If you missed Part 1 of Leyla’s story, CLICK HERE.
Leyla blinked. “Must I repeat what I just told your friend?”
“No.” Dylan leaned in closer. “For, while my friend was joking about proposing to you, I am not. Though I don’t believe I will be asking you tonight. In fact, I hope and plan on winning you over during this next week. After all, you are stuck here until the house party is over. I know your parents would not allow you to leave early. Not with them hoping for the same thing that I find myself hoping to convince you of. By the end of this week, you will be eager and anxious to accept me.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know me.”
“Don’t know you? We have been in communication for months. I have been open and honest in everything I have written to you and I believe you reciprocated. Have I not been your close confidant all these months? When you wrote about that argument with your sister, I helped. Did I not? You said I did.”
Leyla touched his hand, momentarily forgetting where they were. “You have indeed been the one I have turned to.”
“I have begun to anticipate the arrival of your letters.” Dylan daringly took firm hold of her hand. “Even postponing engagements and meetings, knowing they would be arriving.”
“You have?” She whispered.
He gave the slightest of nods. “You are a very punctual correspondent.”
“My Lord.” A petite, ringletted young miss eagerly approached where they were sitting. Leyla hastily withdrew her hand, instantly aware of how they may have been perceived by the rest of the guests milling about the sitting room. Dylan stood and gave a bow. “Miss Traymore, what a delight that you and your parents were able to attend.”
The girl tapped his arm followed by a flirty giggle. “Oh, Mama fairly swooned upon receiving your invitation. Though I do not know who of us was more flattered, Papa or I. For I have often recalled our stroll through the garden at the Grey’s picnic.”
Dylan bowed again as he turned to motion to Leyla, who had also reluctantly risen. “Miss Ristone, allow me to introduce Miss Traymore. Miss Traymore, Miss Ristone.”
Leyla gave her a nod. “A pleasure, Miss Traymore.”
“Oh, likewise. I love meeting any friend of Lord Cavendish. You have all become so dear to me, as if we will all be close forever.” Miss Traymore simpered, hooking her hand in Dylan’s arm.
Leyla merely raised an eyebrow at him. However, he remained a complete gentleman, not shrugging the nuisancy girl off.
“Lord Cavendish, I see my mother waving us over. Do say you will come welcome her.”
It was only then that Leyla caught his hesitancy. Yet he did not decline Miss Traymore. Instead he speared Leyla with a sharp look. “We will finish this later. Perhaps at our original appointment time?”
Drawing up her best composed smile, she inclined her head. “Of course. We wouldn’t want your reputation to be marred by mere business.”
Once again Miss Traymore interrupted. “Oh. Your family does business with the Cavendish family as well? How delightful.”
“Miss Ristone.” Dylan’s voice was deeper, less playful than it had been when she had first stormed in. Miss Traymore must have missed the scene.
“My Lord.” Miss Traymore insistently tugged on his arm. “My mother is waiting.”
“Yes.”
Leyla slowly sank back down onto the couch to try to sift through the sharp jealousy toward the blonde beauty now on Dylan’s arm. She had come to the house party expecting to find an arrogant Lord ready and willing to help her break any hopes her parents had at a union between the two families. Instead, she was faced with him and she was intrigued.
She must have been lost in her musings for longer than she expected, for she was surprised when Miss Traymore daintily plopped down next to her with the brightest smile she had ever encountered.
“Miss Ristone. I must declare how excited I am to meet and become bosom friends with one of Dylan’s female friends. He has so many male friends. It is so difficult to keep track of them all. I just know the two of us will become the greatest of friends, given how close I am to be to the Cavendish family.”
“Indeed?” Leyla could not keep the surprise from her tone. “Do you meet many of Lord Cavendish’s female friends in circumstances such as this?”
“At intimate gatherings? Of course, how else?” The girl simpered, batting her eyes and keeping the delighted smile firmly fixed on Leyla.
Leyla shook her head. “You misunderstand. I meant, do you often accost guest’s of your host as soon as he has left them. Forgive me, if I was unclear.”
It was clear that the girl was floundering in uncertainty as she tried to assess Leyla’s exuberant grin. “Surely you have heard the rumors of our understanding.” Miss Traymore leaned in and giggled, as if she were bestoying Leyla with a secret.
“No.” Leyla gave a kindly smile. “Nor do I give any credence to rumors. Far too many stray from any truth whatsoever. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Miss Traymore appeared nonplussed for a moment until she gave a short nod. “A true pleasure talking with you. Now I find that I must return before he misses me too much.”
“Indeed. We wouldn’t want that.”
Again Leyla watched the girl walk away, studying Dylan’s reception of Miss Traymore’s hand once again snaring his arm. As she was taking in her observations, Dylan’s eye caught hers and his eyebrow subtly rose in question.
Instead of taking him up on the challenge she saw in his eyes she made her way over to Lord Ellington, who delightedly turned her way when he noticed her approaching.
“Miss Ristone. A delight! I was just telling my companions of your stunning and rapturous beauty. Please allow me to introduce them to you.”
In seconds, as she was curtsying and nodding to the group of men, Dylan appeared opposite her.
She smiled at him as he greeted them all, ignoring her for the moment.
It was a tall, gangly young man who spoke first. “Saw you were cornered again by the lovely Traymore girl. How did you manage to escape her so quickly?”
Another chimed in. “Why did you invite her at all?”
“Oh come now, gentlemen.” Leyla chided softly. “Surely you see the advantages of inviting the daughter of a prospective business partner.”
Several of the men in the circle shifted their feet and glanced between Leyla and Dylan.
After allowing for several seconds of drawn silence, she added with a light breezy laugh, “After all, you wouldn’t have the pleasure of my company either if not for my father’s business endeavors.”
Most of the men, including Lord Ellington, were quick to tell her how wonderful her company was. However, Leyla found she could not move her gaze away from the brightly amused eyes of Dylan Cavendish.
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