Pride and Retribution by Lyndsey Norton Read Free Book Online Page B

the chairs that were lining the outside wall of the ballroom and helped her to sit. She sighed in relief and asked Timothy to procure her a glass of lemonade.
    Lucy stood beside her mother and Sir Roger as ked if he could have the first dance. Lucy held up her hand and Sir Roger opened the dance card carefully. He pencilled his name into the first slot for the Quadrille, closed it carefully and bowed. ‘I’m honoured you would stand up with me for the first dance, Miss Hastings. Would you like some refreshment?’
    ‘Thank you, I think a small glass of lemonade.’ She smiled and Sir Roger bowed and turned away.
    ‘He has very nice manners.’ Evelyn said as she watched him mince his way across the ballroom. ‘It’s such a pity he has pockets for let.’
    ‘Are they in dire straits?’ Lucy asked quietly.
    ‘Not yet, but I understand they will be when he finally pays Markham what he owes him.’
    ‘Is it a lot of money?’
    ‘It’s nearly a thousand guineas and that’s only a fraction of what he owes elsewhere.’ Evelyn said firmly. ‘He wants your dowry as soon as poss....’ she stopped mid-sentence and her face froze. Lucy looked up from her mother’s face to see the Duke of Markham standing in front of them. He was very elegant, in the best silk clothes that money could buy. He bowed formally. Evelyn inclined her head at the same time as Lucy dipped a curtsey.
    ‘Good evening, Ladies.’ He smiled as he straightened up and Lucy was actually reminded of a snake. ‘Mrs. Hastings. May I be permitted to dance with your daughter?’ he asked rather obsequiously, making Lucy frown.
    ‘You may.’ Evelyn said, but as Markham reached for Lucy’s dance card, where it dangled from her wrist, Evelyn brought her fan up and placed it very deliberately on the Duke’s forearm. ‘None of the waltzes, she will be dancing those with her brother or not at all.’ She looked him squarely in the eye and the Duke could see the determination in her gaze. She was telling him to break her edict at his own peril.
    He leaned down and whispered in Evelyn’s ear. ‘I could destroy her, you know?’
    ‘If you do that, Your Grace. I will steal into you r house in the middle of the night and you will wake up with your testicles in your mouth!’ The Duke pulled back just enough to see her eyes and was unsettled by what he saw. ‘I have nothing to lose, Your Grace, but you do.’ She looked pointedly at his groin. He was confronted with a lioness protecting her cub and he didn’t really want to see where this confrontation would lead.
    Lucy wondered what they were whispering about, but she suddenly didn’t want to know, if her mother’s stiff posture was anything to go by. She could see the Earl of Buxton watching and suddenly he strode over to them, but he didn’t take his gaze off the back of the Duke. He gave Lucy a fleeting smile and motioned for her to lift her arm. She stuck her arm out and he took the little pencil and wrote his name into each waltz slot.  He smiled at her and returned his attention to the Duke, stepping back to make way for his companion.
    ‘I say, Markham! If you’re going to put your name on her card, get on with it? I haven’t got all night, you know.’ Howard Cuthbertson said as he smiled at Lucy and bowed. ‘May I have the pavane Miss Hastings?’
    ‘You may, My Lord .’ Lucy said and held her card out to him. He took his time writing his name in the slot for the pavane.
    ‘Botheration, Buxton! You’ve helped yourself to all the waltzes!’ Cuthbertson said loudly and the Duke suddenly jerked upright . He snatched up Lucy’s card and almost yanked her off her feet. He looked at Buxton with disgust, scrawled his name in the slot for the cotillion, dropped her card and gave her stiff bow before stalking away.
    ‘Thank you, My Lords.’ Evelyn said with a deep sigh. She looked at Buxton and smiled, then held her hand out for the card. Lucy handed it over and Evelyn crossed out all but one