voice boomed out, “Lord and Lady Claybourne, Miss Eleanor Watkins, Mr. James Swindler!”
She looked out over the grand ballroom and thought she’d never seen anything so magnificent in her life. Coming from a small village, she thought it was almost like stepping into a dream. Little wonder Elisabeth had fallen for Rockberry’s charms. As she glided down the steps, she was grateful to have a woman of experience beside her. At the bottom of the stairs, Catherine greeted their host and hostess.
“Frannie, Sterling, I hope you’re pleased with everything.”
“Dear sister,” the duke said, “I never had any doubts you would provide us with a night to remember. And this must be Miss Watkins. My wife enjoyed visiting with you this afternoon. It’s a pleasure to have you in our home.”
She curtsied. “It’s a pleasure to be here, Your Grace.” She turned to the duchess. “Your Grace, thank you so much for the loan of the gown.”
“You’re welcome to keep it. I have far too many. And who knows? After tonight you might have need of it again.”
“You’re most generous.”
“Enjoy yourself.”
“Oh, I will.”
Looking back, she met James’s gaze and saw in his green eyes that this night was hers, all hers. As Catherine escorted her away, she suddenly found herself being introduced to one gentleman after another.
Unlike Elisabeth, she would not be a wallflower. In spite of the marvels and excitement that surrounded her, she felt a moment of sadness that her sister had not experienced anything near this much attention. Then all her sorrow floated away as the first gentleman escorted her to the dance area.
Swindler had yet to dance with Eleanor. From the moment she’d walked down the stairs into the grand salon, she’d captured everyone’s imagination and attention. Not that he could blame them for being fascinated by her. The gown she wore accentuated every curve. He desperately desired the opportunity to put his hands on her waist, draw her near. He snatched a flute of champagne from one of the passing footmen and downed it in one swallow.
“Preparing to go into battle?”
Giving Claybourne a sharp glare, he gratefully accepted the tumbler of scotch he offered and tossed it back as easily as he had the champagne.
“Easy there, Jim, you look as though you’re on the verge of killing someone. You’d best slow down. You know the liquor only serves to make you angrier.”
Swindler had always admired Claybourne the most of all of Feagan’s lads. Perhaps because his origins had been the upper crust of society, he’d never appeared to really belong with Feagan’s motley gang of thieves. “I’m not angry.”
“You’re giving a good imitation.”
Claybourne was almost as tall as Swindler, but he had a slender, aristocratic build. He was also the only person, other than Frannie, who Swindler truly trusted. “I didn’t expect all the gents to be fawning over her.”
“Why not? She’s a beautiful woman.”
Truer words were never spoken.
“Your anger is preventing you from seeing the situation clearly,” Claybourne said somberly, handing Swindler his own tumbler of scotch.
Swindler hurled the liquid to the back of his throat, relishing the slow burn that spread through his chest. “I said I’m not angry.”
“Jealous, then.”
Bloody hell
. Swindler nodded. “Mayhaps.”
“She has no interest in any of the other gents.”
Swindler released a scornful scoff. “How can she not? She may be at the lower end of it, but this is her world. She’s danced with a duke, two marquesses, four earls, and so damned many second sons that I’ve lost count.”
“I didn’t think you knew that many in the nobility.”
“I was standing near when they were lining up like paupers hoping for a bowl of gruel. Worst of all, she danced with Dodger, no doubt the wealthiest man in all of London.”
“He’s also very happily married.”
“God, those are words I never thought I’d hear strung together when talking about him.”
He wanted another gulp of scotch, whiskey, rum, gin. It didn’t matter as long as it had the ability to burn away this powerful torment that had wrapped itself around him.
“And why hasn’t she danced with you?”
Swindler held his tongue. Claybourne elbowed him in the ribs. “Because you haven’t asked?”
“I wanted tonight to be special for her. Her sister had the opportunity to come to London and Eleanor didn’t. I wanted to give this to her.”
“She’s not enjoying dancing with the other men, you know. Have you not noticed the way her gaze never stays on them long? Or how it darts around the room as though she’s searching for someone? Her smile is so frozen that her jaws must be aching. Ask her for a dance.”
“Her dance card is probably filled.”
“Wouldn’t stop me if I wanted to dance with Catherine.”
Normally it wouldn’t have stopped Swindler either. What the devil was wrong with him?
he wondered. Guilt over his deception. He should tell her the truth, but even as he thought the words, he knew everything between them would change as soon as they were uttered. Her affection for him would turn to loathing. Her interest in him would wither away like a rose plucked from the vine and left too long without water.
The final strains of a violin echoed into silence. Eleanor didn’t even have to leave the dance floor as her next eager partner replaced the previous one. Swindler handed the tumbler back to Claybourne and, without another word, strode through the crowd to the area where the dancers were just beginning to step in time to the music. He patted Lord Milner on the shoulder. The man looked as startled as he did when he was playing cards at Dodger’s and was dealt a good hand. “Sorry, m’lord, but this one’s mine.”
If he’d been a larger man, Lord Milner might have challenged Swindler. Instead, he excused himself. Before the next beat of music sounded, Swindler had Eleanor in his arms and was sweeping her across the dance floor.
She’d waited the whole night for this moment. “What took you so long?”
He gave her a wry grin. “I wasn’t certain you’d want to give up a dance with a lord for a man who has little to offer except two clumsy feet.”
“You sell yourself short, James. You are quite the accomplished dancer.”
“As are you, Eleanor.”
They circled the dance floor as though no one else was upon it. It occurred to her that they were closer than was proper, but she didn’t care.
Earlier one of her partners had mentioned that she reminded him of a lady he’d danced with last Season. He couldn’t remember her name. Was it her? he’d asked. Sadness had swamped her because her sister had been in London and no one remembered her clearly. Just as she was certain no one would remember her tonight.
She was part of these people’s lives for only a fleeting moment in time. Tomorrow night there would be other dance partners for them, while she would hold close the precious memories. And the one that was being created now with James would be the most precious of all—or at least of all the ones from the ball.
They hardly spoke. It was as though no words were needed between them. They conversed with a look, a squeeze of a hand, the brush of a thigh.
When the dance ended, he removed her dance card from her wrist, slipped it into his pocket, and claimed the next dance as his own. She didn’t protest. It was what she wanted more than she wanted to breathe.
During their third dance he asked, “Will you save the last dance for me?”