‘I fear not,’ she said with an apologetic smile.
He caught the card in his hand. ‘But wait. A single blank line for a country dance.’ He reached for the little pencil. ‘Set to “The Happy Return”. A lovely tune, is it not?’
‘I do not know it,’ she said firmly.
‘You will catch on quick enough, I am sure.’ And then, he winked and walked away.
After he left his hosts, Sebastian walked to the refreshment table and accepted a glass of champagne from the waiter there. He pretended to focus on the drink in his hand, holding it up to the light and peering past it at the dance floor where the guest of honour was dancing.
Could it be coincidence? Could she have a twin? Perhaps he had been so addled by the fever during his recovery that he’d not gotten a proper look at his nurse and was imagining a resemblance.
No on all counts. It was her. He was sure of it. Two women might look similar, by accident or blood relation. But they wouldnot share the name. His Cassie, and Septon’s sister were one and the same.
He had searched for her for a year, and she’d been under his nose the whole time. He had lain awake nights, imagining the moment of rediscovery where he could apologize and tell her of the changes he’d made in his character to earn a second chance. God help him, he had been celibate for her, which could not have been healthy for him.
And she had obviously not given him a thought in the whole of the time. She had looked at him just now as if she’d never seen him in her life. Could it be amnesia of some kind? Had she nursed, kissed and abandoned so many men that he was forgotten in the crowd?
Or was she feigning ignorance in hope that he would go away and leave her alone?
If so, she was bound for disappointment. He had a good mind to storm out onto the floor, pull her away from her partner and demand an explanation, right now.
He took another sip of wine to cool his temper. It was not as if she could admit to knowing him in front of her brother. Nor would it do for him to publicly disgrace her while attempting to get an acknowledgement. If someone heard him announce that the last time they’d spoken was in his bedroom, unfortunate conclusions would be drawn. They’d be forced to marry immediately.
It was not as if he objected to marrying her. It had been his plan for months. But he wanted it to happen on his terms and after the courtship she deserved. He did not want to see yet another scandal attached to his name, or hers splashed across the gossip columns.
There was also the matter of her brother. He glanced in Septon’s direction, raising his glass to show he was enjoying the party, and not thinking about despoiling the fellow’s sister. Hehad known there was something keeping them apart. Julian was a formidable obstacle.
It was something the man would have to accept eventually. But tonight was far too soon.
So he had another drink, smiling and nodding, making polite chit-chat with the other guests, waiting out the time until his turn to dance arrived. Then, he set his glass aside and strolled towards her, giving no outward sign that he had been anticipating this moment for months. Arriving at her side, he bowed deeply and offered his hand. ‘Miss Fisk.’ He smiled. ‘Or may I call you Cassie?’
She looked baffled for a moment, as if she had not recognized her own name.
‘Your friends call you Cassie, do they not?’ He winked.
If he was expecting a knowing look in return, he did not get it. She was still looking at him with a polite smile, as if wondering what he was suggesting by winking at her. Then she said, ‘I am sorry. Is there something in your eye?’
‘Perhaps,’ he said, reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief. He dabbed it briefly and tucked the cloth away again. ‘And now, let us take our places before the music starts. We would not want to miss the opportunity.’
‘I am sure there shall be others,’ she said with the same, distant courtesy. ‘You are a duke, and on the guest lists of many people here in London. I doubt I shall be able to avoid you.’
‘Do you wish to?’ he said, taking her hand and leading her to her place in the set.
‘It is common knowledge that you are a rake,’ she said. ‘And not to be trusted in the company of ladies.’
He gave her an approving nod. ‘It makes one wonder why a gently bred girl would come into my house of her own free will.’ Then, he favoured her with a direct stare, waiting for the answer.
‘I cannot imagine a reason,’ she said, staring back at him with a faintly confused expression.
He had to hide his disappointment. It had been the perfect opportunity for her to offer a sly comment, an answering wink, or at least a change in smile to indicate their shared past. There had been nothing.
‘Let us dance, shall we?’ he said as the music began, offering a bow to her curtsy. It was a country dance and hardly intimate, but when they crossed each other, touching hands and circling, there were moments of shared intimacy. As they passed each other at the centre, he murmured, ‘It is a shame we could not share a waltz.’
He walked through the next steps, waiting until they met again for an answer. ‘Thank you, but I do not know if I will be allowed that dance,’ she said. Then, she was gone again.
‘Surely, you will not be so deprived,’ he responded on the next pass.
‘My brother is very strict,’ she said as they took hands and proceeded down the centre.
