The Earl of Ice Read Free Page A

could scarcely remember the steps he made me so nervous. I will not dance with him again.”
    Diana laughed at her friend. “You would never be brave enough to refuse him.”
    Although the girls would have happily stayed up all night reliving the ball, their mothers soon put a stop to this and ordered them both to their bedrooms.
    Flinging off her clothes and with her maid’s help donning her nightgown, Diana collapsed onto her bed. Only now did she permit herself time to reflect on her meeting with the Earl of Ice.
    Prior to being introduced to him, she’d had no idea that this was the same man she had seen having a fit in the library all those years ago. She had not made the connection because the butler had said the gentleman’s name was Viscount Maythorpe.
    She had recognized the Earl of Brockwood immediately, but on first introduction, he had given no sign that he knew her. It was only when they were dancing that she realized he had indeed known who she was. As she had looked into those piercing blue eyes, so at odds with his expressionless face, she imagined she saw just a fraction of uncertainty. She’d instinctively known that he feared she would relate the circumstances of their previous meeting. She would not, of course, and made sure he was aware of this; she could never be so unfeeling.
    She had looked deep into his eyes, trying to find some emotion beneath the cold exterior, but had not detected any. She blushed now to think that she had suggested that he was unhappy and cross. What must he think of her, speaking so boldly? And she of all people should know better. She thought of her poor twin brother and how he’d been ostracized, even by his own parents. It was quite obvious that the earl’s chilly exterior was his way of not letting people close, fearing they’d reject him when they learned his secret. When she had studied him more intently, she did not see an ice man; she saw a man trying to protect himself and a man who perhaps was lonely.
    But maybe she was imagining this and he really was as cold and uncaring as his behaviour implied. After all, she always tried to see the best in people, so perhaps she was just looking for a way to excuse his behaviour. His nickname, she had to admit, was well earned. When she had glanced at him after their waltz, she had not seen him display the slightest emotion, even when he was dancing with some of the prettiest ladies she had ever seen.
    It was also rumoured that the earl had never asked any lady to stand for the waltz, but she knew that he had done this with her so he could have a discreet conversation with her; she read no more than that into it. She was very glad he did ask her, because although he did not look like he was enjoying himself, he had danced beautifully, his strong arms ensuring that she did not falter with her steps. Whatever the motives behind his offer, that dance had been the highlight of her evening, and following this attention from him, her dance card had filled up quickly.
    * * *
    The girls spent the next few days making social calls with their mothers. Lady Westbury and her sister, Lady Colpert, were acquainted with many of the ladies of their social standing who were now in London for the season. They were as excited as their daughters at the prospect of the entertainments they would take part in. Both women had been recognized as beauties in their younger days, and even though their shapely curves had filled out somewhat with age, they still dressed in the latest fashions. As they both used the same hairdresser and seamstress, they looked like two peas from the same pod, though Lady Colpert was the slightly larger pea.
    Although these visits could be a chore at times for Diana and Caroline, they mostly found them instructional, as these society women knew all the latest gossip, which they happily shared. They knew, for instance, if any lady had set her sights on any particular gentleman. They knew the size of the dowry attached to