“What’s wrong, Gideon?” Bonham let out a groaning laugh as he peered toward the front door.
The sound of giggles could be heard in the entry hall. “Brace yourself,” Gideon said with mirth. “We are about to come under siege.”
In the next moment, five feminine heads poked through the open door to the ballroom.
Bonham waved them in. “Come in, ladies. What do you think?”
Berry was the first to stroll in, her smile one of sheer delight. “The paint color is perfect. What do you think, Mr. Knight?”
Gideon thought she was the perfect one, for he really did not care about the color of the paint. If Berry chose it, then he was going to like it. “Exactly what I had in mind.”
“I see the floors are covered in cloths,” she said, delicately lifting one of the coverings. “Perhaps we ought to leave the matter of flooring for another day.”
He nodded. “Whatever you think best.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Are you always this agreeable in the mornings? It is quite irritating, you know.”
He grinned. “No worries, I am usually a growling bear. But it is very hard to growl at someone as kind and helpful as you.”
“Ah, yes. As to that… We need to teach you how to dance. That is most urgent,” Berry said. “All eyes will be on you at Lord Stanhope’s ball. Most will be cruel, just waiting for you to fail. You must prove them all wrong.”
“May I join you?” Bonham asked. “I know I will never be invited to a ball, but Gideon is not the only one who wishes to improve himself.”
Suzanna stepped forward, or perhaps her cousin had pushed her forward. “Um, I can teach you. That is…if you don’t mind my tutoring you, Mr. Bonham.”
He smiled at her. “I would be honored. Thank you, Miss Carstairs.”
Gideon let out a breath. Gad, what were they getting themselves into?
He had never seen such a look on Bonham’s face. It was all there. His hopes and dreams, his yearning for Suzanna.
Gideon felt the same about Berry, but he knew this could only lead to trouble. Hadn’t they just spent the last ten minutes cautioning each other?
It’s just a dance lesson. Make no more of it.
Yet they were ignoring every warning.
And now he, Bonham, and the five ladies walked over to Berry’s house for a morning of dancing.
Miranda sat at the pianoforte. “What shall I play for you, Berry?”
“Since the ball will likely open with a quadrille, that is the first dance we ought to teach the gentlemen.”
It turned out Miranda was quite proficient and played beautifully. But this was what made these ladies stand apart from commoners. They were well versed in the genteel arts.
Gwenys and Gwendolyn joined in as the third pair, since it was decided that Miranda’s niece needed some practice for her debut, too.
“We ought to have a fourth couple, but we can pretend they are here for now,” Berry said as they moved into position. But before nodding to Miranda to play a tune, she placed her hands on Gideon’s shoulders and then ran them down his arms. “First impressions are important, so before you ever take a step, everyone will be looking at your stance.”
“What is wrong with my stance?” The question was sincere, since Miss Feswick had gone over that lesson often enough and given his elbows a sharp rap with her baton if he did not have them pointed outward just the way she wanted.
Berry stared up at him with her big, beautiful eyes. “Your elbows are too far forward. Appearances are everything to theton. One must work hard at looking casual, as though one had been born with grace and self-possession. Arms loose. Elbows only slightly forward. Back straight, but not stiff.” She glanced at Bonham and nodded to Suzanna to get him in a proper stance, then continued. “Now present your right shoulder to the opposite dancer andglissade.”
Berry and Suzanna showed them how it was done.
Then Berry started tossing out more French words that he had learned from Miss Feswick, but they sounded so muchsweeter on Berry’s tongue.Chasse, jete, assemble.Advance. Cross back.
“I may have to sit this one out,” Gideon muttered, for Berry’s figures were more complex than those he had been taught, and how could a man not look foolish while hopping about like a rabbit?
