linger continually upon his face. In fact, he reminded her a bit of Phineas.
Christina quite clearly disagreed for she spun around to glare at her sister. “How can you say that? He is most definitely not a gentleman, and Sarah deserves better.” She slipped an arm through Sarah’s, hugging her friend to her side. “I promise you, I shall do what I must to prevent this marriage from happening. You have my word.”
Although Sarah smiled a grateful smile at Christina, the look in her eyes told Leonora that she had little hope. “You are a most kind and loyal friend, Chris. I consider myself most fortunate to have you by my side.”
Leonora hoped with all her heart that Sarah would either come to care for Mr. Sharpe or Christina would truly find a way to prevent this marriage from happening. Unfortunately, that thought inevitably led her back to her own predicament, and her eyes wandered over to the ballroom’s entrance.
To her utter shock, it was none other than Lord Gillingham who arrived in that moment.
His cold eyes met hers, and a sickening smile spread over his face, triumphant and victorious as though they had been at war, and now, he knew her defeated, close to surrender.
Leonora once more began to feel faint. She was no closer to a solution than she had been that afternoon. Of course, how could she be. After all, she had spent the rest of the day distracting herself from her problems instead of focusing on solving them. Yet, deep down she had known that there would be no solution, not one that would see everyone emerge from this unharmed, untainted.
The simple, yet terrifying truth was that Leonora had two options. She could either marry Lord Gillingham and find herself tied to the man who had attacked her for the rest of her life. Or she could refuse him and ruin all of her sisters’ futures in one night. How did one go about making such a choice?
The moment Lord Gillingham started toward her, Leonora turned away, unable to face him as though ignoring him would somehow make him disappear. Of course, he did not. However, as she turned away, her gaze collided with another’s.
Drake.
He was here, and striding toward her this very moment, the look in his eyes murderous, telling her loud and clear that although she had not told him, he knew.
As he had known before.
Somehow, he simply knew.
Somehow, he always knew.
It was that thought as well as the sight of him rushing over, once more ready to defend her, that gave Leonora strength. The cold chill that had been lingering in her body all afternoon and well into the evening slowly dissipated, replaced by something warm and comforting…something familiar.
It was a beautiful feeling; one she had felt often these past few weeks.
Always in Drake’s presence.
Sometimes even when he was nowhere around.
Yes, slowly, day by day, Drake had given her her confidence back. He had taught her to stand tall and not yield. He had taught her to fight and not surrender.
Leonora smiled at him. It felt odd and completely unexpected. Yet, the emotion slowly building within her chest was not one of fear or regret or defeat. It was one of strength and faith and…yes, even triumph. Leonora could not say how it had suddenly found her, but the moment she saw Drake, it was as though everything suddenly fell into place.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice urgent, deeply concerned, as he reached her side, his hands moving to grasp hers. In the last moment, he stopped himself, eyes sweeping around the ballroom, aware that they were not alone.
Leonora nodded in answer, and somehow it was the truth.
Drake’s gaze narrowed once more before it drifted beyond her head. “It was him, was it not?” Drake asked in a snarl before his eyes once more dropped down to meet hers.
Again, Leonora smiled at him. “How is it that you always know? Before I even say a word, how do you know?” Without thought, she moved closer, suddenly aware that where Drake was concerned, she felt no apprehension or reluctance. She trusted him.
Completely.
And once again, that thought gave her strength and made her daring. She glanced over her shoulder at Lord Gillingham, who paused halfway across the ballroom, his gaze narrowing as it moved from her to Drake. She could see disapproval in the way his nostrils flared and the corners of his mouth drew down. He hesitated for a moment before his