Chapter 108

DAN was smiling happily at Lady Caroline as she was trying to control the anger that was sipping through her face. Her face blushed and her eyes were hard. Nothing can make me happier than seeing a woman scorned, Dan thought before he was offering his hand to Caroline.
“Shall we dance, my lady?” he said as Lord Hurst was seeing all the reaction that Caroline wanted to show. But she cannot since there was a Lord in her company. And that was not her father.
“I am sorry, my lord, but my feet…”
“Will be eager to dance with you. Go on, my dear, do not be shy and have fun, yes?” Lord Hurst said as he was giving Caroline to Dan. The Viscount smiled before he led Caroline to the dance floor.
“Don’t assume that I wanted to dance with you, my lord. I accept because I am being polite, not because I like you,” Caroline whispered to him before Dan smiled hearing her confession. Seriously, this woman was much more than meets the eye.
“Well, I hope you do be grateful when I was helping you the other night then,” Dan said as the musician was playing the waltz music. He put his hand on Caroline’s waist and the other gripped her hand.
Caroline smiled at him as if to say that she was happy to be dancing with a Viscount on the dancefloor on her birthday but Dan knew better.
She was trying to conceal her anger right now as her eyes were focusing on his handsome face before they were dancing across the ballroom.
“But I must say, my lord, I did owe you a thank you for saving me the other night. So, thank you,” Caroline said as Dan was twirling her out of his hand before pulling her in again.
“Hmm, I don’t think verbal thank you would be enough. I wanted you to do something for me in return for my good grace,” Dan whispered to her as she was glancing over her shoulder to look at him. Caroline arched an eyebrow.
“And what would that be, my lord? I hope it was nothing too burdensome for me?” Caroline jested before they were facing each other again. Dan blinked his eyes before he chuckled lowly at Caroline’s weird behavior.
What an intriguing character, he mused before the music ended and they bowed to each other.
“I will assure you that it would not be a burden at all,” Dan said but Caroline was narrowing her eyes at him.
So much for being a Lady in a polite company, he mused but of course, that was a part of her charm.
“Well, if you excuse me, my lord, I will need to get going then. There are many people that I need to meet before my mother will be pestering me with some more,” Caroline said before she bowed to Dan.
Her skirts rustled as she turned to make her way to the end of the ballroom, meeting with a group of people as Dan was smiling at her retreating figure.
Soon, my dear, and you will be mine, he thought as the demon inside him purred at the thought. Dan left the dance floor before he made his way to meet one and only Lord Hurst.

“YOU look stunning, my dear. And let’s not forget, the Viscount of Vyckos asked you to dance with him for your first dance tonight,” her mother whispered to Caroline as she smiled shyly at her.
Why does my mother have to notice that? Now she will be hoping that the Viscount will be coming for my hands in marriage! Ugh, I hate this, Caroline mused before she was smiling and sipped her champagne as she was looking at the young woman that was the same age as her.
Her name was Lady Ava Randolph and she looked as bored as Caroline was. Time to make new friends, Caroline mused before she was sitting next to that lady. The young woman was oblivious to her before she cleared her throat.
“Hi, you must be Ava, right?” Caroline said as she was smiling at the young woman who was next to her. She has brown hair and brown eyes but something about her plain looks was not plain. It has something that Caroline did not have and she did not even know what it was.
“Yeah, that’s my name. And you are?” Ava asked her before Caroline was smiling at her.
“I’m Lady Caroline Hurst. Nice to meet you,” she said as she was bowing her head to Ava before the other lady bowed her head as well.
“A pleasure,” Ava replied before they were looking around the ballroom again. Caroline sipped on her champagne before Ava sighed.
“Not having fun?” she asked as she was looking at the brunette. Ava shook her head before she was smiling.
“No offense, but my parents forced me to come and wear this ridiculous dress. If it was up to me, I would be in the north, wasting my time just sitting in a library with a good book,” Ava said before she sighed.
“But of course, my mother thought that it would be a good idea to find myself a groom since I am of an age now,” Ava said as she air-quoted on the word ‘groom’. Caroline chuckled before Ava smiled at her as well. Then, the young lady was taking champagne from the passing server as she was sipping on it.
“So, what’s your deal? I see that your father has left the ballroom with a man,” Ava said before Caroline was looking at her sharply.
“What? When did you see it?” Caroline asked Ava before she told her that it was a few moments ago.
“Do you know how he looked like?” Caroline asked before Ava shrugged.
“It was dim and everything was the same. He wore a black suit, that’s for sure,” she said before Caroline was gripping the champagne in her hand. Please let it not be the Viscount, please, please, please! She prayed but of course, Fate was a funny thing.
The more we don’t want something, that’s what we get the most, and Caroline was about to find that out on her own.

“SO, you mean to say that you have set your eyes on my daughter. Is that correct, my lord?” Lord Hurst said as Dan was sitting across his mahogany desk before the old man was pouring them some ale and gave one glass to Dan. He took it before he was swirling the liquor around.
“Yes, that would be correct,” Dan said before he was looking at the old man. Lord Hurst arched his eyebrow before he sighed and leaned back in his chair after he took it.
“And what is your intention from all this?” Lord Hurst said before Dan was sipping on the ale. It was not what he used to, with blood-laced in every drink, but it will do for now. It is the main issue here that what’s matters, he mused before he cleared his throat.
“I have met your daughter before. And I know that ever since I laid my eyes on her that night, I know that she was the one for me. My heart cannot bear it if I did not make her my wife as soon as I uncover her identity,” Dan said before Lord Hurst arched both of his eyebrows.
“Wait, where did you say you met my daughter, my lord?” Lord Hurst asked Dan before he was swirling his drink.
“Did you ask her where she was two nights ago?” Dan asked before Lord Hurst was deep in thought. Then, Dan added the pressure onto the old man.
“She was wandering alone around in the night market. If she had known that she would be attacked by a group of thieves who has more than an intention to take her things, she would not be standing here, in the ballroom, talking with your wife. So, if you wanted to know the real story on how I met her, you should ask your daughter,” Dan said before he finished the drink and stood up, ready to leave.
“I will be waiting for your reply then, Lord Hurst. Have a good night,” Dan said before he excused himself from the study room. He knows that was a dick move but he had to do it. He has to use that wild card.
Besides, there was no harm in telling the truth, right?
Dan made his way to the front door where a footman was holding his coat and a hat. He turned to look at the lord of the house before he was tipping his hat at him. Then, he was off to get into his carriage that was waiting outside the mansion.
The footman opened the door of his carriage before Dan was slipping inside. Then, he tapped the roof with his cane and the horses neighed before the carriage moved forward.
Now, it is your turn, my dear. I hope you like my present, Dan mused as he was thinking of Caroline and how her birthday ball has been a proposal ball from Dan’s side. The Viscount smirked, wanting to know what will Lady Caroline thought of his asking for her hands in marriage.