Grateful for Elsbeth’s understanding, she rose. “Thank you.” Though her words seemed to indicate only that she was allowed to leave, both she and Elsbeth understood they encompassed so much more. It wasn’t the first time her newly married friend had suddenly become her chaperone.
Georgie linked her arm in hers. “Wait until you hear what Ellie did.”
The whispered words had Dory hurrying up the grand stairs of the Stocktons’ home and into the ladies’ retiring room.
When they all arrived, there was one other woman of many more years than they, retying the ribbon in her hair, so they each set out to fixing their own appearances, everyone except Sophie, who simply sat in a chair and waited patiently.
As soon as the woman left, Ellie turned. “Lord Harewood?”
Surprised by the question, Dory shook her head. “I thought we were going to discuss what you did.”
Ellie’s cheeks flushed. “It was nothing.”
“Oh, but it was something.” Georgie put her arm around Ellie’s shoulders. “She was so brave.”
When Dory thought of bravery, she imagined a knight in battle, so she immediately pictured Ellie brandishing a sword in the ballroom. “Please, tell me what happened.”
Ellie’s gaze turned shrewd. “Only if you tell us how you came to be dancing with Lord Harewood.”
That was fair. “Agreed.”
“Very well, then. I set down Lord Ferriday.” Ellie gave a strong nod to punctuate her statement as if to say that was that.
Georgie stepped away from Ellie and gestured to the air. “Do not allow her to be so humble. She didn’t simply scold him. She boxed his ears!” Georgie clapped her two gloved hands together in front of her to demonstrate. “She was magnificent.”
Ellie, who rarely shrank from anything, seem to shrink from such praise. “He was acting like a child, so I treated him like one.”
Her heart sympathized with her friend. “Whatever did he do?”
“He thought mocking our host and his limp would impress me. When I failed to find him funny, he called me a prude.”
“He didn’t.” How could anyone say such a thing? Ellie had the biggest heart, looking after all of them like a mother hen.
“He did. So I boxed his ears. He was quite stunned. I told him if he continued to act like a child, then he should return to the nursery.”
Dory was well aware that Ellie spoke her mind, but she held herself in check while at social events. So it was a bit difficult to believe. However after looking to Sophie, who nodded her head, it confirmed the truth of the event. “Then he well deserved it. I suggest that should he ask any of us to dance, we refuse him.”
“Agreed.” Georgie crossed her arms, answering for all of them.
“Now, Dory, tell us how you came to dance with Lord Harewood.” Ellie pulled her over to a settee and made her sit down with her. “That man never dances with anyone. We are not the only ones who noticed.”
“Yes, do tell us, Dory.” Sophie grasped her hand.
“I believe he was simply being kind.” Quickly, she stated the events as they’d unfolded so she wouldn’t wander off the topic. She didn’t want her friends to become irritated with her.
“Hmm, I wonder if it wasn’t more than being kind.” Ellie shook her head. “Lord Harewood is not known for his kindness. He’s a stodgy curmudgeon, in my estimation.”
She was aware of his reputation but was still of the opinion that it had been kindness nonetheless because what else could it have been? “You can’t be insinuating that it was an interest in me that led him to ask me.”
Ellie’s brow furrowed as if she wanted to believe that but couldn’t.
“I’m at a loss.” Georgie flounced down onto another chair. “You did tell us that you met him at Elsbeth’s wedding. Did he bring up that subject?”
“No. He didn’t refer to that at all.”
Sophie squeezed her hand. “Maybe he was curious.”
“Curious? How curious?”
