A Midsummer Night's Kiss (Howertys #1)

Chapter 9: A Moonlit Balcony

"The evening has been quite a success." Jessica smiled at Angel as they had a brief respite from their admiring suitors. After Jessica had mentioned that they were parched, all the men had offered to get them refreshments simultaneously and then had rushed off to get some.

"I can scarcely believe it," Angel admitted. "I have danced almost every single dance tonight."

"Believe it! You're a tremendous success!"

Her cheeks heated. "Philip doesn't like it."

"Sodding Philip," Jessica said vehemently, making Angel burst into laughter. Her friend smiled sheepishly. "I know he's your intended, but he seems rather disagreeable."

"He is unhappy with me." Despite the topic, Angel couldn't stop smiling. Her mood was too good to let Philip's foul temper bring it down.

"Oh lord." Jessica stiffened, staring at something across the room.

"What is the matter?" Her friend was usually so relaxed, she wasn't sure what to make of her quick change.

"Nothing!" With flushed cheeks, Jessica moved in front of Angel, leaving her back towards the crowd. "Is Nathaniel coming this way?"

She peered around her friend to see Nathaniel winding his way between the guests. His height made him easy to spot as his dark hair reached slightly above most.

"Is he alone?"

"No, there is another man with him." It wasn't anyone she recognised from introductions, and she wondered who it might be. Jessica obviously knew them.

Her friend let out a groan before turning back to face the approaching men, muttering something under her breath. A moment later, Nathaniel and his companion reached them. Both men towered over Angel, and she noted that the newcomer was nearly as handsome as Nathaniel. His dark brown hair was unruly, swept back from his brow in a style that seemed careless but probably took a fair amount of preparation. They made introductions. He was Jacob Hurst, the Earl of Wortham, and apparently an old friend of the Howerty family.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lord." Angel curtsied.

"The pleasure is all mine," Lord Wortham replied with a dazzling smile, his blue eyes glittering.

There was a clattering noise by her side, and she realised Jessica had dropped her fan. Lord Wortham quickly bent to pick it up and handed it to her friend with a teasing grin.

"I believe you dropped this."

Jessica all but snatched the fan out of his hand with a terse, "Thank you."

The gentlemen who had been hovering around them most of the evening chose that moment to return with refreshments, making Angel feel as if they were beset by a murder of crows flapping their tailcoats in the wind. Her throat dry, she accepted a drink from one man. The ballroom was hot and crowded, even with the doors to the terrace and garden wide open. Nathaniel and his friend remained in the group, joining in the conversations. It was interesting to see the change in her usually graceful friend as Jessica dropped her fan several times, almost spilt the contents of her glass over her dress, and stepped on the toes of several gentlemen.

There were too many people gathered in too small a space, and after a short while, Angel excused herself and walked out onto the terrace for some fresh air. Crowded rooms always made her uneasy. It was wonderful to step outside, where a light breeze played with the leaves of the trees growing in the garden.

"I don't like what you're doing."

She spun around at the terse voice, coming face to face with Philip. With his brow knotted and his eyes dark, he looked far from pleased.