She nudged Emma, who belatedly returned Lord Dunn’s smile.“Yes, indeed.”
“It’s not as dull as it might be, however, as I have three young nephews in Cornwall who keep me entertained.”
Emma stifled a sigh. Lord Dunn was such a charming, easygoing gentleman. Why couldn’thebe Lord Lovell’s cousin? But no, she must be cursed with Lord Lymington, who was about as charming asa block of ice—
“…so you see, all is not lost, Lady Emma.”
“I daresay Lady Addington was distraught to lose you to the London season,” Emma said quickly, doing her best to look interested.
“Not at all. She ordered me gone, and bade me not to return until I’d found a wife.” Lord Dunn’s deep, smooth voice lingered on the last word, his eyebrows raised overpale blue eyes.
Emma stared dumbly back at him until Lady Crosby’s sharp elbow to her ribs recalled her to the fact she was meant to be on the hunt for a husband, and that any reasonable young lady would be thrilled to receive such a hint from a wealthy, handsome gentleman like Lord Dunn.
But Lord Dunn seemed a decent fellow, at least as far as aristocrats went, and Emma didn’t like to give him false hopes. “Nonsense. I can’t think why you’d want such a troublesome thing as awife, my lord.”
Lady Crosby made a choking sound, and Lord Dunn gaped at her for a moment before throwing his head back in a laugh. “You astoundme, Lady Emma.”
Oh, dear. That had been the wrong thing to say, then. For a lady whose masque was usually so firmly in place, she’d made a number of alarming missteps recently. She couldn’t quite work out why she’d become so scattered, but she was certain it was all Lord Lymington’s fault.
“You’re uniformly charming, Lady Emma.” Lord Dunn swept her an elegant bow. “I’ll endeavor not to expire of a broken heart as I’m forced to watch every other gentleman here tonight partner you.”
“There’s a good bit of the rogue in you, Lord Dunn.” Emma gave him an admonishing tap on the arm with her fan, but her attention had already wandered to Lord Lovell, who’d just claimed Lady Flora for a dance.
Meanwhile, Lord Lymington was still hovering at the edges of the ballroom, considering her with cool calculation, as if she were a thorny maths problem he hadn’t yet solved.
Emma laid a hand on her stomach, over the tight green silk of her bodice, and drew in a long, slow breath. Her heart took up a nervous fluttering as Lord Dunn departed, clearing the way for Lord Lymington to approach.
Surely,he’d come now—
But no. The blasted man turned away.Again.
A moment later he bowed to Lady Mary Worthington, and led her to the floor.
“Dear me, Lord Lymington is making himself elusive this evening, is he not?” Lady Crosby peered at him over the top of her fan. “My dear Emma, you could charm a bird from a tree, but Lord Lymington doesn’t seem the sort to be much moved by charm.”
“Not in the least, no.” Not charm, or flirtation, or teasing, or any of Emma’s other tricks. She’d never come across a man less inclined to beguilement than Lord Lymington. “He glares at me as if I’m a servant sneaking from his house with a pocketful ofsilver spoons.”
Lady Crosby laughed. “He is rather stern, isn’t he? He doesn’t have his cousin’s pretty manners. There’s a similarity in their features, of course, but I’ve never seen two gentlemen less alike. I find Lord Lymington rather handsome, though perhaps not in the conventional way.” Lady Crosby cast her a sidelong glance. “Do you think he’s handsome, Emma?”
“Lord Lymington, handsome!” Emma couldn’t imagine why Lady Crosby would ask her such a question, when it must be obvious that shedidn’tfind him handsome or alluring in the least.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
Lady Crosby chuckled. “You didn’t answer my question, dear.”
Emma sniffed. “I find him arrogant and presumptuous, my lady. He’s quite the most ill-tempered gentlemanI’ve ever met.”
“Indeed. Well, at least Lady Flora is having a pleasant evening. She looks pretty tonight. That shade of pink flatters her, doesn’t it?”
Lady Crosby tilted her fan toward the dance floor. Emma followed the gesture, brightening at mention of Lady Flora. She hadn’t dared hope she’d make a friend this season, but Lady Flora’s heart was every bit as sweet as her face, and Emma grew fonder ofher every day.
But Emma’s smile faded as she peered into the sea of pink silk gowns. “Where is she? Idon’t see her.”
“That’s odd. She was just there a moment ago, dancing with Lord Lovell.”
Emma searched the ballroom, but she didn’t see either Lady Flora or Lord Lovell. “Do you suppose she’s gone to the ladies’retiring room?”
Lady Crosby frowned. “Perhaps you’d better check, Emma, dear.”
