Page 13 of The Rake’s Convenient Bride

A humiliated heat blazed through Elizabeth. She was well aware of how impossible it was that a man like Lord Darington would bother to waste his time with such a bland wallflower as herself.

“The moment was impulsive on my behalf,” Lord Darington said from beside her.

Elizabeth snapped her head toward him, desperately trying to keep her expression from reflecting her shock.

“You see, I took Lady Elizabeth into the hall to speak with her.” Lord Darington met her gaze, his irises so dark, she could scarcely make out the pupils.

She could get lost in eyes like that, especially when he looked at her as he did now. As if she were the only woman to ever exist in his world.

“I was so overcome with affection that I knew at once I wished to ask her to marry me,” he continued.

Elizabeth could not look away, entirely enraptured.

“I could not well say such intimate words in the hall where there might be witnesses and so I pulled her into the study and proposed.” He inclined his head in an apologetic manner when one expects immediate forgiveness. “The fault is entirely mine.”

“Did you seek her father’s permission first?” Lady Whimbly demanded.

Elizabeth’s stomach dropped, but Lord Darington simply appeared amused by the question. “Would you be disappointed if I did not?”

Lady Whimbly huffed.

“Well, we must make the announcement.” Lady Gentry lifted her head with pride. “Nothing quite makes a ball like an engagement.”

She was correct. Every hostess wanted her ball to be on every tongue the day after, and nothing would do that more so than a surprise engagement announcement.

Especially when the impending groom was the bachelor of the season.

“I knew all along, of course.” Lady Gentry winked at them, her good humor suggesting she had forgiven Elizabeth for her folly earlier. “When I heard the rumor of Lord Darington needing a bride, I suspected there was a love blossoming between you.”

“It’s a scandal,” Lady Whimbly hissed.

The countess did not believe the story, blatantly seeing the lie.

“It’s romantic,” Lady Gentry bit out the words and gave her friend a hard look. “And we’ll be announcing the engagement at this very moment.” She pulled the door open wider in silent demand for Elizabeth and Lord Darington to follow.

Elizabeth tried to swallow, but her throat was suddenly too dry. She stepped forward, prepared for this death march of a walk into the ballroom. Lord Darington matched her step and offered her his arm.

The gesture was gallant and more than she deserved given how she’d trapped him in an engagement.

She slid her icy hand into the warm crook of his elbow where the superfine of his jacket could not hide the strength of his forearm beneath. There was a slight spicy scent to him, something warm and sensual. Beneath that was the smell of spirits about him, indicating precisely what led to his agreement to this preposterous scheme.

Something he would regret later.

How she longed for a moment alone with him, to apologize, to thank him for saving her reputation and that of her sisters. To let him know this was all a façade and she would free him as soon as possible.

But she would not have a moment alone with him, not until after the mortifying announcement of their false engagement and the rounds of surprised felicitations that would follow.

All she had time for before they passed the tall ballroom doors thrown wide open to her fate was a chance to look up at Lord Darington and silently mouth her thanks.

In reply, he simply offered a confident wink, as if to brush aside his noble act.

“Stop the music,” Lady Gentry commanded.

When one hosts a ball, they are the god of the night, and the music ceased as soon as the request was issued from Lady Gentry’s thin lips.

“I should like everyone’s attention, please.” She clapped her fingers delicately against her palm, her gloves making no sound at all. “It is my great pleasure to announce…”

Her brown eyes shone with glee as she glanced back at Elizabeth and Lord Darington, pausing for impact and likely to savor the moment her ball would become the most talked-about event of the season.