His Obsession Read Free Page B

there.”
    The gentleman’s face was in shadow, a dark
mask silhouetted against the brilliantly lit chandelier behind him.
The crystals and candles seemed to shimmer around his head, making
him seem a little other worldly, almost like a Greek god suddenly
come to life.
    “May I?” the gentleman asked, gesturing to
the chair beside hers.
    Kate did not protest, but her eyes widened in
alarm as the gentleman sat beside her. The man’s boldness made Kate
nervous. The edge of her silver gown disappeared beneath his
well-muscled thigh clad in black superfine. If anyone asked her to
dance, she obviously wouldn’t be able to escape her chair. Indeed,
he had her well and thoroughly trapped.
    Kate was terribly conscious of the size of
the gentleman beside her. His shoulders dwarfed her own, rising
above the level of her head. His arms and chest were massive, too,
but the cut of his clothes was very fine, lending him an elegant
air. A pair of gold buckled shoes winked back at Kate in the
shifting candlelight and a single ruby ring flashed a fiery
invitation as he rested one tanned hand upon his knee.
    Who was he, Kate wondered? She couldn’t
remember his name for the life of her. That meant that he had
joined the party before the Overtons arrived. Perhaps he was one of
the honored guests or one of Lady Faversham’s family. If Kate had
the opportunity to speak with Lady Faversham, she might learn the
gentleman’s true identity.
    Kate shifted a little on her small chair,
tugging gently at the side of her gown in an effort to free
herself. The silver material held fast, well and truly trapped
beneath the gentleman’s massive frame.
    Kate cleared her throat once, but the
gentleman seemed oblivious that there was anything the matter.
While Kate fussed with her gown, the tall nobleman seemed content
to observe the dancers from their quiet little corner.
    “Sir,” Kate softly pleaded. “If you don’t
mind?”
    To Kate’s consternation, the gentleman merely
inclined his head. “Madam?”
    “My – my dress, sir,” Kate explained. “You’re
sitting on it.”
    For a moment, the gentleman’s chin lowered as
he observed her predicament.
    “So I am,” he replied in amusement, his broad
mouth curving upward.
    Amazingly, the oaf made no move to free her!
Instead, the boorish ruffian remained where he was, grinning all
the more.
    Kate’s eyes flashed up angrily, but when her
gaze fastened on the gentleman’s face, Kate found she could not
turn away. The gentleman was very handsome, not pretty as a boy
might have been, but he had a most agreeable face. His features
were angular and his skin darkened by the sun. Was he a country
gentleman perhaps, Kate wondered?
    A long Patrician nose split the man’s face,
giving him a proud, rakish air. Unfortunately, his nose seemed to
be slightly bent halfway down, as though it had once been broken.
His lips were broad, full and at the moment, turned upwards in a
sardonic grin. A pair of dark brown eyes stared down into hers,
drinking Kate in like fine wine. The effect was most
unsettling.
    “Oh, good! I see you’ve met,” Lady Faversham
gushed, as she suddenly appeared before them.
    Instantly, the gentleman rose to his feet and
politely bowed over the older woman’s gloved hand. Lady Faversham
playfully swatted the gentleman’s arm with her fan, but he didn’t
seem to be the least offended. In fact, there seemed to be a
certain amount of affection between them. The entire affair was
most curious.
    “Richard, you are a rogue,” Lady Faversham
chided.
    The gentleman grinned at the older woman as
he straightened. “Thank you for the compliment, my lady.”
    “You’ve met Lady Overton, I take it?” Lady
Faversham asked.
    “No. I haven’t had the pleasure,” Richard
admitted.
    Once more those dark eyes came to rest on
Kate and she felt the heat of his stare. The man had a presence
about him, one that was both exciting and unsettling.
    “Well, then let me introduce you. This is