“Your mother tells me your initial foray into society has beeneventful. Lord Finch making such a fool of himself, and his sister egging him on like that? There are some in society whose manners are lacking,” Eleanor paused, giving Charlotte and then Alaina an exasperated look. Alaina heard a scoff from the man behind her and felt insulted once more that he would include her in that group of ill-mannered lackwits. It was all she could do not to turn and glare at the gentleman.
Without giving Alaina or Charlotte time to respond, Eleanor continued. “Never fear, my dear. After the first few weeks of the season, gentlemen with more decorum tend to grace us, and the riffraff find themselves at the gaming tables instead of the ballroom.”
Alaina was about to respond when, unexpectedly, the dowager duchess peered past her and addressed the gentlemen who had been Alaina’s verbal sparring partner. “Christopher, where is my son off to? I had expected you both to be strutting around the ballroom together like a pair of peacocks.”
Alaina’s eyes widened as she suppressed a groan of embarrassment.She had been sparring with the Duke of Ashford’s friend!
“How rude of me,” Eleanor quickly course-corrected. “Alaina, I know you and Christopher were speaking when your mother and I joined you, but I doubt you have been properly introduced; Christopher is not one for such formalities. May I present Christopher, the Marquess of Rochester. Christopher, this is Lady Alaina Sinclair, the Earl of Norwich’s daughter, newly arrived from their country seat for the season.”
Alaina was glad the lighting in the ballroom was low, because her discomfiture was acute. Alaina felt a raw heat suffuse her whole body, hidden beneath the midnight hem of her dress, all the way to the crown of her head. She hoped the marquess did not notice; it would not do to have him report back to the duke on her actions. Her skin tingled with embarrassment as she met Christopher’s eyes to acknowledge the introduction.What a blunder!This man was the duke’s friend, and they had been practically at each other’s throats.
“Nice to make yourformalacquaintance, my lady,” Christopher rejoined.
“And you as well, my lord,” Alaina choked out what she hoped to be a graceful response.
Turning his attention back to the dowager duchess, Christopher answered her earlier question. “Eleanor, your son left me to fend for myself just after we arrived. I am sure he will be with us shortly.” Christopher finished his answer and moved his regard back to Alaina.
Still embarrassed by their unfinished argument, Alaina had trouble finding her tongue. Just when she thought she might burst from mortification and rattle off something about how the weather had been so pleasant today, there was a commotion to their right. A tall, dark-haired man approached through the crowd, his all-black ensemble only broken by his white shirt and cravat, tailored to show his tall and slim frame. Based on the amount of attention he attracted just by walking through the crowd, Alaina guessed him to be the Duke of Ashford. When he quickly approached the dowager duchess, placing a peck on her cheek, any remaining doubt was erased.
“Mother, how pleasant to see you at this ball. You should have told me you were going to be here; I would have escorted you.” A quick nod to Christopher and a sheepish smile seemed to convey an apology, though Alaina could not fathom for what.
“Nonsense, darling, I can make my own way to these events. How am I to catch up on the latest happenings if I am linked to you all evening?” Eleanor seemed like she would have been tickled by the duke’s escort, but Alaina had little time to consider this. “May I present to you Lady Alaina, the daughter of the Earl of Norwich, and her mother, the Countess of Norwich.”
The dowager motioned to both Alaina and her mother. The Duke of Ashford’s eyes lit up as he casually swept Alaina’s person. Alaina felt herself blush at his perusal and was captured by his rakish smile. The duke’s height rivaled that of the marquess, and Alaina found her eyes drawn to both.
“A pleasure, ladies,” the duke addressed both of them, keeping his eyes fixed on Alaina as he executed a very courtly and graceful bow for their benefit. Alaina and her mother returned his sentiments and curtsied to complete the circle’s formal introductions.
Alaina was unsure of just how to continue. She looked amongst her companions and found the duke and marquess studying her with different looks. There was a glean in the duke’s eyes that was calculated and sure, at ease with the situation. However, Alaina felt equally drawn to acknowledge and continue her exchange with Christopher. Breaking the connection with the duke, she glanced toward the marquess, who seemed to be brooding or wary, Alaina couldn’t quite tell.
Seeing her attention drawn in a different direction, the duke glanced to his side to find his friend intently staring at Lady Alaina.
“Christopher? Do you know Lady Alaina?”
“Yes, but not much longer than you,” came the marquess’s smooth reply. “We were engaged in quite a tête-à-tête before your mother and the countess arrived to rescue her.”
The duke’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked between the two, barely missing the quick glare that Alaina tossed Christopher’s way.
A gentle throat clearing broke the silence as Eleanor entered the fray once more. “Graham, darling, do you not think that it is time to liven up the party with a bit of dancing?”
The duke stared blankly at his mother for a moment or two longer than Alaina thought would be required to grasp his mother’s meaning, before he turned to her and executed a crisp bow once more. “Lady Alaina, would you do me the honor of the next dance? That is if it is not already spoken for by someone else.”
Alaina pointedly ignored the marquess as she smiled a bit too brightly toward the duke. “There is no one else, your grace, and I would be most honored to be your partner for the next dance.”
“Well then,” the duke said, presenting his arm to Alaina, “Shall we line up with the other couples?”
Alaina placed her hand on the duke’s proffered arm and did not even glance in the marquess’s direction as they passed him on their way to the dance floor. She would worry about the marquess later; it was time to impress the duke.
Chapter 3
Being swept around the ballroom in a waltz had its advantages.Alaina tried to focus on her partner. The first dance with the duke had been marvelous, but almost the entire time, she felt the weight of the marquess’s stare. Alaina could imagine him brooding in displeasure at the edge of the ballroom, lying in wait to flay her for her rudeness. And yet at every glance, his eyes were never in her direction. The duke was gracious and kind, and seemed to be genuinely interested in what she had to say — or was that just wishful thinking?Yes, a waltz allowed her to avoid looking toward the marquess too often.
“I do hope you like to ride?” The question from the duke brought her back from her thoughts. Looking up at such close range was just as difficult with the duke as it was with the marquess, but she managed to glance up and reply to his question without too much pause.
“Actually, my sister is the more accomplished equestrienne. I know the basics, of course, although Evelina always mentions that I look almost petrified every ride.” Alaina saw no point in being coy; riding was certainly not her favorite past-time, but it was a good way to spend time outdoors with her sister.
“Oh,” Graham cocked an eyebrow. “Well, perhaps you could join me for an easy ride in Hyde Park. We could just enjoy the sunshine and the company. My sister could join us. She loves to ride, is married, and would provide a proper chaperone.”
“That sounds very nice, as long as you understand that my lack of riding skills is not false modesty on my part, your grace.” Alaina looked into the duke’s eyes and saw a twinkle; clearly, he had a kind heart. He was handsome and seemed to enjoy real conversation.
