He bowed to the ladies.
“You really attended! Peter said you would, but I did not quite believe him.” Dahlia chuckled.
“I am very glad to be here. And if I might take this time to secure a dance from all four of you ladies? Mary? Claire? Lady Teresa? Lady Wilhelmina?” He raised his eyebrows at Dahlia. “Not you, I know.”
“In my youth, I would have given you a run for your money, Your Grace.” Lady Wilhelmina said with a wide grin. “But, alas, I would much rather watch these young people make a fool of themselves now.”
“Ah, that is a pity, indeed, I am sure I would have been a slave to that smile, my lady.”
“You are much too smooth for your own good, young man.” Lady Wilhelmina chuckled. “One day, you will find your match, and then you shall see that tongue of yours will be utterly speechless.”
“That shall be the day, grandmama,” Peter said, laughing.
“I will be glad to dance with you, Matteo,” Mary replied, smiling.
“You shall be my second dance, for my first is already promised to another.” Claire grinned.
“And who, pray tell, is this gentleman?”
The marquess bowed.
“The pleasure of dancing with Lady Claire is all mine, Your Grace.”
“He lost a bet.” The marchioness replied, chuckling.
They all laughed at this.
“I shall tell you about it later,” Dahlia said.
Matteo gestured to the swell of her stomach.
“And how is our little baby faring?”
“Very well, thank you. We have been eating quite often!”
“She will eat blueberry scones all day if you let her.” Peter chuckled, looking lovingly at Dahlia.
“Would you like something to drink? We must get you some refreshments.” Matteo said to the others.
They all thanked him, and he and Peter walked towards the refreshment table.
“I am glad that you are still a man of your word,” Peter said in an amused voice. “I had half expected you not to be here.”
“Good god, Peter, I have not been to a debutante’s ball in years.”
“If I am to suffer a debutante’s ball, then so must you,” Peter said, hiding his laughter.
“Why must we suffer at all?” Matteo asked almost wildly. “We have always managed to avoid these types of social events, why must we start attending now?”
“Dahlia will not appreciate my absence during the first ball of Mary and Claire’s second season. She must see me actually attending.”
“Is that right? I had thought that it wasyouwho did not want to lose sight of your lovely wife for even just a moment.” Matteo smirked.
Instead of his customary frown, Peter grinned.
Matteo shook his head; he still had not gotten used to this frequently smiling Peter.
“In any case, I have secured my three dances with your sisters and with Lady Teresa. Those three will have to suffice.”
