Foundation of Love: The Gypsy Blessing 2 (32 page)

Mrs. Reynolds stepped back and smiled in appreciation of her job well done. She tucked a handkerchief into his breast pocket, leaving a touch of color showing.

“Blue?”

“You’re escorting Lizzy.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. “I do
not
hate that part.”
Even if the paparazzi show up this time, it wouldn’t bother me one bit having a picture of
us
plastered all over the gossip columns.

“This matches her dress perfectly. I took it over for Jane to check it. I assumed wearing a blue tie or vest would be too flashy for you, so I made sure to get a handkerchief the same color.” She winked at him.

“Thank you.” He almost laughed at the custom, thinking it was a way for men to mark their territory. With just a glance, everyone would know that they were at the party together. His mood soured quickly. “She’s going to dance with other men.”

“I’m sure she will, William.” She tittered. “But she’ll return to you in between. And I’m sure you’ve already asked her for at least one dance.”

“Three.” He nodded and checked his tuxedo in the mirror.
I’d rather have asked for them all.

“You sent flowers?”

“Yes, two dozen yellow roses.”
I almost gave in to the impulse to send red... ten dozen red! Enough to fill every open bit of shelf space in her room, so wherever she looked, she’d think of me.
He sighed.
I am hopeless.

William froze. “Jeremy and Kevin
did
arrive with the limos, didn’t they?”

“Of course they did.”

Georgiana and Elizabeth in limos? If something should happen...
“Maybe we should all take our own cars.”

“We’ve already been through this in the past, William. I understand your fear, but you cannot expect something to happen just because your parents’ accident happened while they were in a limousine. No matter what car they had been using, that drunk driver would have hit them.” She kissed his cheek. “You have had
these
limos specially made. They are nearly armored vehicles. You know these drivers—they have undergone enough intensive training to satisfy even you. You cannot expect those young ladies to arrive at a formal ball in a bunch of Sports Utility Vehicles! I will
not
allow it. If you’d like to follow behind in your truck, that’s fine—”

“You’re right, Mrs. Reynolds. We’ll take the limos.” William swallowed hard. “Is everyone ready to go?”

“Yes, you’re the last.” Mrs. Reynolds tried to hide a smile as William rubbed his palm over his chin, checking to see if he needed a shave. “You shaved three times today, dear. At least that’s how many times I’ve
noticed
.”

“You know how fast my beard grows. I don’t want to take her to the ball looking like I just stepped off a construction site.” He let out a deep sigh and brushed some imaginary lint off his tuxedo.

“You look very handsome, William.” She straightened his bow tie one more time. “Try not to be so nervous, dear. When you’re nervous, you scowl. You don’t want Lizzy to think you don’t like spending time with her.”

William’s eyes opened wide. “Are you kidding?”

She shook her head.

“Why hasn’t anyone told me that before?”

Mrs. Reynolds shrugged. “Your friends and family know about it already, and it usually works to your benefit in business situations. I’m sure Lizzy understands by now, as well, but tonight is special. Don’t leave her wondering whether you enjoy being in her company.”

Unconsciously, his scowl deepened, and Mrs. Reynolds laughed. “Don’t worry, dear. I’m sure it will be a glorious evening.” She left the room.

Yes, it will be.
He looked in the mirror and concentrated on arranging his features so they would not include a scowl.
With Elizabeth on my arm, it can’t possibly turn out any other way.

~%~

“Georgiana, take off your cape for a few minutes,” Anne called out as soon as the guys came in. “I want pictures, and I don’t want to have to lug my camera around all evening. Richie, corral them all into the great room for me, please, and be careful of the tripod; it’s already set up exactly where I want it. Lizzy and Jane will be down in a minute.” She turned to Lydia. “I know you’re not going to the ball, Lydia, but I’d like to get a picture of you with your family in a few minutes.”

Lydia smiled a little sadly. “Thank you, Anne.”

Impatient to see Elizabeth, William tried not to stare at the staircase. He turned his back to it instead, but his gaze was caught by a mirror on the wall, which was reflecting a perfect view of the same. He turned so that he was looking directly at neither, but both held his attention through his peripheral vision. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Nervous, Will?”

William turned to face Mr. Bennett, which just happened to put the mirror in his line of sight. “Am I scowling again?”

Mr. Bennett chuckled and nodded. “Actually, you are.”

William took a calming breath. “I don’t like crowded parties.”

“Yes, I know—”

Mr. Bennett stopped speaking suddenly and looked up, but William hadn’t noticed. Movement in the mirror had already attracted his attention.

“Ah, here are my beautiful daughters now.”

William was already mesmerized by the sight of Elizabeth standing at the top of the stairs. He held his breath—it was as if he were in a dream. She was wearing Elizabeth Darcy’s gown. The stone in the gypsy’s necklace matched the color as if they were made to be worn together. Her hair was arranged in a way that complemented the period of the gown perfectly. He watched through the mirror as she descended the steps, his heart beating so forcefully, he was expecting her to look around to see what was causing all the noise. She truly was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

A voice broke through the spell that had come over him, but he couldn’t look away from the mirror. “Close your mouth, William.”

Elizabeth reached the bottom of the stairs and disappeared from the mirror’s line of sight. He turned his head toward the speaker. Mr. Bennett! What had he said? Something about closing his mouth?

“It may be wise to take a breath every once in a while, too.” There was laughter dancing in Mr. Bennett’s eyes.

William heeded the older man’s advice.

