THE WALLFLOWERS
At the other end of the ballroom
By the time Rose made it to end of the ballroom where most of the wallflowers had already gathered, the first dance had begun. The longways dance required the clusters of those in conversation to step to the sides of the ballroom to clear a path for those who had secured partners.
“There you are,” Adeline said a she turned around. One of the other young ladies had nodded upon seeing Rose threading her way through the crowd.
“This hasn’t happened since my very first ball,” Rose said as she held out her dance card.
Adeline furrowed a brow as she glanced at the white pasteboard card. Her eyes widened. “You have nearly every line filled,” she commented in awe, her attention going to the line for the supper dance. She immediately recognized David’s scribble of a signature.
“I don’t understand,” Rose said. “I was approached by nearly every young buck in the ballroom from the base of the stairs until I got here. Starting with your brother.”
“Why is it you don’t sound pleased?” Lady Lucy asked. “I would be thrilled to have half of my lines filled,” she added as she showed her card. Only four dances had been claimed, but two of those had been reserved by the future viscount Mark Cunningham.
“Something tells me you’ll be a future viscountess,” Adeline whispered happily. “Rich, too.”
“I am merely surprised is all,” Rose said as Lucy displayed a brilliant smile of excitement at hearing Adeline’s assessment.
“As am I,” Lady Patience remarked, waving her nearly filled card. “Pleasantly surprised. It’s all this ‘first ball of the Season’ excitement.”
“Actually,” her sister, Faith Fulton, said as she held up a finger. “It’s because there won’t be a card room open until after the supper dance.”
“What?!” The chorus of surprise had the ladies giggling when those standing nearby turned to regard them with various looks of censure and amusement.
“It was Lady Cougham’s suggestion, and Lady Weatherstone agreed, of course, because she positivelyadoresVivian,” Hope Batey explained.
Adeline grinned at the thought of her sister Christina’s best friend ensuring there would be more young men to dance if they didn’t have a card room in which they could hide during the ball. “I suppose the library is open, though.” She glanced around in search of her maternal grandparents. Everyone knew the Marquess and Marchioness of Morganfield enjoyed a tryst at some point during a ball.
A chorus of titters followed her remark. Older couples seemed to favor the library over the gardens when it came to prearranged liaisons, probably because it contained a large leather sofa. Only one couple could occupy the library at a time, though, which meant some of the more amorous aristocrats were forced to find an alcove in which to carry on their illicitaffaires.
The chatter around her suddenly quieted, and Adeline noticed how the young ladies began dipping deeper than usual curtsies. She turned to discover Ertugrul bowing.
“Ertugrul,” she said as she hurried to join him. The inhalations of breath behind her reminded her that she hadn’t yet told the wallflowers about the sultan’s son. “May I have the honor of introducing you to my friends?” she asked.
“I would like that very much,” he replied, grinning at the young ladies who now stood in a straight line between two potted palms. They looked as if they had become part of the decorations given the painted mural behind them, although their expressions ranged from shock to humor. “And I hope to secure a dance with every one of you.”
Adeline gave him an approving nod, her gaze darting to Rose. “Emir Ertugrul Effendi, this is...” Adeline began as she moved to the left end of the line, “Lady Lucy Turnbridge, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Fennington…” She paused as he took Lucy’s hand and kissed the back of it. “The Ladies Patience and Faith Fulton, daughters of the Earl and Countess of Wadsworth…” Adeline rolled her eyes as the emir kissed their gloved hands and examined the dance cards hanging from their wrists. “Miss Hope Batey, daughter of the Viscount and Viscountess Lancaster...” She did her best not to titter at seeing Hope’s eyes round into saucers as the emir kissed the back of her hand. “And, of course, Lady Rose, whom you have already met. His Eminence is our guest at Bostwick House for the Season.”
The girls murmured greetings as Ertugrul asked them if they might afford him a dance. When he straightened from having completed their cards, he glanced around. “I understand there may be a challenger for my affections somewhere nearby. Where is Fred?”
Rose gasped and covered her mouth with a gloved hand as the other young ladies once again burst out into a fit of giggles.
“He’s right here,” Adeline said with a grin as she waved to the nearest potted palm. “Please don’t challenge him to a duel, though. He’s completely defenseless. Can’t hold a pistol, and he’s rot with a sword.”
“But he’s a good listener,” Rose said with a shrug.
“He never argues,” Lucy commented.
“And he’s one of Lord Weatherstone’s favorites. He’s always right here, year after year,” Faith added, her hands clasping together as she lifted them to her chest and angled her head to one side.
Ertugrul blinked as he regarded the plant that was barely taller than he was. “Well,” he said as he placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. “I suppose I can grant him a reprieve this one time,” he said, trying to remain as serious as possible. He chuckled though, apparently relieved. He turned to Adeline. “Might you have another dance available for me on this night?”
Adeline gave a start. “Are you quite sureyouhave an opening?” she teased.
He took her card and the small pencil and wrote an ‘E’ in script on two lines, one of them the supper dance. “Not any longer,” he said proudly. He leaned in closer, “Which means I don’t have to try and remember the names of all these men who insist on speaking with me about matters of the empire.”
“Ah, politics, you mean?” she guessed.
