"I feel quite like a girl again, dearest."
"And look like one too," the earl said.
"Diana, my dear girl!"The countess smiled dazzlingly at her. "Don't you think it quite heavenly? I absolutely forbid you to sit out for even one dance. I hope you have no such plans.Or you, Jack.I would consider it a personal insult."
The Marquess of Kenwood bowed and smiled. "I would not dream of disobeying you,ma'am." he said, "even if I had any intention of missing any of the dancing."
She patted his arm with one heavily ringed hand and looked at her husband. "I believe the next set is ours, dearest," she said.' 'Wewill be forced to abandon the two of you, I'm afraid. But mind, you are not to sit it out, either of you.''
"Would you care to dance, Diana?"
"I have promised this set to Mr. Peabody."
The marquess and Diana spoke simultaneously.
"Ah," Lord Kenwood said, with that gleam in his eye that always made Diana feel indignant—except when she had started to like it for a few mad days. "Perhaps the next set?"
"It is promised to Ernest," she said.
"Hm."He looked at her assessingly, a definite curl to his lip as the earl led his wife away. "And if I keep on going, will there be a partner for each dance, Diana? If so, do tell me now. I shall feel remarkably foolish repeating the words 'Perhaps the next?' a dozen times."
"The set after is free," she said, looking coolly about her.
"It is rather pointless trying to look like an ice maiden in present company, don't you think, Diana?" the marquess asked. He sounded amused, she was irritated to hear. "One is reminded of the man who shut the proverbial stable doors after the horse had fled."
He was toying with the handle of his quizzing glass. If he dared raise it ... If he just dared!
He raised it to his eye.
"Ah," he said, "I see the smallest indication of anger now that you are magnified threefold. That isbetter,I see your swain is on the way to claim your hand. Is there to be an announcement later? Mrs. Diana Peabody. Not quite as distinguished as Mrs. Diana Ingram, perhaps, but not disastrous."
Diana gave him as cold and as dignified a look as she was capable of before turning to smile at Mr. Peabody.
15
During dinner and the first few sets of the ball, no guest was merrier than Angela Wickenham. Almost all the young gentlemen guests at Rotherham Hall were attentive, and so were Mr. Simon Pierce and other young men of the neighborhood. It was alla dream cometrue, considering the fact that she was only just eighteen and had not yet tasted any other adult entertainments.
She did not want to dance with Lord Crensford. She hated him. He was stuffy and bad-tempered, and he had never made any secret of his dislike and contempt for her. The farther she was from him, the happier she would be.
And he was really not so very handsome after all. In fact, he was not handsome at all. He had just looked so to her fourteen-year-old eyes when she had come for Claudia's wedding. And he had remained so in her imagination for the four years since. But if she looked at him objectively now, she could see that there were at least half a dozen gentlemen in the ballroom who were more handsome than he.Perhaps even a dozen.
She did not want to dance with him. But it was one thing not to want to do so and quite another not to be given a chance to do so. Lord Crensford did not come near her during the first three sets, and after that it was perfectly clear to her that he had no intention of doing so. She was not to have the satisfaction of refusing him.
When he danced with Diana, her determined merriment broke like a bubble. They were so obviously fond of each other. It was there in the eyes of both of them as they talked and smiled at each other. And Mrs. Ingram was so very lovely and graceful. And Lord Crensford never frowned at her or looked contemptuous or disapproving. He was in love with her.
"My dear."The Earl of Rotherham smiled apologetically down at Angela. "I fear I am not as young as I used to be. I shall have to sit down for a while. It is so very warm in here. I fear we are going to have a storm. Let me find you another partner to finish the set with you."
"Oh no, thank you," she said, smiling brightly up at him and wrinkling her nose.' 'I shall be very thankful for a short rest too, my lord. I am going to stand over by the windows and breathe in some fresh air."
But it was not so much the fresh air that she needed as a few minutes of solitude, a few minutes in which to collect herself. She stood to the side of one open doorway, half hidden by the heavy velvet drapery, and felt a raw ache at the back of her throat. She wanted to cry, she realized. For all the great popularity and success the evening was bringing her she felt a terrible loneliness.
"Sometimes the noise and the crush and the gaiety are almost overwhelming, are they not?" the Countess of Rotherham asked from beside her. She smiled in such a kindly way that Angela almost gave vent to her tears. "Do you know what I always do when I feel that way?"
Angela shook her head.
The countess chuckled. "I escape for a short time," she said. "Not long enough for anyone to remark upon my absence, but quite long enough for me to recover my spirits and come back here to enjoy myself again."
Angela smiled.
