His efforts were rewarded when his feet remained still and he didn’t draw any ire down upon his head. He felt slightly more in control of himself until the Simmons ladies were announced and then once again, he had to exert an effort to control his feet.
As someone who prided himself on his intellect, he was experiencing serious disquiet over the state of his own mind. The urge to run to Lucy’s side was strong but he managed not to disgrace himself completely despite the swiftness of his pace as he approached Lady Isabelle and Lucy when they reached the bottom of the stairs leading into the ballroom.
“Good evening, my lady, Lucy,” Roderick greeted, bowing to each woman in turn. “You are both looking lovely,” he said. He knew he sounded trite but he couldn’t help that. He needed to get through the necessary niceties before he could pull Lucy aside and warn her that she might be facing danger. In a crowded ballroom, the only way to do that would be in a dance – preferably the newly accepted waltz, as it was the only dance that guaranteed they wouldn’t be separated nor have to perform any intricate footwork for the entire length of the number. A cotillion might do if there weren’t to be any waltzes but that required a bit more thought and he worried, despite how intelligent he knew Lucy to be, she might be distracted from the steps by their conversation.
He ought to have known better, though. The girl had probably been dancing since she had learned to walk. It was unlikely she would ever miss a step, especially not in one of the older dances. She might actually be at more risk in the waltz.
Roderick shook his head slightly even as he listened to the ladies’ polite chatter. He was being ridiculous and he had to accept that.
With another bow, he broke into the conversation. “Have you committed yourself to any of the dances yet this evening, Miss Simmons? Might I have the pleasure of your hand?”
“Of course, Mr. Northcott,” Lucy answered immediately with a smile that stretched her face wider than usual, making Roderick’s heart do illogical things. “It would be my pleasure. It sounds like a country dance might be just about to begin.”
“Not this one, then,” Roderick blurted, heat flooding his cheeks. “My apologies. That was rude.”
Lucy laughed but countered with another offer. “I’ve heard the supper dance is to be a waltz. And I’ve received permission to dance it. Have you learned the steps?”
It was as though she had read his mind and knew he wanted to tell her something. But the supper dance would surely be at least an hour away. Roderick wasn’t sure if he could wait that long. He took a deep breath to quell his impatience. As a scientist such reactions were unusual for him. He thought he was better able to manage himself than that. Mortification threatened to swamp him.
“Why don’t you take both?” Lady Isabelle interjected into their conversation with a smile. “But that’s the limit. We wouldn’t want any uninvited gossip, would we?”
Roderick couldn’t understand what the viscountess was trying to imply with her coy tone but he knew there was some sort of underlying message that he wasn’t receiving. From the roll of Lucy’s expressive eyes, though, he could tell that she did.
“If Mr. Northcott would wish to dance with me twice, I am amenable,” she said with a crooked smile that was even more endearing to Roderick than her first, welcoming grin.
Without bothering to say anything further, Rod bowed to Lady Isabelle and then grabbed Lucy’s hand.
“It’s not ideal but I’ll make do,” he murmured to Lucy as they joined the other dancers. “I have much to tell you. Most of it will have to wait,” he said in a rush. “But you might be in danger and I need you to be careful.”
Lucy blinked but didn’t go into hysterics or any other missish sort of overreaction he might have received from some other young woman. Roderick’s admiration for her increased.Why couldn’t she be the sort who applauded intellect?he asked himself rather desperately, as the dance separated them for a moment. He watched her smile and nod to her next partner. No one looking at her would be able to tell that her mind was likely whirring with all the possibilities of what Roderick had just told her.
Turning his attention as firmly as possible to other matters for the moment, Roderick tried to refocus his attention on his search for a bride, despite the other serious matter he was preoccupied with. He couldn’t allow Gilbert’s work to interfere with his own important matters. Even if others didn’t appreciate how vital his friends’ research was, Roderick knew and was determined to support it in the best way he knew how. For that he needed a well-dowered wife.
Where were the women he was considering? All his mind wanted to occupy itself with was Lucy Scranton, which was foolishness personified.
The woman in his arms wasn’t an option as she was a pleasant but nearly penniless young daughter of a busy baron from Cornwall. She was fine as a dance partner while he waited for Lucy’s return, but not someone he could seriously pursue for matrimony.
Miss Bastion had been dancing with Lord Philips but was now partnered with Mr. Callaghan. Which meant that it was Lord Philips’ invitation she had accepted. Interesting. Roderick recalled that Miss Bastion had told him she didn’t prefer to dance. Perhaps she had changed her mind? Unlikely since it was only that same week that she had told him such. Or perhaps it was Lord Philips partnership she enjoyed. It was possible she was hoping to retain her fortune to trade it for a title.
Roderick couldn’t begrudge her whatever she wished to do with her funds despite his personal designs upon them. He wasn’t invested in her as an individual in an emotional sense at this point, so it wasn’t going to hurt his feelings if she had turned her attention to someone. Of course, he could be reading far too much into a simple country dance.
But then Lucy was back to partner him and his heart lifted, all thought of his need to secure funding for his foundation of studies for his scholarly friends set aside for the moment.
“Are we truly in danger?”
Lucy practically breathed the words in a voice only he could hear, just above the sound of the music. A shiver chased its way down his spine in a rather delicious slither. Roderick had to close his eyes. How could he even be thinking such words as delicious slither? He was a scientist! Or so he had thought. Not a simple-minded pimple-faced youth chasing after his first maiden. And yet here he was turning brainless over a beautiful woman’s ability not to go into hysterics.
Focus, Northcott,he ordered himself.
“Not for certain, Luce, it’s just a possibility,” he finally answered her. He didn’t have her ability to whisper without moving his lips but he hoped he wasn’t drawing attention to their conversation. “I’ll tell you more later, I swear it to you. And we will have to meet tomorrow to come up with a plan of action. Are you receiving again tomorrow?”
Lucy shook her head. “No, I forgot when I saw you yesterday. Isabelle and I will be making calls ourselves. But I could take a stroll with you when we return. Belle will read more into it than intended but that cannot be helped, I suppose.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play daft, Roderick, you aren’t good at it,” Lucy said with a laugh and a roll of her eyes. But Roderick wasn’t playing, so he merely stared at her with his eyebrows elevated, still keeping the steps seamlessly.
Lucy laughed again. “She’s going to think you’re courting me, and that I’m allowing it, when I tell her you are coming to escort me again.”
