He didn’t hearthe end of her sentence, the din of chatter and laugher as heentered the ball drowning out her words. He was at this ball forone reason: to raise funds. She had made him forget, and that hecould not allow.
Setting hisshoulders, he made for the richest pockets he couldpick.
Chapter Three
“HIGGINS!” SERA STORMED THROUGH theentrance hall of Tidswell House. Why were servants never aroundwhen one needed them? “Higgins!”
As if by magic,her butler materialised. “I’m here, my lady. What did yourequire?”
“Where is the blackboard, Higgins? It was supposed to be inthe Blue Room an hour ago.”
“Ibelieve Johnson is bringing it now, my lady.”
“Anhour ago, Higgins. It was supposed to be there an hourago!”
“Wehad trouble removing it from the nursery,” Higgins said calmly. “Itwill be in place when Miss Maria and Lady Elizabetharrive.”
Throwing herhands in the air, Sera stomped into the blue room and flopped ontothe chaise. Her foot immediately started to tap.
Higgins followedher. “It will be in place, my lady,” he repeated.
Crossing herarms, she tried to still her tapping foot. “It had better be,Higgins, or I shall let you off without reference.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Everything must be perfect.” Her foot wouldn’tstill.
“Iknow, Lady Seraphina,” he said gently.
Everything hadto be perfect. Everything. Teeth worrying her bottom lip, she againattempted to force her foot still. This time, she managedit.
Opening eyes shehadn’t realised she’d closed, she met Higgins warm, gentle gaze.“Without a reference, Higgins,” she said without sting.
The faints ofsmiles touched his lips. “Of course.”
She toyed with afold in her dress. “Did a letter come from my father?”
A pause andthen, “No, my lady.”
The silk wascool against her fingers. Her father sent a letter at the beginningof each quarter. That he was a week or so late was not unusual. Hewas a busy man. Perhaps it had slipped his mind. It had happenedbefore. “Perhaps it will come next week.”
“Perhaps.”
Lifting hergaze, she said, “Thank you, Higgins.”
Compassionfilled Higgins’s eyes. “Yes, my lady.” Bowing, he closed the doorbehind him.
Taking asteadying breath, she leant her head back on the chaise. Maria andElizabeth would be here soon and she needed to gather herselfbefore they arrived. She focussed on the frieze surrounding thechandelier. Leaves twined around florets in the centre circle andaccented the corners of the surrounding square. Swirls and dipscreated a maze along the square’s thick border, one she’d solved athousand times with her gaze.
Last night hadnot happened as it should, but then, Lord Stephen Farlisle had notacted as a gentleman ought. He’d ignored every single one of herovertures, and so she’d broken her own rule and pursued him on tothe balcony. Usually, gentlemen came to her and, if they ignoredher, she would choose another. However, another would not annoyLydia Torrence.
She pictured himas he’d been last night. The light spilling from the ballroom hadslashed harshness into already severe features, dark eyes shadowingheavy brows while cutting a sharp jaw and even sharper cheekbones.Blond hair darkened by pomade and slicked against his skull onlyadded to the severity.
He had beentaller than her, which in itself was unusual. She usually stood ofa height with most men, but Lord Stephen was at least a headtaller. Up close, the build she had thought thin had instead beenrevealed as lean, his coat outlining broad shoulders, though ithung a loose around his waist and hips. His breeches had also beenloose at his thighs and waist though his stockings displayedwell-turned calves. He was not altogether unattractive, but he wascertainly not as handsome as the men she usually chose to associatewith.
She had watchedhim in the ballroom, and not one lady approached him, just as hehad no smile for any lady present. He had conversed with Lords Grayand Boakan, and had lingered near the Duke of Meacham, but itseemed dancing and flirtation had not been on his card. He shouldhave been flattered at the attention of a lady, especially one assought after as she.
And yet, he hadnot acted as he ought.
