Page 78 of Holly & Folly

She broke her gaze away. “It seems you are always rescuing me from my folly. I trust tonight is the last time.” She tried to pull her hands from his, but she met with resistance.

“Nell…”

She did not dare meet his eye.

“Will you not dance with me?” he asked softly.

Her stomach somersaulted, and she looked at him.

His eyes were soft. Impossibly so after the fire in them when he had faced Mr. Fowell.

Nell imagined dancing with him one last time. A final memory, a final touch—perhaps even a laugh—before she ceded him to Miss Orston.

She wanted the moments and the memory of them, but the future would hurt all the more for it.

“I shan’t keep you any longer, my lord.” She pulled her hands again, more firmly this time, and he yielded them.

“Nell.”

She stopped, her back to him.

“You forgot this.”

She turned toward him as he pulled something from his coat, then came over and placed it in her hand.

Her gaze flew to his. It was the paper from the hopes and predictions game Lady Dalmeer had arranged.

She had quickly thrown hers into the fire when no one was looking.

Or so she had thought.

Lord Dalmeer looked at her a moment longer, then turned and strode back to the Long Gallery.

She shut her eyes, clenching the paper in her hand.

He had read it. He had known it was hers.

That explained his kindness tonight. He pitied her. She was forever falling into imprudence, and he felt responsible for her because of their arrangement. Because of their kiss. He was too good to simply abandon her.

She debated whether to return to the ball or seek her room like the poor creature she was.

Wesley and Millie would be done dancing soon and would look for her.

With a determined breath, she walked to the gallery door just as it opened.

Miss Orston stopped short, and her mouth stretched into a smile. “Just the person I was looking for.” She looked both ways down the corridor. “Was Lord Dalmeer not with you?”

Nell’s cheeks warmed. “Only for a moment. He returned to the ball.”

“Looking very sad indeed before promptly leaving again.”

Nell looked down at her gloves. “If I happen to see him, I shall tell him you were looking for him.”

Miss Orston closed the door behind her. “May I ask you another question, Miss Prescott?”

Nell’s heart clenched, for the last time she had agreed to this, she had regretted it.

She nodded.