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‘But?’

‘But nothing.’ She looked him in the eye, patted him on the chest, and walked away with her heart thumping and her back rigid. She was too old for games. Too old for all the nonsensical posturing of the Ton during the season. Too old for all the expectations, the disappointments. She looked about for Gee, but she was ensconced with the young matrons again. Eliza was with the Ellice brothers and Hart was laughing uproariously with Poodle Byng. Was this the first stage of becoming an old maid? Too old for the debutantes, too unmarried to join the matrons, too old to be silly with Hart.

She groaned and turned away as she spotted Sir Vernon Mansfield heading towards her with a sense of dogged determination about him. He had been pursuing her quite ardently, and she had avoided him successfully during the evening. It looked as though he had her cornered.

‘Lady Harriet,’ he said, bowing low. ‘I believe this is the last dance of the evening. I would be most humbled and honoured if you would stoop to consider dancing it with me.’

Harriet wilted. She really didn’t have the energy for this. She was trying to find a way to turn him down that wouldn’t completely offend, though the words on the tip of her tongue were not kind, when Granville appeared beside her.

‘My dear Lady Harriet,’ he said gallantly. ‘Thank you for waiting for me. You must think me a monster to claim the final dance and then not be here immediately to escort you.’ He took her hand and bowed over it before glancing at her erstwhile suitor. ‘Mansfield. Good to see you. Would you excuse us?’

Harriet let Granville pull her hand through his arm, sent the open-mouthed Mansfield an apologetic smile, and let him lead her to the dance floor. As she stepped upon it, she hesitated.

‘Oh, lord,’ she sighed.

‘What is it, my love?’

‘Stop saying that. You know what it is. This will be our third dance and if we do this, the entire Ton will expect an announcement.’ Two dances would occasion comment. Three was tantamount to a betrothal.

‘Well, I could return you to Mansfield?’

She groaned but let him slide an arm about her waist. ‘Well then,’ he murmured in her ear.

‘I’ll call on you in the morning.’

Harriet, for once, had no idea what to say.

Chapter 46

HARYO

London

Lord Granville emerged from his carriage in the spring sunshine and adjusted his waistcoat for what felt like the hundredth time, tugging at it in a manner guaranteed to send his valet into a frenzy. He had reached the tender age of five and thirty without finding it necessary to propose to a woman, and he felt entirely ill equipped to do it properly. Particularly as there were things that his intended did not know, and not only was he battling to find words, but he was seriously considering simply saying nothing about them which was simply beyond the pale.

He took a breath and headed into Devonshire House. He had no doubt he would be expected, after leading Harriet onto the dance floor for a third time, then telling her he would call on her. He supposed he should speak to the duke first, but before he did that, there was a conversation to be had with his intended, because saying nothing was really not an option.

His heart sat like a dead weight in his chest, and his stomach churned as the footman took his hat and led him to the parlour.

He let the footman announce him, then strode in with confidence, but found only Gee and Hart in the room. They greeted him warmly, and the tea-tray was duly produced. His patience held out until he drained the last dregs of tea as delicately as he could.

‘Is Lady Harriet at home?’ he enquired.

Gee gave him a long look. ‘She has gone for a walk.’

‘I see. Would you have any notion regarding when she might return?’

‘My dear Lord Granville. This is Haryo. When have any of us had any notion whatsoever of what she might do next?’ The look of sympathy that Gee sent his way stung.

‘So, she is avoiding me?’

Hart looked shifty. Gee sighed. ‘One might infer that.’

Granville let out a sigh and regarded Harriet’s siblings. ‘Lady Morpeth. Lord Hartington. We have known each other for a long time. Shall we not beat about the bush?’

Gee nodded; Hart pressed his fingers to his forehead.

‘I have been attempting to pay court to Lady Harriet for a little while now and I thought perhaps we were arriving at an understanding.’