Perhaps he and Bonham should not have mastered the steps so quickly, for Berry soon declared success and wanted to move on to teach them something she called theBoulangere. It sounded like another of those dances that would entail more hopping about like a rabbit.
Bonham suggested that he and Gideon ought to waltz with Gwendolyn and Gwenys, because wasn’t it rude to leave them out? And did Gwenys not need to practice the art of the waltz, too?
Berry gasped. “Yes, of course. How neglectful of me! Never mind about the Boulangere. We shall leave it for another day.”
Gideon and Bonham shared a waltz with Gwendolyn and Gwenys, and then Berry played the pianoforte while Miranda danced with Gideon.
“You are a cad, you know that,” Miranda whispered in his ear. “She was melting in your arms.”
He nodded. “I know, but I will never hurt Berry. I give you my oath.”
This seemed to mollify her.
However, Gideon took her warning to heart. There was a very strong attraction between him and Berry, one he would have acted upon were he anyone of rank.
But he wasn’t. He could not encourage these feelings beyond this harmless dance.
As the clock struck noon, he and Bonham bade the ladies farewell.
“Shall we resume the lessons tomorrow?” Berry asked, her gaze hopeful.
“I don’t know if I shall have the time,” he said. “Haven’t I learned enough?”
She bit her fleshy lower lip, once again sending flames shooting through his veins. “You’ve only learned the two basic dances. You really ought to learn the Boulangere and the Sir Roger de Coverly, too. These four dances at a minimum.”
Against his better judgment, he agreed. “Bonham and I will meet you here at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. All right?”
She nodded. “Yes, that’s perfect.”
He and Bonham strode back to his house.
“Gideon…”
“Don’t say it. No, it cannot be real. This can only be a dream for us.”
“But the Earl of Stanhope invited you to his ball.”
“And will likely suffer for his kindness. You’ll see.”
“I hate those people,” Bonham said with a growl.
Gideon laughed. “You are falling in love with one ofthosepeople. What you hate is that you are as good as they are buttheywill never believe it or accept you. I exclude the ladies on Duchess Square, of course. They are the kindest people I have ever met. But their acceptance is actually worse. It makes us believe that happiness is within our grasp. Do not be fooled. It is not.”
Bonham raked a hand through his hair. “I think Suzanna might reciprocate my feelings.”
“And what do you think her parents will say when she brings you home? You grew up in an orphanage and made your fortuneowning gaming hells. Do you think they will allow this for their daughter?”
“No,” he said morosely. “I suppose it is even worse for you because Berry’s standing in Society is so high.”
Gideon nodded. “And my circumstances are so low. Same orphanage and same gaming hells as you.”
“Right, and you are the majority owner in all of them.”
“I am only fifty-one percent to your forty-nine percent share. We could have been fifty-fifty partners. Weshouldbe.”
“No, you have the better instincts. I don’t ever want to be in a position to block your decisions. I know they will always be made with the best intent for both of us. More important, if I am gone, then I do not want any of my heirs able to interfere with your decisions. End of discussion, Gideon. You will not change my mind about this.”
“All right.” Although Gideon still did not agree with his friend’s point of view. They were both dumb orphans, were they not? They had both put their hearts and souls into building something for themselves, had they not?
