“Probably,” she said. “Accordingly, if you behave, I will curb my tongue.”
“Without access to your tongue, I suppose I shall have to behave.”
Making sense of his words, she fell silent, a little shocked by him as usual.
Matthew hoped he hadn’tsaid something so crude his sweet kitten would stop speaking to him. Moreover, he didn’t want to be banished from her side as soon as the dance concluded.
Therefore, after escorting her to her mother, he requested permission to bring over his good friend to meet them both.
Soon, Purity and her mother had made the acquaintance of Lord Quinn, who was a jovial sort to have at any party.
“Neither of you gentlemen have danced much,” Lady Diamond remarked.
“To be frank,” Quinn said, “I am not much for dancing, but I do enjoy the merriment of a ball.”
“If there are ladies who wish to dance,” Lady Purity said, “I hope you will put yourself to the trouble of being agreeable andoffering them a partner. Otherwise, you are attending the wrong venue and ought to have gone to the theatre where you are permitted only to watch without participating.”
Quinn sent Matthew a quick, side-eye glance. His friend thought Purity a stickling, prim, goody two-shoes. That much was clear. Matthew wanted him to like her for he intended to have her in his life permanently.
“I believe the lady has a point,” he said. “If a wallflower sees you lounging, she will not know you don’t wish to dance. She will naturally think you don’t want to dance with her.”
“Exactly, Lord Foxford,” Lady Purity said, giving him a genuine smile.
Matthew’s heart warmed at having won her approval. Then she leaned closer, allowing him to catch the delicate aroma of her rose perfume, an instantly arousing scent.
“But it is best not to call any lady awallflower, any more than you would wish to be known as awall-propsimply because you and Lord Quinn chose to stand and chat.”
She was correct of course, except no one in their right mind would look at him or Quinn and think any such thing, not with their obvious good looks. Whereas, it was painfully clear why a shy female hugged the wall, fearful of any man’s notice.
However, Matthew wouldn’t point that out. Instead, he nodded sagely.
Purity included Quinn in her next pronouncement. “It would be perfectly proper for you two gentlemen to escort my mother and me to the refreshment area in the other room.”
Matthew nearly laughed at the expression on Quinn’s face. His friend didn’t know he’d asked for such instruction. Before Quinn judged her insufferable, Matthew had to explain.
“Lady Purity has graciously agreed tomyrequest of tutelage in the social graces. Since I was remiss in bringing a refreshment to them, which I previously offered, I appreciate her reminder.”
“The social graces,” Quinn repeated, and Matthew could tell he was a hairsbreadth away from laughing.
Quickly, he offered Lady Purity his arm, confident Quinn would escort Lady Diamond.
They hadn’t gone two steps when Varley appeared, letting his gaze go between Matthew and Purity. He looked as if he might say something, but after a shallow bow to Purity, he moved on.
“Do you know that man, my lord?” Purity asked. “Since he was directly in our path and made eye contact, I wonder why he didn’t make an introduction.”
“An acquaintance from university and from my club, but not a friend.”
Matthew was glad Varley hadn’t shouldered him aside rudely as he had before. Following the viscount’s path, he saw Varley meet up with a blond-haired lady whom Matthew knew too well. While her first name, which he’d rarely used, escaped him, he was sure it was Lady Tupmoure, with whom he’d had a torrid affair, lasting all of a fortnight.
Her surname had struck Matthew funny in a most juvenile way when he’d first learned it, and she had well lived up to the moniker. But apart from her singular skill, Matthew had found her to be unamusing, petty, and worst of all, a clinging vine. Seeing her again, he wished Varley joy of her, certain at least in bed he would experience that and more.
Refreshments were unfortunately more like the meager fare provided by Almack’s outdated assembly rooms than a sumptuous repast. Yet the bread wasn’t stale, at least, and was offered with creamy butter and fish paste. There were also cubes of aged cheddar and decanters of claret that was surprisingly full bodied.
“Not the worst,” Quinn said, as they all put bread and cheese upon their plates and wandered the hall into the dining room where some had taken seats.
“Would you ladies like to sit?” Matthew asked.
In a few moments, the countess and her daughter were seated with a place to put their wine glasses and plates. Matthew and Quinn likewise had a place to rest their glasses while standing behind the ladies’ chairs.
