“I… I…” Nancy stammered, a flush in her cheeks. “That is, I—”
“And Lord Prestwick! How do you do, my lord?” Lady Henry rushed on, before her daughter could get another word out. “It’s wonderful to see you! It’s been ages, has it not?”
“Er, yes. I daresay it has.” Not long enough, however. He could have happily endured another age without the affliction of Lady Henry’s company. Hadn’t she called him a disgraceful rake the last time they’d met?
But here she was, one shove away from toppling her daughter into his lap.
It was beginning to look as if Darby was right, after all. London’s matrons appeared eager to forgive his sins, now he was the Earl of Prestwick.
“I can’t tell you how delighted I was when I saw you arrive this evening, my lord. I said to Nancy, my goodness, isn’t that Lord Prestwick? How handsome he looks!” Lady Henry let out a girlish giggle. “Didn’t I say so, Nancy?”
“Yes, mama.” Nancy peeked at Kit, her blush deepening.
A brief silence fell, then Lady Henry let out a gusty sigh. “The Sussex Waltz! How delightful! This is Nancy’s favorite song, you know, my lord.”
Well, that was plain enough. There was little he could do after such a broad hint as that but offer his hand to the daughter. “Perhaps Miss Henry would like—”
“My dear Lady Henry, I thought that must be you!”
They all turned at once to find Lady Arundel descending upon them out of nowhere, her five daughters trailing at her heels. “How do you do, Lady Fosberry? Such a splendid ball! You quite outdo yourself.”
“Thank you, my lady. That’s kind of you to—”
“Lord Prestwick!” Lady Arundel interrupted, turning to Kit. “I don’t believe you’re acquainted with my daughters. Miss Arundel, Judith, Alice, Betty, and Priscilla.” She jerked the eldest forward, thrusting her before Kit as if she were a sweetmeat on a tray.
“Er, how do you do, Miss Arundel, Miss Betty—” Wait, which one was Betty, and which one Alice? They were all pale-faced chits, each of them dressed in varying shades of pale blue. Damned if he could tell them apart.
“Lord Prestwick!” Another shriek rent the air then, and a third lady appeared, waving her fan wildly in the air. “Oh, Lord Prestwick!”
He watched in horror as she bore down on them, towing two young ladies in her wake. God above, what was happening? Where had all these chits come from, and was he meant to dance with all of them?
“Oh, dear. It’s Lady Calvert, of all people. She’s the worst of the lot.”
The whisper came from his left, and he glanced down to find Mathilda Templeton’s face turned up to his, her dark blue eyes filled with unholy glee. “Lady Calvert,” he repeated faintly. “Do I even know Lady Calvert?”
“You will, very soon. You have my deepest sympathies.” The grin she gave him was so wicked, it rivaled one of his own. “Do enjoy the rest of your evening, Lord Prestwick.”
She slipped into the crowd then, the press of bodies swallowing her, and an instant later, she was gone.
* * *
Tilly waiteduntil the last of Lady Fosberry’s guests had gone home, and Harriett and Phee had gone off to their beds before she made her way to her ladyship’s private sitting room.
As she’d expected, Lady Fosberry was waiting for her there. She went in, taking care to close the door behind her.
It wouldn’t do for anyone to overhear them.
“Goodness, balls are exhausting, are they not?” Lady Fosberry dropped onto a settee with a sigh. "Fetch us some sherry, won’t you, Mathilda?”
Tilly went to the sideboard, poured a measure into each of two glasses, then handed one glass to Lady Fosberry before seating herself in a chair. “Harriett doesn’t know about the betrothal to Lord Prestwick, does she?”
Lady Fosberry stared down into her glass for a moment before shaking her head. “No. I saw no reason to tell her. I expected she’d be betrothed to another gentleman by the end of the season, and it never need come up. Of course, that was before Christopher appeared for the season.”
It was true, then. Therewasan agreement, just as Lord Prestwick had said. “You’re not in favor of the betrothal, then?”
“No. If I’d had any notion James meant to make such a foolish arrangement, I would have dissuaded him. I didn’t approve of the match when I learned of it, and I don’t approve of it now.”
“Thank goodness.” Tilly sagged against the settee. “What can Lord Fairmont have been thinking, betrothing his sweet sister to a scoundrel like Lord Prestwick?”
