Chapter forty-two
Elizabeth just stood there, studying them as they stalked to the company of dancers. This time though, her control was not doing a good job.
Just then, the Marquess of Bellingham slipped to her side and stayed there silently for a while, his eyes watching exactly what hers were.
Just when she thought he wasn't going to say anything, he began, "Aren't they beautiful?"
The tone he used made it obvious he meant to anger, not to talk of when he turned to smirk at her, obviously expecting an argument to erupt from her side.
However, the lady raised her chin and didn't cast him a look even once. "Walk away Earl,"she said simply, "Somehow you've never been the type to show compassion for anybody even in the most crucial moments. So…just walk away."
The Marquess felt his mood change at the genuine but sad words of the lady. He felt hurt for some reason. Then he tried to understand.
Earl Robinson studied his favorite friend swirl left and right with Monica in his arms and automatically…he felt himself in those shoes.
He took his gaze back to the blonde beside him who was trying her best to fight back tears. Before he could find anything to say, she began, "Do you know My Lord… that the Duke called off our marriage when it was so close by? Merely because he's seen something in my cousin that I do not have. I know I've done horrible things before but I think there's a limit to punishment, am I wrong?"
He sighed softly and reflected on her words, realising just then how lonely she must have felt even with so many people around.
But somehow, he could not find the best words for her comfort, simply because he hadn't done it before.
"Dance with me," he said before he knew he did.
However, after a short while, he smiled to himself and faced her again, just to meet her prim grey eyes searching his with pure confusion. She was pretty, that he was sure. "Dance with me Elizabeth," he repeated consciously this time.
Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her by the wrist and half ran unto the dancefloor. Just in the center of it,he paused and held out a hand with a boyish bow, his dark hair falling to his blue eyes in a way Elizabeth couldn't help but find embarrassing.
Her cheeks flushed with the palest pink while she looked around automatically, "Stop this Earl!"
"I do not want to ask you twice," he almost spat the words ruefully with his gaze lidded.
The blonde still hesitated, half confused and half daring him to force her to. Well he took the challenge quite personally and pulled her in, clutching her in an embrace tight enough to keep her still, "You and Monica have one thing in common…stubbornness." He rolled his eyes dismissively, "Although hers is a tad  more direct."
"What are you trying to gain," she blurted, ignoring his previous remark.
They had begun moving in concurrent steps from front to back, left to right. Earl saw she still had that frown on though, "Nobody is gloomy when I'm around. It's either you smile or dance a while."
Her glower on him just deepened instead, leaving the Marquess with a mischievous smile, "You leave me no choice."
Somehow, he joined the frenzy, tossing the very light Elizabeth from side to side and swirling her body around in a speed that increased with the rhythm of the music.
Philip wasn't aware why the scene was so surprising, "It seems Earl is not done being superior.  He's picked up from where I left off."
Monica glanced at the two and grinned widely, "Let's go psycho as well Philip."
And as always, he obeyed instantly, lifting her from her feet with plain ease.
But then…deep, deep somewhere in the crowd, the Earl of Vetcom chewed on his salad with a frown, his eyes travelling round the entire event like a predator. The King's daughter was a fine one…he'll give her  that. Even that brunette that was the Duchess of Illyria. Still, as a mighty Earl with self respect,he wouldn't be caught gawking at women, especially in his married state.
He was much too important for that. With that, he gulped down the food with a glass of brandy and continued moving his eyes around.
Suddenly, they fell on Earl and Elizabeth hopping around and swirling beautifully to the music. He nodded, silently admiring the dexterity of the couple at dancing. Then he glanced away for an infinitesimal moment before his mind finally had the time to process what he saw.
His eyes moved to them again, almost spilling his drink in pure astonishment. Was that the Earl Robinson he knew dancing with the witch herself?!
And as if that was not enough shock for one night, a few couples away were Monica and Philip. The former was bound in something feminine, also being tossed around by Philip in the name of dancing! He still had to get used to the fact she was a lady.
