short duration!”
“Shall we, Lady Selina?”
Taking Lord Telford’s arm, Selina suppressed a shudder and stepped out with him onto the dance floor.
“I am inclined to believe that you do not wish to be here with me, Lady Selina,” Lord Telford said, his voice low and grating. “Is there some particular reason?”
Recalling the shame that had come with her lack of courage already, Selina forced herself to speak with as much honesty as she dared.
“Do you not recall the first time we were introduced, Lord Telford?” she asked, lifting her chin as she spoke to him, although she kept her gaze averted. “I am surprised that you would expect me to think well of you after such behavior.”
Lord Telford snorted with derision.
“I did nothing untoward, Lady Selina,” he said, a sneer pulling at his mouth. “Lady Amelia chose to come into the room without her brother or Lady Barrington – it cannot be that you would think me responsible for that?”
“I think you responsible for even approaching Lady Amelia when she was without proper chaperonage, regardless of whether she had chosen to be in that room alone or not,” Selina replied, her heart beating so loudly that she was certain Lord Telford could hear it. “I cannot think well of you, Lord Telford.”
She spoke more honestly than she had ever done before to Lord Telford – and she could tell from the way his jaw set that she had angered him. Her stomach twisted, her anxiety growing steadily and, as the dance began, Selina felt herself almost overcome with nervousness. Part of her feared that Lord Telford would do something so improper, and yet so overt that everyone present would know of it, whereas another part worried that he would not return her to Lady Hayward when the dance came to an end. Would there be punishment for her words of honesty to him? Would he think of something he might do to make certain that she was humiliated in retaliation?
The dance progressed and Selina found herself remaining entirely silent as they went through the steps. Neither she nor Lord Telford shared a word with each other, and nor did he even attempt to smile at her. They must have looked as though they were the most miserable of all the dancers, although Selina was doing her best to keep her composure, to not give in to the spiraling fear within her heart.
Lady Hayward is watching me, she told herself, over and over again. There is nothing to be worried about. I will return to her side and all will be well.
The end of the dance came and Selina curtsied as Lord Telford bowed. He offered his arm and she accepted reluctantly, expecting to be turned towards Lady Hayward once more.
Lord Telford did not do as she had expected.
“It is a very great shame that you do not think well of me, Lady Selina,” he said, beginning to walk with her in the opposite direction, pulling her away from Lady Hayward. “I assure you, I am quite amiable.”
Selina’s heart began to pound furiously as panic took hold. The other dancers were beginning to disperse and she felt herself trapped as Lord Telford continued to lead her away from Lady Hayward. Attempting to pull her hand from his arm, she heard his dark laugh as he placed his hand over her wrist, keeping her beside him.
“If you are attempting to make a more favorable impression, Lord Telford, then I can assure you that you are failing entirely,” she replied, slowly her steps and forcing him to do so also. “Unhand me!”
Lord Telford chuckled and Selina’s panic grew. She looked all about her, praying that Lady Hayward would come after her, would have seen her difficulty, for unless she screamed and fought Lord Telford – which would, of course, cause a great scene and, no doubt, have Lord Telford exclaim that he had been merely returning her to her chaperone and had no understanding of her behavior – she was trapped beside him.
“It was you, I suppose,” Lord Telford continued, his voice now low and filled with malice. “It was you who informed Lord Barrington about my involvement in the matter with his sister?” He looked at her and smiled grimly. “Yes, I have noticed your closeness with Lady Amelia these last few days. How extraordinary, given that there was no such friendship between you before? I –”
“That is enough, Lord Telford!”
Selina came to a halt, using every bit of strength she had to