Leonie nodded absently, her mind taken up with the sight of Roman leading Lady Imogen out onto the floor. Leonie had suspected he had hurried away to avoid answering her questions, but what if he’d just wanted to dance with someone else? Even though he’d told her in the marquis’s library he intended to marry her?
Or was he going around the room asking for the hand of every heiress? It would be a short trip. There weren’t that many.
Beside her, Cassandra prattled on. “His Grace told me you had taken ill. I was happy to see you were still here. Oh, by the by, Lady Bettina wants to be certain you don’t claim points for dancing with him. She says you didn’t finish the dance.”
Women could be so competitive. However, Leonie had weightier things on her mind than the game. “I won’t.”
“So, what do you think of him?”
Whatdidshe think abouthim? Her mind on Roman, Leonie said, “I do not think he is being entirely honest with me.”
“What?”Cassandra said with alarm, and Leonie realized she’d spoken aloud.
“I’m sorry, Cassandra. My mind was on something else. What did you ask?”
“Were you thinking about the duke?”
“No,” Leonie admitted.
Cassandra frowned thoughtfully and looked in the direction Leonie had been facing. “The earl? Interesting.”
“Not very.” Leonie forced a smile. “He writes terrible poetry. He compared me to garden pebbles.”
Cassandra stifled a laugh, and Leonie smiled, feeling they would safely move on to other topics and they did. They went back to the duke. “What did you think of Camberly?”
“I found him understanding when I had to race off the dance floor.” Leonie didn’t know if this was true or not, but did it matter?
It did to Cassandra. “Yes, understanding. He is, and it is such a good quality. What else do you think of him?”
Leonie really hadn’t given him much thought. “He’s young and attractive.”
“Oh,yes.” There was a swell of warmth in Cassandra’s words. “I was stunned when he asked to escort me to the supper room. Every woman here had been making calf eyes at him and he chose me. Thetallone. Thebigone. You know what they whisper. But do you know what? Camberly is taller than I am by several inches. Lady Bettina was eaten up with jealousy. I could see it in her eyes.”
“So, what happened in the supper room?” Leonie prodded.
“He was the very picture of a gentleman. He offered to fill my plate and he didn’t give just a spoonful of peas or a half of a pheasant wing like so many others do. He was generous.”
“And the conversation?”
“Wonderful, except Soren York joined us.”
“Soren York?”
“Lord Dewsberry. He is a family neighbor and a bigger oaf you could never hope to meet. He should have known I wished to be alone with His Grace. Instead, he invited himself to sit right down and take up the conversation. Apparently, they are great friends. I hinted to him that the duke and I were enjoying a companionable moment but he didn’t pay any mind. I tell you, Leonie, if Dewsberry has ruined my chance with Camberly, I don’t know what I shall do to him.”
“If the duke escorted you to the supper room and filled your plate, then there must be some interest.”
“I pray it is so. If he doesn’t call on me, I don’t know what I’ll do. He’sthe one.”
“The one?”
“Yes,the one. The husband I have always dreamed of. The man who would be perfect for me.”
“And you discovered all of that in a dance and spot of supper?”
“I knew it the moment I laid eyes on him.”
“Ah,” Leonie said, pretending to understand. In a way, she did. Arthur Paccard had been very handsome, but looks lie. That was a hard lesson she’d learned.
