Diamonds & Deceit by Leila Rasheed Read Free Book Online Page B

Is this a protest against the patriarchy of ballroom conventions? I’ll agree it’s unfair that the ladies have to wait to be picked.”
    The countess placed a hand on his arm. “Alexander,” she said softly, “it would be kinder not to tease her. You can see how embarrassed she is by your attention—”
    Rose found herself furious. She did not want to dance with the duke. It would only draw eyes to her. But she most certainly would not be told by the countess who she was allowed to dance with. Besides, hadn’t Ada said it? She was as good as anyone there. She could dance with anyone who asked her. She clutched Ada’s words to her like a lucky charm.
    “Lady Gertrude is sadly misinformed,” she said shortly. “I should be delighted to dance with you.” She could feel the furious gazes of every woman upon her, cold and hard as diamonds. You expect me to try to snare him, she thought. Well, I’ll show you that even though I’m a housemaid, I have pride. No one will be able to call me a fortune hunter. I shall dance with him, but I shan’t speak to him, let alone flirt. But I shall have one dance, at least, this season.
    She caught up her train and took the hand the duke extended. He raised one dark eyebrow, an ironic humor in his eyes, and swept Rose onto the dance floor.

Ada allowed Laurence to steer her across the dance floor. He was an assertive partner, and if only she could conquer the slight irritation she always felt at being led, it would have been delightful to dance with him.
    “Happy, darling?” He broke the silence, looking keenly into her face.
    Ada was slightly taken aback. It was not often that he enquired about her feelings, and she hesitated. Was she happy? Not without Ravi—not with an ocean separating them—but she had known right from the beginning that all that was impossible. She remembered the first night they had met, their first kiss. It had been on the boat back from India, the stars had been sharp and clear overhead as he drew her close. She had been so full of grand ideas, so naïve and innocent. Ravi had destroyed her illusions about India, but he had replaced them with something better—truth. He was the only man she had ever known who had treated her not as a lady, nor as a woman, but as an equal. In the few months they spent together, he had rewritten her heart. Even though she had neither seen nor heard from him for months, if she closed her eyes she could still imagine herself in his arms, not Laurence’s.
    “You certainly look happy,” said Laurence. She opened her eyes with a start. Laurence was looking down at her, smiling. “Indeed,” he went on, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you more beautiful than in this moment.”
    She blushed under his gaze, startled to realize that her heart was beating faster. She scolded herself for thinking of Ravi. She had told herself a long time ago that it was useless to think of him: too painful to remember the times they had kissed, the way he had made her feel. It was best to put those feelings away, to think instead of things that were in her power to do, things that could make a difference to her family and her country. Things like marrying Laurence.
    Hastily she said, “What a crush tonight. I should think the whole of London is here.”
    “And they are all looking at us,” he replied.
    “Are they?”
    “Of course.” He reversed, smoothly gliding her past the orchestra. “They’re saying what a well-matched couple we are.”
    “I suppose they are.” She smiled at him.
    “Do you agree with them?” His gaze did not leave her face, and she had a slight, uncomfortable desire to blink.
    Dear Laurence, she thought. He wants me to love him so much. The thought twisted a guilty knife in her heart. No matter what she felt for Ravi, it would be inexcusable to allow Laurence to suspect that she might have cared for someone other than him. He did not deserve that.
    “Of course,” she said, and her voice was warm, and she