“The rising price of cotton.” The answer came quickly and was delivered with such a serious demeanor that if David didn’t know better, he might’ve thought her retort genuine. But behind those spectacles, her eyes sparked with a laugh, if anyone bothered to look.
Chuckling, he shook his head. “You are ridiculous.”
“The point of a masquerade is to be ridiculous. I am simply embracing thejoie de vivre.”
“There you are!”
Miss Leigh’s smile vanished at her mother’s call. Her eyes widened, begging him to rescue her, but before a plan formed in his mind, Mrs. Leigh swept in and took her daughter by the arm, dragging her from her sanctuary.
“Your sister and I have found the perfect gentleman for you,” said Mrs. Leigh, leaning close.
As their backs were to him, David felt free to grimace, for he could only imagine whom she might’ve chosen, but his curiosity was quickly answered as her sister led the promised partner to Miss Leigh.
“Mr. Mowbry is quite keen to secure an introduction, Katherine,” said Mrs. Tate, glancing between the pair with a bright smile as though this were the finest match anyone could hope for.
Even in his prime (which must’ve been some decades before), Mr. Mowbry didn’t seem like much of a catch. Though not acquainted with the gentleman, the way his gaze swept along Miss Leigh gave David a pretty clear understanding of who he was. Mr. Mowbry’s attention lingered where it ought not to, which was poor enough, except the bounder’s frown made his disappointment clear.
David’s fingers curled into a fist.
“Miss Leigh, your mother and sister have been singing your praises,” said Mr. Mowbry as he bowed his head.
“I can well imagine what they’ve said,” replied Miss Leigh, and David couldn’t help but smile at the meaning rife in those little words.
Meanwhile, her mother and sister watched the exchange with varying degrees of delight. At least Mrs. Tate had the good sense to look a touch troubled, though Mrs. Leigh held no such compunctions and beamed as though this were the greatest conversation she’d ever witnessed.
“Our dear Katherine is such a fine reader,” said her mother.
“I have managed to master all my letters, A to Z,” added Miss Leigh. “I will admit I had some troubles with V and G, but with practice, I prevailed.”
David snorted a laugh, and the others turned furrowed brows at him. When Miss Leigh met his eyes, the only hint of humor in her expression was the laughter hidden in her gaze.
Mrs. Leigh blinked at him but then shook herself free from her puzzlement and continued to speak to Mr. Mowbry with all the enthusiasm and skill of a horse breeder at auction, pointing out her daughter’s various enticements and interests, though they were sadly lacking truth. Not that Miss Leigh wasn’t a fine reader or skilled with a needle, but the descriptions were vague and utterly lacking any of Miss Leigh’s heart.
How did they understand her so poorly? The whole thing was a mystery to David—as was their clear delusion in thinking Mr. Mowbry suitable for Miss Katherine Leigh. Anyone with sense would know in an instant that such a fractious man was unlikely to enjoy her biting wit.
Thankfully, there was something David could do about it. Even if it was small. But just as he opened his mouth to ask Miss Leigh to dance, Mr. Mowbry took her by the hand and led her away without bothering to ascertain if she wished to stand up with him. The pompous fool.
Miss Leigh cast David a glance from over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed. He could practically hear her chastising him for not rescuing her, but there was little to be done at this juncture that wouldn’t cause a scene. And nothing would deter Mrs. Leigh from securing Mr. Mowbry as her daughter’s dance partner once she set her mind to it.
David gave her a sympathetic cringe, and though she gave no other outward sign, Miss Leigh’s gaze held a sigh, resigning her to her fate. He sent her a look in return, silently promising to stand up with her afterward, and despite being too complicated a message to convey with a single expression, Miss Leigh’s gaze brightened as though she understood him clearly.
“Ah, Mr. Archer—” began Mrs. Leigh, but David gave her a quick bow.
“Please excuse me, but I fear my partner is waiting for me,” he said before hurrying away in search of someone with whom to dance.
*
Curse her wretched mama and sister, curse this dreadful bore Mr. Mowbry, and a double curse on that sneak Mr. Archer for not rescuing her. Katherine didn’t bother hiding her sigh. With the dance and music covering any subtle sounds of the ballroom, she was free to show her displeasure in that little way.
Not that Mr. Mowbry would’ve noticed had the room been empty and silent, for he expounded at length about his tannery, which she might’ve found interesting if he knew the slightest bit about his business, but like many of the high-minded middle class, he wouldn’t dirty himself with such low work. Never mind that an intelligent owner ought to know about every facet of his business.
No, the gentleman rambled on about ledgers (which was more of a none-too-subtle hint at his income) and his disputes with other tradesmen Katherine didn’t know, concerning things she didn’t understand. He filled the air with the puffed-up ramblings of someone who either believed there was nothing more interesting than himself or inflated his pride to hide his fractured sense of self-worth.
Either way, Katherine couldn’t wait for the dance to end. Thankfully, the quadrille didn’t allow for him to be at her elbow the entire time. Unfortunately, this particular dance was simple enough that her thoughts drifted, pulling her in directions she didn’t wish to go.
It wasn’t as though this was the first time her family had foisted a bachelor on her; Katherine couldn’t even say that Mr. Mowbry was among the worst of the offerings. However, the comparison between the prospective beaus chosen for her and those chosen for her sisters still pricked her heart.
Of course, no one was good enough for Rosanna, and it was a miracle that someone of Malcolm Tate’s quality (namely, income) had stumbled into Greater Edgerton. Prudence was no beauty, but she was capable and intelligent, and Papa was convinced that in marrying a mere physician, his eldest had stepped down in the world. Francis had been paraded before every bachelor of passable looks and fortune until one was finally prevailed upon to carry her off.
