Tobias suppressed his smile at Olivia’s affronted expression. He moved closer to her. “So you were watching me earlier.”
“I was observing Lady Phoebe,” Olivia said frostily.
“Were you now?”
Her eyes flashed a warning, and he knew she would not hesitate to administer a scathing set down.
A smile curved his lips. “You look very beautiful, your mother and father would be proud at your transformation.”
She blinked, and then blinked some more. He waited for a scathing retort to fall from her lips, something along the lines of the miraculous nature of him paying her a compliment. But…she only blinked once more. Was he really so harsh in his dealing with her that a simple compliment would render her speechless?
“Have I truly rendered your waspish tongue speechless, Lady Olivia?”
Her lips curved into a wide smile. “I will pretend you did not nullify your compliment just now and offer my thank you very graciously, my lord.”
Tobias dragged his gaze from her mouth. Sweet Christ. Her lips were wide and full, shaped sensually, as if they were made to be debauched. They begged to be kissed, thoroughly.
She touched his arm lightly. “Ask me to dance.”
Her slight caress sent his heart pounding against his ribs, and he wanted to roar at the unexpectedness of his reaction. “You had to ruin it,” he said drily, striving to appear unaffected by her closeness.
She gazed at him with intense curiosity in her green eyes. “I did nothing of the sort.”
“You were well comported and glowing with reserved beauty, and you had to ruin it by asking me to dance. Ladies do not ask gentlemen to dance. You had best remember, or you will soon have your name on the lips of every gossipmonger from the ton.”
Her nose wrinkled. “I certainly did no such thing. I told you to ask me to dance. Vastly different,” she muttered, but a flush had bloomed on her cheeks, and if he was not mistaken, that may have been contrition in her eyes. “I’m sorry, my lord. I knew better, your mother gave me a most severe lecture before we came down and it seems I forgot one of the most important of her lessons.”
“Which was?”
“I must not be bold at all, nor shall I speak of the fact that I paint, swim, and fence. I think I am not to speak of my interests at all.”
Tobias was nonplussed. “Then what are you to converse about?”
She frowned, as if trying to recall the lessons. “Whatever the gentleman I am with wants to speak of.”
He froze, remembering the myriad of women—from the more seasoned to the young debutantes he’d held discourse with in the past. They had always appeared vapid, with no original thoughts, only listening to anything he uttered, while giggling and batting their lashes. Many young ladies had tried to charm him by acting featherbrained.
“Good God,” he muttered. “Are you saying that is a tactic young ladies use to make themselves more appealing?”
“Yes.” She laughed lightly. “I must perfect the art of nonsensical conversation and ensure I am not deemed to be too intelligent. I must never prattle on about the things I like.” Her lips turned up in the familiar mocking smile. “I wonder, what shall I do with a suitor who has no interest in me?”
“Run from him or your life will be painfully boring.”
She sobered, staring at him with an intensity that was unnerving. “Thank you. I never expected you to say that.”
“Then I have been more of an insufferable buffoon than I realized.”
Her eyes widened and then she laughed, a full, rich sound that made his heartbeat accelerate. “Will you ever forgive my unruly tongue, my lord? It was beyond the pale for me to hurl such insults at you.”
“Forgiven.”
Her pouting lips stretched in a sweet smile. “How charmingly generous.”
Her mouth should be outlawed. Damnation. What right did she have to be in possession of such tempting lips and to intrigue him so effortlessly?
“My lord?”
Tobias frowned. “Yes?”
“I…I had asked a question.”
He was having difficulty following the conversation. His concentration was centered on her mouth. “A question?”
“Are you well, Tobias?”
Pleasure punched through him. He liked the sound of his name on her tongue. He would not mention her slip in referring to him with such intimate familiarity. “Will you honor me with the next dance, Lady Olivia?”
She favored him with her brilliant smile. “I…yes, thank you, my lord.”
The strains of another waltz commenced; he led her onto the dance floor and swept her into the rousing dance. She moved with energy and a hint of recklessness in her movements. It brought to mind the energy and passion she would bring to bed play.
Good God. He almost stumbled at the unwanted thought.
Not quite trusting himself to speak, Tobias made no effort to converse as he moved her around the floor. As he twirled her, he didn’t feel wooden or uninterested, like he had with Westfall’s sister. Olivia swayed in his arms, sensuous, yet innocent in her movements, a most appealing combination.
“So, my lord, what are your interests? I’ve been at Grangeville Park for almost eight weeks and I daresay the only thing I know about you is that you enjoy swimming and riding. You disturb the fishes every morning at seven…I have a clear view of the lake from my chamber,” she admitted with a rueful half smile.
It was Tobias’s turn to blink. When had a young lady ever asked him about his interests and seemed so genuine? He sent his mind into his past with alacrity and was flummoxed to find the answer to be never. And she watched him as he took his morning swim. The knowledge had a disturbing effect on his heart. It sent it racing in the most unwelcome and frustrating manner. “Must we converse, Lady Olivia?”
She flushed. “Why yes, it is polite and expected that when one is dancing, some polite discourse should take place.”
His lips twitched. “I see.”
“And it’s quite wonderful we are not…sniping at each other, isn’t it?” she asked tentatively.
It was. Although, Tobias did not think it was prudent to admit to such a notion. If they were pleasant to each other, might it not lead to other things? Because even now, the interest that glowed in her eyes as she stared at him was not innocent, and it stirred a primal desire in him to see her stripped and laid bare before him. “It is quite refreshing.”
She beamed at him approvingly, then the audacious lady winked. Winked. He suppressed the smile, for the last thing he wanted her to believe was that he approved of her audacious behavior. They spun in silence for the remainder of the waltz and he was grateful for it. The dance came to an end, and he bowed. “Thank you, my lady. Please enjoy the rest of the ball.”
Disappointment crossed her face before she attempted a smile. “And I thank you, Lord Blade.” Her curtsy was elegant and unfortunately gave him a peek into her décolletage. The soft expanse of thin flesh stretched over her chest and collarbones begged to be kissed. It was disquieting to know it was his lips Tobias imagined pressed there, inhaling her scent and introducing her to pleasure.
With a tight smile—and tightening front trousers—he walked away. As he turned, he spied a shock of almost-white blonde hair that belonged to only one woman of his acquaintance. His mistress. Tobias froze, scanning the graceful lines of her neck and shoulders. He moved through the crowd intent on reaching Lady Arabella.