The Promise

But did she really want to return to their old friendship? She thought about being in his arms and her skin tingled. Except Louisa Cochrane was the woman in his arms. She had, somehow, been completely forgotten.

But tonight she intended to change that.

It was their turn to alight from the coach. She was terribly nervous about seeing Alexi again. Jack dutifully helped her down, her voluminous satin skirts being somewhat treacherous. She was wearing her most stunning dress tonight. The gown was at once sophisticated and daring—even her brother’s eyes had widened when he had first seen her in it. Of lavender silk, the low-cut bodice revealed a great deal of her chest and shoulders. The dress boasted expansive demigigot sleeves while the equally full skirts were intricately beaded and the narrow waistline was banded with darker velvet and a bow. She wore amethyst and diamond jewelry to complete the ensemble. Surely Alexi would notice her now.

As he guided her to the front door, Jack whispered, “I wonder, Elysse, just whom are you wearing that dress for?”

She flushed and glared at him. Elysse kept her voice low. “I have no idea what you mean.”

He grinned at her. “After you, sister.”

Standing at the front door with Cliff and Amanda was the guest of honor.

Alexi looked directly at her. Elysse paused behind her parents, trying not to make a sharp sound. She hadn’t seen Alexi in formal evening wear in years. He was so devastatingly handsome, so impossibly male. Now she knew she hadn’t imagined the desire she had felt earlier in the week. Her heart leaped. If she wasn’t careful, he would guess that she had somehow become terribly attracted to him. Suddenly, when she was usually the queen of every ball and the center of so much attention, she did not know what to do. How on earth could she get him to realize that she was a beautiful woman?

She dared to glance at him again. Although he moved to greet her parents, his gaze was unwavering upon her.

She wondered if he knew about her second outing with Montgomery. It was now her turn to greet their hosts. She kissed Amanda’s cheek, murmuring a greeting, and smiled at Cliff. Even as she gave Cliff her hand, she felt Alexi staring at her. Heat crested in her cheeks. Slowly, she looked up.

“Hello, Elysse.” He spoke softly—intimately—taking her entirely by surprise. “You are stunning tonight. Clearly, you will be the belle of this ball.”

She knew he meant it and she smiled at him, thrilled. “And you are so very handsome in your tuxedo, Alexi. Surely you are the most dashing gentleman here.”

She thought she saw some amusement in his blue eyes, but she couldn’t be certain. His dark brows lifted. “Is Jack your escort?”

She felt her tension escalate and she wet her lips. “I don’t have an escort,” she managed. “So we are no longer arguing?”

His gaze held her own regard. “We are not arguing. I don’t want to fight with you.”

She smiled happily, but she was aware of remaining incredibly nervous. “Do you really like my dress?”

His long, thick, black lashes lowered. It was a moment before she realized that his gaze had moved down her bodice before jerking back up to her face. A slight flush marked his high cheekbones. “Of course I like the dress. Every man here will like the dress. It is indecent on an unwed woman, Elysse.” His tone seemed rough.

Before she could protest that his claim was absurd, he said, “But when you chose it, you knew that you would attract even more attention than you usually do.”

She trembled. She had chosen the dress to attract his attention, but she could hardly admit that. “Every woman dresses up for a ball, especially when there are so few these days.”

He did not respond and she realized they were holding up the line. She lowered her voice and said, “I heard that you are leaving for Cyprus soon.”

His gaze sharpened. Without turning, he said to Cliff, “Excuse us for a moment.”

“What are you doing?” she asked, as he pulled her from the front of the queue. They moved toward the long ebony console set against the pale stone wall. A tall, gilded baroque mirror was above it. In it, she saw their reflections—his serious, hers almost frightened. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Montgomery watching them, but she couldn’t care about that now.

“Yes, I will embark for Cyprus within days. How did you hear that?” he demanded.

She hesitated, not wanting to admit that Montgomery had told her.

He laughed. “As if I don’t know.”

“Are we going to argue again?” she cried, dismayed. “You have been so terribly preoccupied since your return, we have hardly had a word. I was hoping I might even have a dance with you,” she said. She felt her cheeks flame at the idea of having to ask him for a dance—and all because she wanted to be in his arms. She did not want to discuss Montgomery now. “You haven’t called.”

He avoided her eyes. “I have been busy.”

She hated Louisa Cochrane. How had that fat old hen caught his attention? “Were you planning to call and say goodbye, or did you mean to simply sail away for another two years?”

His gaze shot to hers, filled with surprise. “You sound accusing. Did you miss me, Elysse? Surely you were too busy with your five marriage proposals to ever think of me!”

She fumbled with her beaded purse. She had missed him, and she would miss him even more when he left this time. “I never expected you to stay away for so long,” she said, at a loss. His brows rose and she whispered, “Two and a half years is a very long time.”

After a long moment, he said, “Yes, it is.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to forgo the short run to Cyprus and back. “Why didn’t you come home?”

“I meant to do so after I returned from Canada, but I was offered a bonus for a timely run to Jamaica, and I could not refuse the agent.”

It had been business, she thought, but that did not make it any easier. “Are you ever homesick, when you are away?” What she wanted to know was if he had missed her.

His gaze widened. “Of course I am. I am homesick all of the time. It is lonely on the high seas, Elysse, especially on the night watch.”

She imagined him at the helm on his clipper ship in the Indian Ocean, the night black but bright and starry, the ship’s mainsails full, canvas moaning in the breeze. “I know how much you love the sea, how you love adventure.”

“Loneliness is a small price to pay,” he agreed. “The sea will always be my mistress.”

A naval captain’s daughter, she understood. “Don’t stay away again for so long,” she heard herself say. She flushed.

“Why would it matter, when you are so preoccupied with your parties and balls, and with your endless parade of suitors?”

“Of course it matters,” she said, his stare making her uncomfortable. “We are friends.”

“I wonder how many new suits there will be, by the time I next return?”

His tone was mild and she did not know what to say. “I am unwed. Of course there will be new suitors.”

“But every suitor does not rate a tour of Adare and a rest in our neighbor’s stables.”

He knew about her two outings with Montgomery. “It was raining,” she managed. “We had to escape the rain.”

His eyes flickered. “Of course, he behaved properly.”

She almost told him that Montgomery had looked at her as if he wanted to kiss her. “He was a perfect gentleman.”

Alexis glanced away. “Then you are very fortunate.” His gaze lifted to hers. “I asked you not to play him, Elysse.”

She was filled with guilt then. Was she “playing” William? “I do not play gentlemen. I am merely enjoying his suit. We have become friends.”

“Yes, you do play gentlemen, all the time, and you are excellent at it. I have watched you toy with male affections since you were a child.” He ignored her gasp of protest. “Now you are friends?” His tone was incredulous. “As we are friends?”

She felt as if she were being backed into a corner. “William is a friend. Of course, I hardly know him as well as I know you.”