Part 38 (1/2)

Extraordinarily, Polly had missed Lord Henry's approach, so absorbed had she been in the romance of Lady Laura and Charles Far rant. Lucille had the grace to blush.

”Oh, Lord Henry! Perhaps we should not encourage them, but it seems such a pity for their hopes to be dashed...”

Henry grinned.

”Romance is most decidedly in the air tonight, is it not?”

He turned to Polly as though he had more pressing matters on his mind than his sister's future. The gravity of his salutation was belied by the wicked twinkle in his eyes and she felt the same breathless sense of antic.i.p.ation that had come over her at the House of Tides.

”Dance with me,” Henry said softly, persuasively, taking Polly's gloved hand and pulling her to her feet.

Lucille caught her husband's eye and smiled. ”Some of the company seem to have no need of Cupid's help,” she observed lightly.

Polly was feeling the same melting excitement that had possessed her when she saw Henry enter the ballroom, but this time his proximity intensified the feeling. He drew her into his arms as the waltz struck up. She could not tear her gaze away from his, from that grave but concentrated expression in his eyes as he considered her face upturned to his. They did not speak throughout the dance, yet Polly was sharply aware of him all the time. The touch of his hand on hers, the brush of his body against hers gave her an acute physical consciousness of him.

Polly was caught in so potent a spell she had no wish to break it.

When the dance ended. Henry did not escort her back to Lucille's side but to a love-seat in an alcove.

”Are you enjoying your day of uninterrupted pleasure, sir?” Polly asked lightly, smiling at him as she sat down.

”I have not yet had the opportunity to congratulate you on your second place in the race today! I hope you were not too disappointed to secede the cup to Mr Fitzgerald!”

Henry laughed.

”I have to concede to the better sailor! It's true I was disappointed--one is always aiming for the prize.”

There was something meaningful in his gaze that made the colour come into Polly's cheeks. She hoped he thought her a prize worth winning.

”I was also disappointed that you were not able to join us for luncheon,”

Henry said, after a moment.

”I understand that the Dowager Countess does not approve of the Queen's Head?”

Polly laughed.

”No, indeed! We tried to persuade her that it is a respectable hostelry but I think she feels it is little better than an alehouse!

But we did enjoy watching the race. It was a very beautiful day.”

”Everybody seems most glad that the amus.e.m.e.nt is continuing here tonight,”

Henry said, looking about with a smile, 'but then the Dowager Countess's entertainments are renowned! ” For a moment Polly thought of Mr Dit ton, the only person present who did not appear to be enjoying the evening. She almost told Henry about Dit ton's curious malevolence when he was watching Hetty and his peculiar familiarity with her, but then she dismissed the thought. Mr Dit ton's foibles were nothing to do with her after all.

”I hope,” Lord Henry said, turning back to her with a lazy smile, 'that you have recovered from the events of the night at the House of Tides.

It must have been a most disturbing experience for you. ” ”Finding Mr Dit ton creeping into my bedroom in the dark was indeed unpleasant,”

Polly agreed tartly.

”There were other events that night, however, that I found equally disturbing!”