“Exactly. I know about our buildings, is all.” He realized the last dance was ending and moved to escort Faith to the end of the line for an English country dance. The rest of the young ladies watched with amusement when they departed.
Well aware Rose stood at her side, Adeline said, “Well, what are your thoughts on our esteemed guest?”
Rose glanced over at her and shrugged. “He’s very pleasant,” she remarked.
Adeline winced. “Oh, dear. Perhaps the first waltz will improve your opinion of him,” she replied. She had such high hopes for her friend and the sultan’s son. When they had been standing together only the moment before, they looked positively regal together. “I couldn’t help but notice my brother’s signature is on your dance card.”
Dipping her head, Rose examined the card before allowing a shrug. “He was the second to claim a waltz,” she said. “The supper dance.”
Adeline considered the comment. “Were you surprised?”
Rose regarded her with a furrowed brow and then allowed her gaze to sweep the ballroom. “Truth be told, I had hoped to speak with him this evening. Scold him, rather, which I did quite thoroughly.”
It was Adeline’s turn to give a start. “Whatever for?”
Prevented from answering when a young man bowed before her, Rose curtsied and gave Adeline a quick shrug before she hurried off to join the dance already in progress.
About to return to stand with the remaining three girls—Adeline was curious as to what gossip they might have heard since their last tea together—she discovered they were all on the arms of young men and headed in the direction of the dancing.
Sighing, she moved to stand next to Fred but was intercepted by her brother before she made it two steps.
“Dance with me,” he ordered, offering his arm.
Startled, Adeline went with him. They had barely joined the line when he leaned closer and said, “I must discover what you know.” The dance, already in progress, forced him to step away and in front of another partner, so Adeline couldn’t ask what he was about until the steps once again brought him near to her.
“Know about what?” she asked.
“Lady Rose.” Then he was behind her and off to the partner to her right for the next part of the set. She nodded politely to an older gentleman who was now in front of her. Glancing down the line, she discovered Ertugrul was performing the steps as if he’d been doing them his whole life.
How could that be?
Had he danced whilst at Cambridge more than he had admitted?
Or had her brother given him last-minute lessons that evening?
“Is her card full?”
Adeline blinked, shocked to find her brother was once again paired with her. “Mostly, but I think she still had a line or two empty. What’s this about?”
“Is anyone courting her?” he asked before the dance once again took him to another partner and left her with Gabe Wellingham.
“We meet again on this day,” he said with a grin.
“Indeed. How is Mrs. Wellingham? I did not see your arrival.”
“She is home this evening. She’s begun her confinement,” he managed to say between labored breaths. “I wished to inform Father and Mother, and I knew I would find them here,” he explained. “With any luck, I’ll be a father again in the next few days.” His brilliant smile had Adeline giggling.
“Do give her my regards,” she said before her brother was once again in front of her. “I was hoping Ertugrul might court Rose,” she said. The look on David’s face had her missing a step. “What’s wrong?”
“He promised he would not,” David said when the dance had him drawing closer to her.
For a moment, confusion had Adeline wishing they could have just remained with Fred to have what was becoming a very disjointed discussion. “But no one is courting her,” she argued.
At that point, David missed a step, grabbed Adeline’s hand, and pulled her out of the line.
“Pardon me,” Adeline said by way of apology to the older gentleman who had been about to take her hand. She allowed David to pull her along if only because he was clearing a path for her through what had become a crush.
When they reached a clearing nearing the French doors that led to the gardens, David stopped and regarded her with an expression of anger mixed with uncertainty.
