Her eyes lit up with excitement, but almost immediately, she deflated. “I can’t Dale. I know nothing about the social etiquette or the dances of this period. And you move in such elevated circles... I will do something wrong and embarrass us both. No, I think it is better if we stay clear of any social events. In fact, I’m beginning to think it was a mistake to come to London at all. I thought we could do it in anonymity. Now I feel so exposed.”
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Livvy. We could refuse all invitations and callers, or even go back to the country. But I suspect you’ll want to see a little more of my world, and that won’t be possible if we just hide ourselves in the countryside. Besides, that will only increase people’s curiosity.”
“Oh, no.” Olivia leaned her forehead on his chest and Dale rubbed her back in comforting circles.
“I’m afraid, Dale. I don’t know what I’m getting into. So far, I’ve only considered the effects on me and you, but the more people I meet, the bigger the effect I have on others. And I don’t know what the consequences of my actions could be. All I know is that I don’t belong here.”
It hurt to hear her say she didn’t belong here. For him, nobody had ever belonged more in his life, but he understood what she meant. “If your fear is that you will do something wrong, don’t concern yourself about that. I can coach you in etiquette and dancing and any other subject you need to know to navigate any event successfully. And if you make a mistake here or there, it won’t signify. The most important thing is to act confidently, even if you don’t feel it. Never let them see doubt or fear. You are a very smart woman, Livvy. I am sure you can do this.”
His confidence seemed to reassure her, but she still looked nervous.
“What about you Dale?” she asked. “Do you want to return? You have avoided society for years. Are you sure this is what you want, or are you doing it only for my sake?”
He thought about it for a moment before answering. “It is not comfortable. I was used to my solitude and tranquility. But I think it is time.”
“Oh Dale, I have disrupted your life so much. I’m sorry for all the chaos I’ve brought.”
“Hush, no. Don’t apologize. I am glad for the disruption. I needed it.” He offered her a tender smile. “And I’m glad to have met you. I don’t regret that in the least.”
“Neither do I. You have turned what could have been the scariest, most disastrous experience of my life into something magical. Sometimes I imagine what it could have been like if you hadn’t taken me in, and I shudder to think about it.”
“Don’t think about it then. I only want you to shudder from pleasure, not fear.”
In answer, she smiled and placed a quick peck on his lips. God, how he loved these little gestures of affection. It came so naturally to her he doubted she even noticed. But for him, every brief touch, kiss, and caress was more precious than gemstones. He hoarded them all in his heart like a miser collecting treasure.
He looked down at her smiling face, her arms draped softly over his shoulders, and he felt a compulsion to dance with her. It would be worth it to attend a ball, just to have the pleasure of waltzing with her. To whirl with her smoothly across a dance floor carried by the torrent of sound from an orchestra. He hadn’t danced in years, even though he had once enjoyed it.
“I want to dance with you.” The words felt like air on his lips, as if he hadn’t said them at all. He hadn’t meant to voice his thoughts.
But he must have, because Olivia answered.
Her brow puckered a little in confusion, and a small smile played on her lips. “Now? But there’s no music.”
“It doesn’t matter. If we are to go out in society, you need to practice. Come.”
He took her hand and guided her to a room at the back of the first floor. It was a spacious room, spanning the width of the house. Three enormous chandeliers hung from the ornate ceiling, and three glass double doors opened to a terrace and the gardens beyond. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a scattering of sofas and armchairs around the perimeter. On one end, there was a grand piano on a dais.
“The ballroom,” he said, waving his hand to encompass the room. Then, executing a perfect bow, he took her hand, kissed it and continued. “Welcome to your first London Ball, Duchess.”
