Her Beastly Duke (Damsel in Distress #5)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Berkeley Square, London

Three weeks later

L ord and Lady Phillips were having their annual ball, which was well attended. Lady Phillips moved with grace and confidence, an easy smile on her face. A tasteful collar of diamonds set in gold glittered at her throat, with a matching bracelet encircling her gloved risk. She dressed with the extravagance of a seasoned lady of privilege. The ball was filled with young, unmarried, demure ladies, hoping they would catch the eye of an eligible bachelor. They were no different from Briar except for the wealth that befits their station.

The ball was like all the others Briar had attended over the past two weeks. The novelty had worn off, and she was bored with it all. She constantly felt she was putting herself on display at an auction in hopes of snagging the highest bid. Lord Carter, an earl, had danced with her at each ball, called upon her at the townhouse and took her for a stroll in Hyde Park. He seemed interested in courting her, but she hoped someone else would come along because the earl was so dull. He wanted a meek and powerless wife who would be a caretaker to her family. She could not imagine fencing with him, for he would not allow it. Would he jump into the river to save her? She did not know him well enough to feel confident he would.

Since she arrived in London, she had not seen the man who made her heart race with excitement. A business matter had delayed Julius, but Emmeline told her he had arrived in town a week ago. Briar wondered if Julius was getting cold feet; if he had come to see her, she would have asked him. When she was at Berkley Estate, he said he would call upon her, but she should not read too much into it. Perhaps he was being polite.

A hush fell over the crowd before the next announcement.

“His Grace, the Duke of Berkley.”

Briar quickly glanced up, and then she saw him. He was truly here. Julius stood tall, impeccably dressed, and he radiated confidence. Briar gave a small gasp as the ballroom erupted in whispers. Julius was not wearing his mask, and the chatter moved through the spectators as they stared and judged. The crowd parted as Julius moved further into the room, and Lady Phillips went to greet him. Briar released the breath she had been holding. Julius flashed Lady Phillips a smile and one could never tell that he had been missing from the social circles. He seemed relaxed and affable.

Whispers floated toward her, and the gossips did not care if they were overheard.

“Well, I never! Isn’t that the beastly duke?”

“Indeed. He has not graced the ballroom for years.”

“Not since he received that disfiguring scar.”

The lady unfurled her fan and pretended to whisper behind it. “He returned from France with his tail between his legs and was never seen without his mask. No one wanted to see his ugly face.”

“I wonder why he has graced us with his presence and without his mask at that.”

“I would love to know. Perhaps he got tired of his solitary life.”

“Or he is looking for a wife.”

The lady scoffed and paused before she asked. “Do you think so?”

“I do. He is a duke, after all, so he must think of the dukedom, but the question is, who will have him?”

“I would not! Just look at his face.”

“Hideous.”

Julius towered over Lady Phillips and most men there. It was easy for him to search through the crowd, and finally, he spotted Briar. It was as if her gaze drew him, and she was happy that he searched for her. Briar dearly hoped that she would manage to keep her expression neutral as there were enough murmurs going around. She did not doubt that he felt the attraction between them. His gaze held hers for a moment too long, and the smile faded from her lips. An awareness of him pulled at her even across the great distance between them. Briar glanced away and quickly scanned the crowd, but her eyes drifted back to him.

Briar tore her gaze away to see Lord Fenton, Emmeline, and Mama approaching her. Julius arrived shortly thereafter, and introductions were made. Emmeline greeted Briar with a peck on the cheek. Julius wasted no time with pleasantries.

“May I have this dance, Miss Walcot?”

“Certainly, Your Grace.”

Julius held out his hand, and Briar took it as they moved to the dance floor. There were several couples around them, and the orchestra started to play a quadrille. It was the perfect dance that would allow Julius to complete some of the moves with other ladies. Constantly changing partners lessened the need for intimacy and lengthy conversation, but at least he would dance with other partners, albeit briefly. Unlike the waltz, couples were not close and barely touched. Julius was graceful in his movements, and then he moved along. Briar’s next partner was Lord Carter, who was no match for Julius. The earl’s movements were practiced and lacked natural grace. He kept stealing glances at her, which reminded her that she needed to flirt. Like all the other young ladies seeking a husband, she had a purpose here. She lifted the corners of her mouth in a smile, and the earl responded in kind.

