Page 47 of The Mistletoe Dare

Georgie stepped on the comte’s toe.

“Oh, I beg your pardon,” she said, mortified.

“My fault,” he said easily, though his expression was tense.

He too was watching Evie and Rochford, Georgie realised. Well, Evie was his friend. No doubt he worried for her. Everyone knew Rochford for his difficult personality and for being an ill-tempered wretch. Though Georgie was certain much of this was not only untrue, but unfair, he hardly did anything to mitigate the situation.

The dance could not end quickly enough, and Georgie was grateful to discover the comte guiding her back towards Evie and Rochford.

“Good evening, your grace.” The comte smiled and bowed to Rochford politely, though there was something unmistakeably cool and brittle in his gaze. Rochford hardly looked any friendlier, glowering at the comte. The atmosphere between them prickled. Evie looked at Georgie in alarm, clearly not having a clue what the problem was.

“Thank you so much for the dance, your grace,” Evie said, smiling as she addressed the duke. “You will be pleased to know my neck has survived without incident.”

Rochford took her hand and kissed her fingers, and Georgie was certain he’d done it with the sole intention of riling the comte. Sadly, it made her stomach squirm too.

“I am relieved to hear it, Miss Knight, though the pleasure was mine. Perhaps you might brave the ordeal again, in that case?”

“I might indeed,” Evie said with a laugh, only to give a little squeal as the comte took her arm and pulled her away.

“My dance, I believe, Miss Knight,” he muttered.

Evie, with little choice in the matter, hurried after him. “No, it isn’t,” she hissed. “Louis! Louis, I’m supposed to be dancing with—”

The rest of the conversation was lost as they disappeared into the crowd.

Georgie looked back at Rochford to discover him watching her. She blushed.

“Did you enjoy your dance with the handsome Comte de Villen, then?” he asked, studying her. “Was he as charming as you hoped?”

“I enjoyed it very much, and yes, he is very charming,” Georgie replied, perplexed by the obvious animosity between the comte and Rochford. Perhaps they were just too different to get along, though she knew Rochford’s opinion of the comte already.

“Hmmm,” he replied. A comment which she did not know how to interpret.

“You looked to be enjoying dancing with Miss Knight,” she said, wishing she hadn’t sounded quite so prickly.

Rochford studied her, his expression unreadable. “I did. She is a very kind-hearted young lady and takes no one at face value. A refreshing change among this crowd.”

“Yes,” Georgie replied, unhappily realising she was suffering another unpleasant attack of envy. It made her feel quite revolted with herself, especially as every word was true. “Yes, she is a darling creature.”

Rather to her surprise, he offered her his arm. Georgie hesitated and then took it, and they strolled about the ballroom with Georgie stopping here and there to speak to friends. She smiled as she saw a face she was especially happy to see.

“Matilda!” she exclaimed, releasing Rochford to run and embrace one of her mother’s dearest friends.

“Georgie, darling. How beautiful you look this evening. Are you having fun?”

Georgie dared a glance at Rochford before replying. “I am,” she said, smiling at Matilda.

“Lucian, look who I found.” Matilda tugged at her husband’s arm, and Montagu turned.

He was still an exceptionally handsome man and, though Georgie knew his reserved demeanour had seen many accuse him of being cold and high in the instep, that was certainly not true for the people he cared about. His cool silver eyes lit with warmth as he saw her. “Georgie. How good to see you. It’s been too long.” His gaze strayed then to Rochford, a calculating glint in his eyes as he glanced between them. “Rochford. This is a surprise.”

“Not too dreadful a surprise, I hope,” Rochford returned dryly.

Montagu’s eyes lit with amusement. “Not too dreadful,” he agreed.

“Have you danced with Philip yet?” Matilda asked her.

Georgie laughed. “No. I’ve not seen him yet, though Jules tells me you ordered him and Tommy to dance with all the wallflowers, so I suppose he’ll get to me.”