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She took it and let him lead her to the floor. ‘I hope you don’t think me presumptuous,’ she murmured, ‘but I put your name on my card. Just in case you might want to dance with me. Was that too forward?’

‘Not presumptuous at all. I’m immensely grateful for your forethought.’

They moved into the dance, and Robert held her to his side as they followed the steps. She was wearing the lightest perfume, and he wanted to hold her in his arms and bury his face in her neck so that he could drink it in. Drink her in and remember it forever.

‘I’m looking forward to hearing about your trip to Scarborough,’ she said.

‘You are? There’s not much to tell. It’s not a terribly exciting place.’

They moved apart, then back again. ‘Oh, but I disagree. Scarborough is a fascinating place and so lovely at this time of year. I must confess to being terribly fond of it. I visited it a little while ago and was vastly impressed. Such a magnificent castle, with all that sea and lovely things to eat and do. Besides, I’m interested in what you did.’

Robert’s heart squeezed just a bit more. ‘You are? I see. Well, perhaps… perhaps I could call on you on the morrow and tell you about it?’

‘I should be thrilled.’

The most incredible thing was, he could see that she meant it.

Eliza was exhausted. She had danced so much her feet ached. Her cheeks hurt from so much smiling. What she needed most in that moment was a little solitude, but she could see her mother bearing down upon her. She managed a smile.

‘Come and sit with me,’ her mother said.

Eliza did as she was bid, and the two of them took a seat. Charles presented himself a moment later with two cool drinks for them and Mama nodded her approval. He delivered them and left, leaving Eliza wondering if her mother had commanded him to do so.

She sipped and waited.

‘You are clearly interested in the Ellice boy.’

‘The Lieutenant Colonel?’ she said, refusing to allow her mother to reduce him to the status of boy.

‘Well, certainly not the other one.’

‘He is very courteous and interesting,’ Eliza said.

‘Then stop wearing your heart on your sleeve,’ she said. ‘You are gushing like a child, and you need to stop before people think you are common.’

That brought Eliza up short. Gushing like a child? Common?

Her mother pinned her with a stare. ‘Men want what they cannot have. If you make it so abundantly clear that you are interested, he will consider the battle already won and move on to someone else.’

Eliza looked at her mother, who was gazing out over the dancers.

‘Battle?’ she said faintly.

‘Good God, child, do you know nothing about men?’

‘Well, not really, as this is my first season and no-one has ever discussed how to catch the attention of a man with me.’

‘Such impertinence,’ her mother said with some umbrage.

‘I am glad you are speaking to me of it now, Mama. Tell me. What should I do to ensure that the Lieutenant Colonel doesn’t think the… battle already won?’

Her mother softened a little and hesitated. ‘Eliza, you are very young and very inexperienced. What I am trying to say is that a young lady should be demure. She should be coy. She should not show her affections and emotions. She should let her intended know in subtle ways that she might, just might, not consider him impertinent if he were to indicate his interest.’

‘So, I should pretend not to like him as much as I do?’

‘Precisely,’ her mother said, seemingly pleased that she understood.

‘I see. Thank you, Mama.’