Briar was guided by the melody, and as the sound reached her through the skilled orchestra, she found that she was quite enjoying the dance. Partners moved along, and Julius was in front of her again. He cast a sideway glance at the earl. The couples moved across the dance floor, never losing their rhythm.

“You look exquisite this evening, Miss Walcot.”

“Thank you, Your Grace. I see you are not wearing your mask.”

“I met a certain young lady, and she said I did not need it. I was skeptical at first, but later, I realized she was right. This is who I am.”

Warmth radiated through Briar. “I am pleased that you feel confident without it. A smart young lady, wouldn’t you say?”

Julius chuckled. “And cocky?”

“I much prefer self-assured, Your Grace.”

She whirled one last time to the fading notes of the song, smiling at Julius. The dance came to an end, although Briar did not want it to, and the couples left the dance floor. Julius escorted her to her mother and just as quickly claimed the hand of Lady Fenton, who whisked him off into the crowd.

“Well, well. You were the first lady that the duke asked to dance, my dear.”

“I would not make too much of it, Mama. I am one of the few ladies the duke knows, and he did not need to fear that I would refuse to dance with him.”

“I suppose you are right, but you did not see the way that he was looking at you.”

“How was he looking?”

“Like he thoroughly enjoyed dancing with you and has taken a fancy.”

“I am sure you imagined it, Mama.”

If only that were true, but Briar knew that it wasn’t. He was attracted to her, but there did not seem to be anything more than physical attraction—lust. Julius did not travel all the way to London to show her attention. He had the opportunity to do that when she was at Berkley Estate and he did not seize it. The orchestra started up and signaled the next dance. Julius walked onto the floor with an attractive, curvy brunette, and they began to twirl and swirl.

“You see what I mean, Mama. The duke is not singling me out. He will surely dance with several ladies before the evening is out.”

As the evening wore on, Briar tried not to think about him. She was asked to dance a few times and it appeared that Julius was never without a partner. She wondered if these entitled ladies genuinely wanted to be with him or if his fortune and title swayed any. His return to the fold was a resounding success, judging by all the attention he received. She could not begrudge him the experience because she knew how much it meant to him. How unlucky that the man she found most appealing was the one who would not commit to her. None of the other gentlemen had managed to arouse her interest in the way Julius had.

Julius could not be more pleased with the turn of events. He stood in the shadow on the first-floor landing, observing the crowd below. It had all gone much better than expected. He heard the hushed tones but chose to ignore them; it did not stop the ladies from enjoying his company. As he peered at the laughing crowd, filled with excitement and merriment, he could not help but seek out the woman who made it possible. The pale blue gown clung to her delightful curves. When Julius first saw her this evening, he felt a sudden hot longing for her as awareness flooded his entire body. He wanted to strip her of the beautiful gown, run his hand over every inch of her and taste her all over. He imagined she would respond to his touch with the same heated passion that threatened to consume him. She would be hot and ready for him.

He noticed that several gentlemen had admired her throughout the course of the evening. Lord Carter was standing with Briar right now, stealing glances before they moved to twirl and swirl across the dance floor. Julius may not have been in London since the start of the season, but he knew what was going on. Emmeline let it slip that Lord Carter seemed smitten with Briar. Emmeline had given him a pointed look when she departed with this bit of information. A look that said he should do something about it.

Bloody hell!

The melody flowed, and it was a waltz, a truly romantic dance. He had to suffer Lord Carter’s arms on Briar’s back as they made the soft, round, flowing movements across the floor. He felt a stab of jealousy because they looked damned good together. The earl leaned close to Briar’s ear and whispered something that made her laugh. The notes reached him even more than the orchestra, and at that moment, he knew he wanted her laughter for himself. The strong emotional reaction surprised him, and he clenched his fists at his side. He had had the privilege of spending quality time with her and he felt that he understood her and she, him. No matter how much he tried to stay away from her, he was invariably drawn to her. Her pull was powerful.

