•••
The opening set had already begun when Colin arrived at the ball that evening. He was late, thanks to lively dinner conversation with friends at White’s. Well, and perhaps there had been a bit of avoidance involved too. He had somehow managed when he took Miss Dunmore home earlier not to allow himself to be maneuvered into soliciting her hand for the first set and so sending an even more pointed message than he had already sent. He had left her excitedly recounting to her mama their meeting with his mother.
He danced the second set with a young lady introduced to him by Lady Arbinger, and the one after that with Lady Jessica Archer, who always seemed delighted to see him while it was clear she was in no way romantically attached to him—or to anyone else for that matter. She talked to him about the marriage mart with some disgust.
“I resent been looked upon as a commodity, Lord Hodges,” she said. “And I am vastly relieved that you do not look at me that way. Or anyone else as far as I have observed. You are a true gentleman.”
The first waltz of the evening came next. He had seen Elizabeth as soon as he stepped inside the ballroom, wearing her primrose ballgown again and looking as fresh as springtime, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling as she danced with Codaire. Colin had felt a bit ashamed of expressing his doubts about her choice yesterday when he had taken her walking. It was really none of his business whom she married. How was he to know what or who would make her happy?
She was standing now over by the French windows with her mother and an animated group of people whom Mrs. Westcott introduced to him when he approached as her brother and sister-in-law and her niece and nephew with the niece’s husband. He already had a nodding acquaintance with the latter two gentlemen. Elizabeth was still sparkling, though it seemed to Colin that some of her animation dimmed when he turned to her and asked if he might have the honor of the next set.
Perhaps he really had offended her.
“Yes,” she said. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”
“I have looked forward to this moment all day,” he told her quite truthfully when they had stepped out onto the dance floor.
She smiled at him. But…was there a little restraint in the smile? Or was he reading something into it that was not there?
“Did I say anything to offend you yesterday?” he asked her. “Forgive me if I did. I am sure you know better than I what you ought to do with the rest of your life.”
“I was not offended,” she said. “But I apologize for what I said too. You must choose whom you wish to marry, Colin, without being besieged by advice from someone who presumes to think she knows better who will suit you.”
“My mother came to the park again today,” he told her. “She came deliberately to see me—and to express for my ears and those of a significant number of thetonher approval of my courtship of Miss Dunmore.” Over her shoulder he could see that Codaire had joined Mrs. Westcott and her brother and sister-in-law. Presumably he did not intend to waltz himself. “How she knew about us or the fact that we were going to be there today, I have no idea. I wonder if she expected to find us there yesterday.”
“Oh, were you there today?” she asked. “I saw Lady Hodges. I was with Sir Geoffrey Codaire.”
“Yes,” he said. “You were driving away as we were arriving.”
“Butareyou courting Miss Dunmore?” she asked.
“I very much fear I may be now,” he said.
“Youfear?” She raised her eyebrows.
But the orchestra played a decisive chord at that moment and he took her in his arms and ignored the question. For the next several minutes he did not want to think about Miss Dunmore or marriage or his future as a more assertive Lord Hodges. They moved into the steps of the waltz.
“I have longed for this since the last ball,” he said after a minute or two had passed. “Dare I hope you have too?” He was smiling, trying to recapture the usual comfort he felt with her. Somehow it was eluding him. She seemed a bit…absent.
She hesitated slightly before answering. “Yes, I have,” she said. “You are lovely to waltz with, Colin.”
“And would you miss our dance if ever you were at a ball and I was not?” he asked her, persisting in foolishness.
There was definite hesitation now.
“Colin,” she said as he twirled her about one corner of the ballroom, “it is unofficial at the moment. No announcement will be made until after Alex and Wren arrive in town within the next day or two and a few letters have been written. But I am betrothed.”
He felt a bit as though someone had taken a hammer to his heart. He actually lost his breath for a moment. But of course she was. This was why she had come to town for the Season, and the Season was already a few weeks old. He had known. He had been expecting it.
“Codaire?” he asked.
“Sir Geoffrey Codaire, yes,” she said. “He asked me this afternoon and I said yes.”
This afternoon.
He forced himself to smile. “And you are happy?”
“Yes, I am,” she said. “It is what I have wanted.”
