Part 8 (1/2)
She smiled and took his hand. ”Good evening, my lord,” she said as she crossed him.
”A very good evening indeed,” he said as they crossed again.
She smiled again as she stepped up, and then back, and then moved to her left to take the hand of her partner, Lord Angelsy.
Dear G.o.d, how had he missed her? She was breathtaking in an exquisitely embroidered blue satin gown that hugged her frame to its utmost advantage. Her golden hair was done up with a string of pearls that matched the teardrops at her ear lobes and her throat, and her eyes, her pale green eyes, seemed almost gray.
He hadn't realized she'd come out of mourning.
Jared went round with Elizabeth again, who said, ”I've very much enjoyed the work in the charity auction.”
”I'm very glad to hear it.” He'd left the work on the auction to his good friend Lady Bellingham, and knew only what he received in reports from his secretary, Mr. Bean. ”I understand things are progressing,” he added, and looked again to Lady Ava, letting go of Elizabeth's hand, turning left, and facing Lady Ava once again. As he took her hand he said, ”I didn't know you'd come out of mourning.”
She said nothing, just smiled up at him with sparkling greenish gray eyes as she crossed him. He took her hand again. ”You have not danced a waltz, have you?” he asked as they crossed. ”For you have promised it to me,” he reminded her as they stepped forward.
”Did I?” she asked airily as she stepped back. ”I don't recall.”
He grinned at her and turned to his right to meet Elizabeth again, who said, ”His grace the duke has said that you might expect as many as four hundred.”
”I beg your pardon?”
”Four hundred persons at the auction on Friday,” she clarified as he let her go and she turned right.
”As many as that?” he asked, and turned right, facing Lady Ava. He took her hand and squeezed it playfully. ”If you've promised the waltz away, I shall have to fight the gentleman for the right,” he said as they crossed, ”for it is mine, fairly bargained and won.”
She laughed, her teeth flas.h.i.+ng white between rose-colored lips, turned around, and offered her hand again. ”Is that how you scratched your cheek? Fighting for a waltz?”
He chuckled, stepped forward, then back, and turned left, to a stoic Elizabeth. She said nothing-juststared hurtfully at him as he took her hand. Would that this dance end! ”You must forgive me, LadyElizabeth. I am all at sixes and sevens trying to remember where to step.”
She nodded slightly as she crossed him.
Jared finished the dance without speaking to Lady Ava again, but he couldn't help overhearing her laugh of pleasure at something Angelsy said. He could well imagine the flirting between them-she was especially beautiful tonight, and any man with even a bit of a brain would realize the woman needed to make a match.
He really had no time to squander-for that and other more pressing reasons.
When the dance ended, he escorted Elizabeth to the side of the dance floor and excused himself, making some mention of gaming. As he walked from the room, he scanned the crowd, looking for Lady Ava, but she had disappeared from view. He was, he realized, surprisingly disappointed. There was something about the woman that continued to intrigue him.
But it was just as well-he really needed to find Miranda and a.s.sure himself that his father hadn't done anything to harm or upset her.
Ava found Phoebe in the company of Lady Purnam and her two friends, Lady Botswick and Lady Hogan. Predictably, Lady Purnam had been quite upset by Ava and Phoebe's decision to reenter society, and had insisted on accompanying them to the Clarence mid-Season ball when they received the invitation.
”Ah, there you are,” Lady Hogan said, reaching for Ava's hand. ”Oh my, how lovely you are. Was thatyour mother's gown?”
”No, I-””Phoebe was just telling us that your cousin, Greer, is Mrs. Smithington's traveling companion! What anagreeable occupation for her!”
”Yes, I think she enjoys it very much,” Ava said.
”I remarked to Lady Purnam that I thought it was something that perhaps the two of you might considerlikewise,” Lady Botswick said.Ava looked at Phoebe, then at Lady Botswick. ”Traveling companion?””Yes, of course,” Lady Botswick said, nodding her head so that the corkscrew curls at her ears bounced up and down. ”Traveling companion, or perhaps governess. Have you considered the position of governess?”
”I...No, we have not considered it,” Ava said. ”Ever.””Oh well,” Lady Botswick said, exchanging a look with Lady Purnam. ”I just a.s.sumed, what with yourcirc.u.mstances, you might have considered it.”
”Our circ.u.mstances?” Ava echoed, and looked at Lady Purnam. The woman turned a curious shade ofpink, and Ava understood instantly that she had betrayed their confidence and had told her friends oftheir lack of fortune. ”I can't imagine we'd have opportunity,” Ava said, turning her attention to LadyBotswick again. ”Phoebe and I hope to marry soon.”
For some reason that made Lady Hogan smile and Lady Purnam begin a very serious study of her
shoes. ”Ooh, I am certain that you do,” Lady Botswick said sympathetically.Her patronizing tone made Ava bristle. Apparently, she and Lady Hogan a.s.sumed-no doubt along withthe rest of the b.l.o.o.d.y ton-that she and Phoebe were no longer particularly marriageable.
”How lovely your gown,” Lady Botswick said, changing the subject. ”I think I should like a gla.s.s of wine.
Lady Hogan, would you care for a gla.s.s of wine?”
I would indeed.”
The two ladies excused themselves, leaving Phoebe and Ava to glare at Lady Purnam. ”You told them of our situation?” Ava asked. ”How could you?”
”I did no such thing!” Lady Purnam said, looking quite uncomfortable. ”When the subject came up, it was clear that they already knew. I am guilty in that I did not deny it.”
”Really, Lady Purnam.” Phoebe sighed.
”I wouldn't ask that you deny what is true, Lady Purnam, but I should hope that as our mother's dearest friend you would not confirm it,” Ava said sternly.
Lady Purnam looked very chagrined, and she grabbed Ava's wrist before she could turn away. ”You mustn't be so cross, dear. In truth, your situation seemed to be well understood by most long before even I knew of it.”
”I see,” Ava said coldly. ”The vultures gathered as soon as Mother died, did they? If you will please excuse us.”
”Ava, darling, please-”
”I really must speak with my sister.”
Lady Purnam sighed and dropped her hand from Ava's wrist. ”Very well. But you harm only yourself in pretending your situation is rosier than it is,” she said, a.s.suming a high-handed tone. ”It does you not a bit of good to flit about society as if things were the same as they were before your mother died, for they are not. Your situation has been drastically altered, and the sooner you accept it, the sooner you may find a proper situation.”
”Thank you for your unsolicited advice,” Ava said tightly, and grabbed Phoebe's hand, pulling her away from the stunned and meddlesome old woman.
”We are doomed,” Phoebe said, resigned.