To Love A Lord of London (Wardington Park; Raptures of Royalty) by Eleanor Meyers Read Free Book Online Page B

“Nor I you, my lord.”
    He grinned again.,“I’d be delighted if I could have your first dance.”
    The slight smile that touched her mouth called to him. Her words didn’t. “I’m sorry. My first dance has already been promised to another.” And then she turned away, as though he were no longer there.

    N athaniel’s face fell .
    “Indeed, it is,” came the deep voice from behind him.
    Nathaniel turned to find the Earl of Cartridge had approached. Young, handsome, wealthy beyond reason, and with a lack of scandal attached to his name, Cartridge was easily the catch of the season. Every mother’s dream was poured into the six-foot-tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed man before him.
    The territorial glare on Nathaniel’s face must have been obvious because the corner of Cartridge’s mouth lifted before he took Amy’s hand and led her onto the floor to join in a country dance.

    H eat crawled down Nathaniel’s arms, causing his fists to ball. The voices of those around him—whispering about how good a couple the two looked—faded into the back of his mind as his own thoughts began to bombard him. Amy was his. He should have had her first dance; after all, it had been he who’d kissed her first. Long before Cartridge had had the pleasure of meeting her… or had he?
    What if that wasn’t so? What if she had met Cartridge before? He watched them as they danced with one another. Amy’s dress glittered like a white light as she moved. How it was so, he would never know. And Cartridge’s eyes never left Amy; Nathaniel watched him as he watched her. Such a perfect earl, only made worse by the fact that he indulged his mother’s flair of extravagance by allowing her to have this ridiculous party.
    A chuckle at his side broke into his thoughts. It was Joseph. “Keep this up, and you’ll look as miserable as I do.”
    Nathaniel didn’t bother to spare him a glance. He kept his eyes on Amy, making sure that the earl didn’t so much as breathe on her inappropriately. As he watched, it seemed the dance would go on forever. His eyes stayed focused, following her ever graceful turns. Her private smiles at the earl. Her laugh, which reached his ears and fell on his chest like a heavy weight.
    Joseph spoke again, “You know her?”
    He hesitated to answer. “I do.”
    “How well?” The two words meant much more than they seemed.

    N athaniel sighed , “Not that well.” But, oh how he’d tried. She’d stopped him though. She’d refused him. Him! Lord Nathaniel. Son of the Rogue Duke. London Lover . No one refused him.
    As if reading his mind, Joseph gasped. “Don’t tell me she turned you down.” And then he laughed. “Oh, I like her much more now.”
    Nathaniel took a peek in Joseph’s direction and watched as the wealthy gentry man’s eyes narrowed.
    Joseph spoke again, “Do you think she’d settle for anything less than a title?”
    Good question. Had Joseph asked the question a few weeks ago, Nathaniel would have thought Amy willing to settle with any man that would have her. After the embarrassment at Wardington Park, he’d assumed her lack of appearance at the parties had been because of shame. Now, he knew the truth. She’d held out in an effort to dazzle everyone. To dazzle him.

    J ust when he ’d thought it, Amy looked over at him and their eyes caught. She missed a step. Barely, but it had been there and would have been obvious were it not for the earl. He still had some control over her. His smile grew.
    The dance ended a moment later, and Nathaniel watched as the earl escorted Amy to her chaperone, Duchess Hensman, and made his way there, aware of the other young men who were closing in. But he was sure he’d get there first and once he did, he planned on finishing what he’d begun—making the enchanting Miss Ott his.
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7

CHAPTER
    SEVEN
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    Never look back. Wait for him to come for you …
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    A my’s heart was racing as she held onto the earl’s gloved hand. As he