Every other couple seemed to also be in the frenzy.
And then all hell broke loose when the orchestra switched to something even more maddening. The men whirled their partners around uniformly, stamping their feet and doing a march like madness. As crazy as it seemed, the Earl of Vetcom found it exciting.
But no! He was too important.
Automatically, he returned his gaze to the Duchess of Illyria he'd noticed earlier. He swore not to gawk at how she looked but he kept his eyes on her, smiling and standing all alone. For a moment, their gazes locked and the lady plastered a very short smirk.
The Earl still blinked, finishing the last of his juice and finally taking his eyes back to the dance.
So Earl and Philip thought they were the only ones good at losing their minds. Well he would show them he was just as perfect at dancing.
With his eyes back on the brunette, he pushed himself from the wall and squeezed through the couples.
Put your bloody ego aside or everyone would just think you can't dance. He said this to himself again and again as he neared the Duchess.
The woman blinked primly while she noticed him approach. Finally some company, well that was graceful.
Her gaze moved away when she felt him take a stand by her side. She caught him do something with his hair that she found slightly attractive…in a proud kind of way.
"I'm Jason."
"And I'm Eleanor," she replied similarly, stern and quick.
There was a bit of some silence as he considered what his next words should be. Obviously he had not done this before. One look at the dancefloor though was enough inspiration to go on, "Do you dance?"
Her response came as a small smile and an arch of her brunet brows.
Jason took that as a yes, whether she liked it or not. With that, he held out a hand for her. And not long after, she placed hers into it. Well it was a yes after all.
Things went a whole lot south when the Earl of Vetcom stepped on the dancefloor. He seemed to have brought his own version of the London waltz.
And steadily, he and Eleanor stole most of the who, as he always did.
The uniformed movement of bodies went on until it reached the part that was everyone's favorite; switching partners.
In one go, the ladies twirled to an adjacent man, moving to and fro in his arms just before they twirled to another.
Monica wasn't an exception.  With a wide grin on her face, she moved from one partner to another, exchanging one or two words with each about how amazingly perfect he looked.
When she moved to her seventh partner that evening, it just had to be the Earl of Vetcom. Why did all of them look so stunning today?
He looked down at her in a half smile, "Do you always have to command attention everywhere?!"
"Is it that difficult for you to just call me beautiful?" She frowned up at his hidden compliment.
With her hands on his shoulder, Monica felt him clutch her waist with both hands as he raised her from the floor.
With one circle around the spot, he dropped her and said, "What is the Marquess doing anyway?"
The Scottish looked towards Earl who was now dancing with the King's daughter. She gave a tiny shrug and looked back at Jason, moving side to side with him, "Dancing with Celeste."
"Not now! I mean Elizabeth! He snarled harshly and glared, obviously harbouring frustration, "She's still the enemy, regardless of whether or not she lives with us. You've been surprising me too of late."
The lady smiled and let him use her arm to turn her in circles. Immediately after, she returned to his clutch and let out a small sigh, "Let her have a dance at least. Besides, even you are here flirting with Eleanor." She whispered to him ear sigh near seduction.
It was time to let her go now. And he wouldn't say he wasn't relieved. "I am a happily married man Monica," he spat just before he let her go and grabbed a new partner.
Elizabeth!
Well today was just not his day!
It wasn't long after that the music died down,  replaced now by a thunderous applause from the obviously pleased guests.
Together, Monica and the Duke looked at each other over the distance, grinning and panting from all the fun. If the Scottish thought she could ignore the mutual fire between them, she knew it would all turn out wrong. There she was, feeling satisfied with life because she had him wrapped between her fingers. But it was going to end in a few hours…
At that realisation, her grin disappeared and she turned away, remembering the promise she made to Elizabeth that she didn't intend to break.
Speaking of Elizabeth, the blonde stalked to her side at that moment with a solemn pose. After being silent for a while, she told Monica, "We need to talk."