Page 57 of Earl, Enemy, Husband?

As soon as they were away from listening ears, Florence said, ‘What did you do?’

Graydon looked around and leaned a fraction closer, keeping his voice low. ‘I settled a couple of his debts.’

‘Bribery,’ she said. ‘Good for you.’

He grinned that charming smile of his. ‘He’s not a bad chap, but living on his expectations.’

No doubt he understood that well enough; his own father had done much the same thing. Except it was his wife’s money that he had squandered.

They followed the crowd ahead of them into the ballroom, where the orchestra seated at one end of the huge room played a lively country dance and several sets were in full swing.

Guests gathered around the edge of the ballroom in an ever-shifting, babbling throng. One almost had to elbow one’s way into the room to find a small space in which to stand.

‘I see a friend,’ her mother-in-law said. ‘Excuse me for a moment.’

How she could find anyone in this crowd, Florence failed to see, but clearly she had.

‘Lady Blackdown. Good to see you again.’ Mr Aldrich appeared at her elbow. He made an elegant bow, though how he found the space she wasn’t sure. ‘Graydon, do you know Mr Aldrich?’ she asked. ‘Your mother introduced us at Almack’s.’

Graydon looked down at the fellow from his greater height and inclined his head. ‘Ah, yes. I saw you from a distance upon that occasion.’

‘Good to meet you, my lord. I am very interested in investing in a business in Canada, and I wonder if I might call on you and seek your advice?’

Graydon looked surprised and pleased. ‘I would be happy to meet with you.’

‘I will send round a note to discover when it would be convenient. In the meantime, I see that they are forming sets for a reel and wonder if you would do me the honour, Lady Blackdown?’

Florence almost laughed at the smooth way he accomplished his end. ‘You may indeed, Mr Aldrich.’

She smiled at Graydon, who was looking slightly bemused, took Mr Aldrich’s arm and sallied onto the dance floor.

Watching his wife dance, Graydon found himself smiling. The green gown fitted her generous figure in a way that gave her an air of elegance, perhaps because of the neckline and the lack of flounces and trim, and the pearls emphasised the translucence of her skin.

A niggle of regret for the emeralds caused him mentally to shake his head. Perhaps she’d wear them for him one night…emeralds and nothing else.

He turned away before anyone caught him leering at his own wife. A gentleman did not do that sort of thing. Not in public, anyway.

He caught sight of a group of people including George and, of all people, Eloise. As he began to turn away, George saw him and waved him over. If there was one thing he would not do, it was pretend he had not seen his best friend.

He strolled over to the group and George made the introductions to the couple of ladies he did not know. Everyone else, he had met before.

Eloise glanced at him and away. A faint flush stained her cheeks. What the devil?

‘Did you hear?’ George said. ‘They have arranged for supper to be served out in the garden, under canvas.’

‘Like the Prince Regent does at Carlton House,’ Eloise said with a slightly scornful laugh.

‘I for one will be glad of a roof over my head,’ George said. ‘It is bound to rain else.’

‘The joys of English weather,’ Graydon said.

‘Does it rain much in Canada?’ Eloise asked.

‘In spring and in autumn, but not much in the summer.’

‘I hear there is a lot of snow in the winter,’ George said.

‘There is, and it is incredibly cold sometimes, but also very sunny once the snowstorms are done. Not very many grey days at all.’