Mr. Bennett turned his attention away from William, and William followed his gaze. Elizabeth was speaking to Anne. She was even lovelier in person than she had been in the mirror. How was he going to get through this evening without giving his feelings away?

Georgiana stopped Elizabeth a few steps away from him. “Lizzy, what period is that gown? I always wondered how it would be to wear a corset.”

Elizabeth answered in a soft voice meant to be a whisper, but William could hear it. “I think they
did
wear corsets in the Regency Era, Georgie, but
we
have something they didn’t—strapless push-up bras!”

Although keeping himself from examining the subject of the ladies conversation felt as if he were fighting a tidal wave, William was also very aware that Mr. Bennett was watching his every move. He forced himself to look as far away from the neckline of her gown as possible, instead, looking at the ceiling.

Georgiana giggled. “It does a good job, that’s for sure!”

Elizabeth nervously laughed. “I’m so self-conscious. I never wore anything cut this low before. Jane says it’s not obscene, but I feel so
exposed!”

“It is cut deeper than anything I’ve seen you wear, but it looks great, Lizzy. Nothing’s visible that shouldn’t be. The square neckline really suits you.”

“Well, if it’s not showing, it’s only
just,
” Elizabeth replied.

Judging from Mr. Bennett’s all-out laughter, William was positive he really
had
just let out a slight wince.

It is a very nice ceiling, really. Vaulted. Painted... ceilings should always be white. It reflects the light of the room...

“What’s so interesting up there, Will?” Elizabeth asked.

He looked down at her quickly. Elizabeth was gazing up at the ceiling to see what had caught his attention. As if he suddenly had no control over his eyes, they took advantage of her distraction. William wished he could send a message back in time thanking Elizabeth Darcy for packing that dress in the trunk.

“The, uh, sheetrock is... expertly finished,” he muttered hoarsely.

“I’ve noticed that, too. You’ve hired the guy who did this house to do the sheetrock for Pemberley.” Still looking up, Elizabeth leaned back just a little too far and lost her balance.

Automatically, William’s arms came up around her protectively, and he pulled her to his chest. They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before he loosened his hold on her. He couldn’t help from glancing down again as he took a step away from her. Yes, he was right—Elizabeth
had
blushed all the way down to her neckline. William’s hands traveled slowly from around her back to her bare shoulders, making sure she had regained her balance before he let her go. If his fingertips brushed her radiant skin a little longer than was necessary, it was an accident, of course.

She was a little breathless. “I haven’t worn heels this high in a while.”

A nod was the only response he could manage at the moment.

Anne shouted, “Guys, please do me a favor, and don’t you dare even
think
about touching the ladies until I’m through taking pictures. Everyone gather by the fireplace.” She glared at William, but he barely noticed. He couldn’t take his eyes off Elizabeth for long.

“The gown looks... nice on you,” he managed to say.
Nice?
Idiot!

“Thank you. You look very handsome.”

Giddy warmth coursed through him as she took his arm, and they started moving toward the hearth.

“I hope you don’t mind, but after almost falling, I think I’d better hold on to you. Jane talked me into these four-inch heels. I’m getting used to them, but I’d rather not break my neck.”

He placed his hand over hers. “That’s fine.”
Fine
doesn’t even come close to what I feel about having you on my arm all night. I cannot have one sip of alcohol. Not a drop. If I lose one bit of control, I’ll confess everything and kiss you senseless!

Elizabeth chuckled. “You’re nervous about the ball?”

He closed his eyes for a moment. “I’m scowling?”

She smiled brightly as she nodded. “Don’t worry. I know most of the people who will be there. I won’t leave you unless absolutely necessary.”

Then let it never be necessary.

~

It wasn’t just the heels that had almost caused her to topple over—it was
him
. He was more handsome than any other man she’d ever seen. She hoped Anne would take some extra pictures of him alone in that tux. She just might ask her friend to enlarge one to poster size so she could hang it in her room.

As he led her to the placement in the group where Anne directed them, she looked up at him and smiled.

Black was his color, although she often found herself thinking the same thing with any color he wore. With that touch of blue in his pocket, his clear blue eyes were so intense they seemed to glow. Her heart hadn’t stopped pounding since she glimpsed him in the mirror from the top of the stairs. But it was William’s scent that had put her into a state of intoxication once she was near him. How was she supposed to get through this evening without making a fool of herself?

She still couldn’t believe that she was William’s date for the ball. The yellow roses that had been delivered earlier in the day were more than a subtle reminder that this was not a romantic date. They were going as
friends
, she kept reminding herself
.
Even so, if they ended up never leaving the house, this had already been the best date she could ever imagine, and they hadn’t even danced yet!

When Georgiana had helped to organize the ball, she had shown Elizabeth the list of music that would be played and told her they were doing this the old-fashioned way—dance cards had been distributed with the invitations. Several lines of Elizabeth’s card had already been filled up, mostly by the men of their party and old friends. Elizabeth hoped William wasn’t disappointed when he realized the dances he had chosen were going to be slow dances.

If she wasn’t used to her heels by the time the first fast dance began, she’d just take them off, but she was planning to slip them back on for William’s dances. He had always been pictured in the gossip magazines with tall women. Maybe if she appeared taller, he’d be attracted to
her?
It was worth a try, and if she was still wobbly, it would be nice to have an excuse to hold onto him a little tighter.

Guilt washed over her.
OH! I can’t believe I was thinking of trying to trick him into liking me!
No. I’ll wear the shoes only if I’m used to them by then, and that’s it.