While he had danced with other beautiful ladies, they were nothing like her. The conversation and dance seemed perfunctory. He did not feel the same spark; he did not desire them, and he was not even tempted to see any of them again. A few of the ladies had given him warm smiles and batted their eyelids, and it reminded him of how unpretentious Briar was. She did not seek to beguile him nor, from what he could see, any of the other gentlemen. She was not afraid to say what she desired, so there was no need for her to be coquettish.

His gaze followed their every move. Briar smiled up at the earl, but the smile did not touch her eyes. Julius smirked in satisfaction. The earl would probably mistake Briar’s politeness for enthusiasm.

He must dance with her again—tonight. The buzz would be inevitable, but he wanted every man in this room to know that he fancied her. Her waltz with the earl would not be the only story to make the rounds tomorrow. It would be more significant if he danced with her twice, and it would be his way of telling her that there would be more to come. Briar and the earl danced for several minutes, and when it ended, the earl escorted her to her mother, who watched them with evident approval. An earl would be considered a good match.

Julius moved from the shadows and descended the stairs. A hush fell over the throng as he approached Briar. He stood in front of her; the air was heavy between them. Julius swallowed.

“Will you dance with me?”

She did not hesitate. “Yes.”

He held out his hand silently, and she placed hers in his, allowing him to escort her to the dance floor. The orchestra started another waltz, and other couples joined them on the floor. Julius could feel the gaze of the haut ton boring into them, but he would forget about them. Briar lifted her chin and met his gaze; he did not care about anything else. Her hand rested on his shoulder, and heat traveled through him. They were inches apart, and he was holding her, gliding and twirling to the sensual notes of the music. It felt right. They swayed and swirled in unison with the tempo. Julius’s heart was pounding with passion.

Briar broke the spell. “You seem to be enjoying the ball, Julius.”

“A bit more than I expected, and it is thanks to you.” She deserved some credit, and he wanted her to know he appreciated her.

“I am happy you were pleased with my efforts.”

She licked her lips, and his gaze was fixed on their lush fullness. A blush crept up her cheeks. He wanted so badly to taste those lips. He lifted his gaze to hers, and recognition flashed in their depths. She knew that he desired her, and a stab of lust shot through him. He sensed a turmoil before the storm.

“I wish the sea of strangers did not surround us with their curious eyes.” Oh, how he wished they would all disappear.

“Why do you want to be alone with me?” She feigned innocence.

“So that I can be wicked.”

Julius heard the sharp intake of her breath, and her lips trembled.

“You are distracting me from the dance with wicked thoughts.”

His cock stirred, signaling an end to the direction of the conversation.

“The earl seems particularly interested in you.” Julius could not help himself.

“Mama seems to think that he will ask to speak with Duncan soon,” Briar said matter-of-factly.

“Isn’t that a bit premature?”

“The earl seems charming and very attentive. I am trying to find a husband, so I am making an effort to get to know him.”

Julius fought the irritation that was rising to the surface. He hoped Briar would say how unsuitable the earl was and she would not have him. It was not the earl’s fault that Julius had acted foolishly, so he should not be the butt of Julius’s frustration. He was vexed anyway. Unlike Julius, the earl was not wasting any time; he appeared decisive. Julius hoped that an offer of marriage would not be imminent since a period of courting would be expected. He needed to act. He did not want Briar to spend any more time with the earl. None whatsoever.

Julius cleared his throat. “I will call upon you.”

“I look forward to it.”

The rest of the dance passed in silence, and at the end, he left her in the care of her mother. They would only be apart for a short time. He needed to speak to her privately, and it must be tonight. He knew just how to go about it. It was a bit drastic, but he was willing to take the risk. He wondered if Briar was willing to take a risk on him.