They both assured him they would, and after he excused himself, Mrs. Colthrust, Gwen, and Louisa moved down into the depths of the noisy ballroom. They met one person after another. Mrs. Colthrust was doing an excellent job of introducing them. It amazed Louisa that the woman could sound so cold when talking to her and her sisters and sound like a sweet and gentle woman when introducing them to the ton.
Louisa was also surprised that almost everyone they met either mentioned the Duke of Drakestone or asked her about him. What was happening between her and the duke was on everyone’s mind. She answered them all the same way she had answered Mr. Newman.
Over the course of an hour or so, Mrs. Colthrust was like an out-of-control steamship plowing through stormy waters when they were trying to get from one side of the overpacked ballroom to the other, and like a dainty butterfly flitting from one flower to another when they moved from one group of people to another. After only a few minutes, it was impossible for Louisa to remember half the people she’d met just minutes before. And from the look on Gwen’s face, she wasn’t doing any better.
Louisa and Miss Kindred were able to teach Gwen many things over the years, but neither of them had the faintest idea how to help her make a good match. Mrs. Colthrust was the most abrasive person Louisa had ever known, but she seemed to know her way around Polite Society. Louisa supposed she had to thank her uncle for asking Mrs. Colthrust to assist them and not leaving them completely on their own.
When Mr. Newman claimed Gwen for her first dance of the evening, Louisa had wanted to watch them, but that was impossible. Mrs. Colthrust took hold of her wrist and dragged her through the crowd to be presented to the Earl of Bitterhaven. As the introductions were made, Louisa was standing almost eye level with the earl. He wasn’t a tall, regal, or dashingly handsome gentleman, but he wasn’t a poorly looking man either. He was fit for his age, and his brown eyes seemed kind.
“Yes, yes, I knew your father, Miss Prim, and I know your uncle well, though I’m sorry to say I don’t remember ever meeting your brother. It was a shame what happened to him, and so young.”
“Yes, it was,” Louisa said softly, feeling a lump of sadness rise in her throat. Most everyone she’d met mentioned the duke. The earl was the first person to have remembered and mentioned her brother, and for that consideration, she took an instant liking to him. “Thank you for remembering him.”
“Where is your uncle these days? I haven’t seen the old chap at any of the clubs recently.”
“He’s on extended holiday,” she said, not wanting to tell the gentleman she had no idea where her uncle was.
“He and my sister wanted to get away and explore the world, so we don’t know from week to week where they might be,” Mrs. Colthrust added.
“I see, yes—well, of course they would enjoy such a journey. And this is your first Season, isn’t it, Miss Prim?”
“Yes.”
“In that case, if you don’t think the Duke of Drakestone will mind, I’d enjoy a dance with you. You don’t mind, do you, Mrs. Colthrust?”
“No, not at all.”
“Good.” He looked at Louisa. “I’m sure they’ll be announcing a waltz soon. When they do, I will meet you by the urn on the right side of the floor.”
The earl then said his good-byes and walked away.
“Tell me what you thought of him,” Mrs. Colthrust said almost as soon as the man’s back was turned.
“He seems a very kind man,” Louisa said truthfully.
“Is that all you can say?” Mrs. Colthrust complained. “That answer will not land you a husband.”
No, she could add that there were no quivers in her stomach, no catch in her breath. Her heart didn’t race at the sight of him, and her breasts didn’t tingle when he looked at her and spoke to her. And the shame of it was that the only man who made her feel all those wonderful things was a beast. But she couldn’t say any of that to Mrs. Colthrust.
Annoyed by Louisa’s less-than-satisfactory answer, Mrs. Colthrust excused herself to go to the retiring room. Louisa took the opportunity to unobtrusively make her way over to the long line of dowagers, spinsters, and widows who were sitting against the wall near the dance floor. She stood at one end of a line of about twenty ladies. They were chatting, laughing, and fanning themselves. They seemed to be having a delightful time. Louisa listened to their chatter while she watched Gwen, who was now dancing with a gentleman other than Mr. Newman. It certainly hadn’t taken her sister long to lose her shyness. Gwen looked stunning, and she hadn’t missed a step since Louisa started watching her dance.
“He’s here, ladies, he’s here,” Louisa heard one of the women sitting in the line say. “Quiet now, quiet.”
Louisa looked in the direction they were all staring and saw none other than the handsome Duke of Drakestone. Her stomach tumbled over itself. He stood at the entrance to the ballroom, looking like a magnificent Adonis. She didn’t know if her heart skipped a beat, fluttered, or stopped altogether when she saw him. She must have been introduced to more than twenty gentlemen, but so far, none of them came close to making her feel the way the duke made her feel when she looked at him.
There were more murmurings from the ladies lining the wall. She stared at them in disbelief as they moistened their lips, touched their hair, and pinched their cheeks. They all looked at him with adoring expressions. Louisa smiled. She couldn’t blame them for mooning over him, but did they really think this arrogant man was going to notice them? Not that they weren’t all lovely in their own way, but surely they knew the duke could command the attention of any of the beautiful young ladies in the room, except for Gwen.
He spoke to people as he passed but didn’t let any of them deter or stop him for long.
“Do you think he will favor us as he has in years past?” one of the ladies asked.
“I don’t see why not,” another answered.
“Of course he will,” another lady said.
Someone farther down the line said something Louisa couldn’t hear, and apparently the other women didn’t hear her either, because she said it again only louder, “He’s done it every year he’s attended a ball, as far, as I know.”
“He does it just to make the young ladies jealous that they are not chosen for his first dance.”
