The dimple popped out again. “You’re doing a very nice job of being most solicitous to me this evening, per Camilla’s request no doubt, but hairstyle aside, if I may tell you what happened?”
“Camilla didn’t suggest I compliment you,” Gideon said before she had an opportunity to disclose what she looked practically bursting to tell. “I’m being sincere when I tell you how exquisite you look.”
Phyllis raised a hand to her throat. “I must say you are in a most charming and exceedingly delightful mood this evening, Gideon.”
“He’ll be in an even better frame of mind if the two of you would simply allow me to tell him my news.”
Phyllis gave Adelaide a swat with her fan. “It would behoove you to mimic Gideon and summon up a bit of charm of your own. If you’ve forgotten, we’ve a mission to accomplish this evening, and we’re currently under a great deal of scrutiny from practically every guest in attendance.”
“And I’m sure I’ll be able to summon up a great deal of charmafterI tell Gideon what happened today.” Adelaide settled her attention on Gideon, her eyes sparkling in a most enticing manner. “And since Mother is soon to suffer an apoplectic fit if I don’t spit out what I’m dying to tell you . . . I did it.”
“Did what?”
“I unlocked the code.”
Twenty
It was somewhat telling when Gideon’s eyes went wide, but before Adelaide could expand on the cracking-the-cipher business, Mr. Muskel, one of Mrs. Astor’s favorite cotillion leaders, called out that it was time for the first dance to begin. He then added that a quadrille performed by members of the Family Circle Dance Class would follow the waltz, three additional dances would commence after that, then dinner would be served at midnight.
She returned her attention to Gideon, who was now considering her quite as if she’d grown a second head, but before she could ponder that unusual turn of events, Camilla drifted past them, arched a telling brow Gideon’s way, then glided away without a word.
Adelaide edged closer to him. “I fear you’re soon going to find yourself suffering from the wrath of Camilla, what with how you’re deviating from her well-crafted plan. To remind you, this is the point in our schedule when we’re supposed to stroll across the ballroom floor and take our place in the very center of the room.”
“I didn’t hear the cotillion leader call for the waltz.”
“Well, he did, but you’re apparently experiencing shock overthe idea I cracked the code, which I must admit I find disappointing, as if you never considered I might figure it out. But it may be best to not get into that right now, not when Camilla’s plan revolves around you gazing at me in a smitten fashion. That’s something you’re definitely not doing, which suggests you should have further availed yourself of Mr. Morton Gimbel’s acting instructions.”
A blink of an eye later, Gideon was smiling his most charming smile, one that had her pulse hitching ever so slightly, which she ignored since her pulse was rather unruly anytime she found herself in Gideon’s company. It truly served no useful purpose to dwell on it, given that he’d given her no indication that her presence caused his pulse to lurch madly about.
“Is this expression more acceptable?” Gideon asked.
She wrinkled her nose. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that’s a look that screams ‘I’m smitten,’ but it’ll have to do. With that out of the way, the orchestra has already picked up their instruments, so we need to get situated.”
She took hold of an arm he’d apparently forgotten to offer her and prodded him into motion, earning a grin from him in return.
“Do you intend to lead while we dance as well?” he asked.
“If you don’t snap out of whatever it is that’s wrong with you, certainly.”
“There’s nothing wrong with me,” he argued as they continued strolling through the crowd, drawing more than their fair share of speculative glances, which was an improvement over the glances she normally attracted, which ran the gamut from disapproval to pity, and in the case of her unmentionables, outright disbelief.
The thought of unmentionables had her lips twitching, which earned an arch of a brow from Gideon as they reached the center of the floor and he turned to face her.
“Care to share what’s amusing you now?” he asked.
“I was thinking about unmentionables, or more specificallythe chemise Mrs. Bainswright had enough time to finish for me now that she’s officially retired. She had it delivered to my house this very morning.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners before he extended her a bow, which she returned with a curtsy, straightening as Gideon leaned close and lowered his voice.
“Inappropriate as this is for me to ask, may I assume you’re wearing flowers tonight?”
“I certainly wasn’t going to disappoint an elderly lady who is convinced these particular unmentionables are going to bring me good fortune this evening.” She sent Gideon a wink. “Don’t tell Camilla. She’d probably start worrying I’m going to have another wardrobe sputter and give everyone a glimpse of the lovely flowers I can now pair with the cats.”
“My lips are sealed.”
“Which is for the best, but since we’ve now adhered to Camilla’s schedule and are exactly where we’re supposed to be, allow me to return to the cipher and explain exactly what I discovered.” She drew in a breath but before she could get a single word past her lips, the first note of the waltz rang out.
“I’m relatively certain that Camilla isn’t going to be happy if she catches sight of your expression right now, which has frustration stamped all over it,” Gideon said, his tone laced with amusement. “To remind you, I’m expected to gaze adoringly at you, and you’re supposed to at least muster up a smile that suggests you’re thrilled to take to the floor with me.”
