Bracing himself, he chose to do something impulsive—something that would hopefully serve to distract her from what she was doing. Without warning, he grabbed her hand and spun her swiftly toward him, not pausing for a second as he swept her away in his arms, leaving her feet with little choice but to follow.
There was no denying the stunned look in her eyes. Her lips parted on a squeal of surprise. Thomas almost laughed with the pleasure of seeing her so bewildered, the rigid composure with which she held herself utterly dismantled in a heartbeat.
“What are you doing?” she asked when he spun her around to ensure that she wouldn’t predict his next move.
“Teaching you that dancing can be fun and that you have to stop overthinking it. You already know the steps. What you need to do now is let them come naturally.”
“You make it sound so simple.” Her face began to tighten with that familiar look of concentration, so he quickly managed a lift, catching her off guard once more.
This time, her squeal was followed by a laugh and a distinct sparkle to her eyes. Gone was the earlier resolve, replaced instead by amusement. It made him feel curiously lighter, as though his happiness in that moment depended on hers. Fanciful thought.
“Besides,” he added when they were once again gliding in a wide arc, “your gowns are long enough to conceal your feet, so even if you were to misstep at the ball, I honestly doubt anyone will notice.”
“Truly?”
The hopefulness with which she spoke made him want to reassure her, so he gave her a nod while he squeezed her hand, not missing the blush that rose to her cheeks. It was probably caused by exertion. And yet, it did something to him—made him long for her laughter once more—so he lifted her again while spinning her about, not caring how inappropriate he was being. He was simply glad to watch her take pleasure in something for once. The fact that he’d been the cause of her joy filled him with no small amount of pride, even if it did result in a stern look from his mother.
“That will be all for today,” she said once the dance had ended. “It is getting late, Coventry, and there are matters at home for us to attend to.”
The comment served as a sobering reminder of his duties—duties he’d somehow managed to forget while he’d waltzed with Lady Amelia. “Of course.”
The guilt that assailed him was acute. How could he have forgotten about Jeremy? The answer came to him swiftly when he recalled the abandon with which Lady Amelia had laughed—how brilliantly her eyes had sparkled while he’d held her in his arms. She’d looked... shockingly beautiful in that moment, he decided, which was something of an odd acknowledgment since he’d never really considered her looks before.
“It is settled then,” Lady Everly was saying.
Thomas started. “I beg your pardon? What is settled?”
“The tea party tomorrow at Dorset House.” His mother stared at him for a few seconds before producing a sigh. “It is scheduled for three in the afternoon. I have just assured Lady Everly that you and I will join her and Lady Amelia and Lady Juliette. Unless of course you have other plans?”
He shook his head, astonished he’d missed so much of the conversation, but he’d been dwelling on... “Right.” He would not allow Lady Amelia to distract him again. The fact that she’d managed to do so once was something of a conundrum. “We will come to collect you at half-past two then.”
He and his mother departed a few minutes later after assuring Lady Amelia and Lady Juliette that they had both made great progress with their dancing.
“I cannot imagine what you were thinking,” his mother said once the two of them were seated across from each other in their carriage. “A gentleman does not spin a lady about in such a... a... careless manner. It is not proper!”
“She needed to forget herself for a while, Mama. I am sorry if you disapprove of the method with which I achieved that.”
“Humph!” She folded her hands in her lap as though trying her best to remain the chastising parent. The twitch of her lips betrayed her, however, and soon she was smiling at him with warmth in her eyes. “I suppose I should thank you. I was actually at my wits’ end before you arrived. What you managed to accomplish today with Lady Amelia... I cannot say I have ever seen her so animated before. It was really quite lovely to watch.”
Settling back against the squabs, Thomas stretched out his legs and allowed himself to relax. “Thank you, Mama.” His success had certainly lifted his spirits and filled him with a sense of accomplishment that he hadn’t felt in some time. It made him want to dance with her again, if for no other reason than to be overcome by that surge of delight her laughter offered.
Chapter 3
Avoiding a tea party wasn’t something Amelia had planned on doing, but it would be a necessity if she was going to keep the appointment she’d made for later that day. So she deliberately remained in bed for another two hours after waking, until Juliette eventually came to knock on her door.
“Are you all right?” she asked, popping her head in the room.
Amelia groaned from beneath the comforter she’d pulled up over her head. “I have the most dreadful megrim.”
“Oh dear.” Juliette stepped further into the room and carefully closed the door behind her. “Perhaps some chamomile tea will help? I can ask a maid to bring some up along with a breakfast tray.”
“Thank you. That would be lovely.”
Amelia ate the food as soon as it arrived and finished her tea while Juliette sat in a nearby chair and kept her company. “How do you feel now?” she asked when Amelia pushed the tray aside and leaned back against the pillows propping her up.
“As though three angry little men are hammering away on my skull right here, here and here.” She pointed to the sides of her head and to the top.
“Would you like me to send for the doctor?”
