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“You do that,” the earl said. “And in the meantime, I have an introduction to make.” He offered Elizabeth his arm. “My mother is anxious to meet you, Miss Allerton.”

She noticed his use of the word anxious and glanced at Lord Langton. He winked.

“I am ready to meet her too,” she said.

Chapter 29

Jonas glanced up the stairs for perhaps the tenth time in the last minute. What was taking so long? All the guests were assembled in the duke’s spacious drawing room, awaiting the start of the musical evening, but the featured soloist, the woman they had all come to hear and to meet, was still above stairs with Lord and Lady Bloxley.

“I’m impressed that you’re not yet pacing, Jonas.” His sister looked over at him, humor dancing in her eyes. She too was waiting in the hall.

“I’m considering it, believe me,” he said.

“My rugs thank you for your show of restraint,” she said. She pressed her hand to his arm with unexpected understanding. “All will be well. You will see. Lady Bloxley will fall under her spell much as we all have.”

“You think so?”

It was not that Alexander’s mother was a fire-breathing dragon, per se, but rather that she had a long nose that she chose to look down more often than not. Her voice was loud and her mannerisms flamboyant. She was, in fact, the antithesis of Miss Allerton, and despite his encouraging words to the young lady while he’d been upstairs, he was beginning to wonder if she would emerge from their meeting unscathed.

“I know so,” Rosalind said. “Miss Allerton is very near perfect.”

Jonas grinned. He could not help himself. “She is, isn’t she?”

“Yes. So what are you going to do about it? After tonight, every other eligible nobleman in England will be seeking her out.”

“He’s meeting with Lord Bloxley in my study at the end of the evening.” The duke joined their conversation for the first time, throwing Jonas a knowing look.

With an immensely pleased expression on her face, Rosalind tucked her hand under her husband’s arm and followed Jonas’s gaze up the stairs.

Lord Bloxley was beginning his descent with Miss Allerton on one arm and Lady Bloxley on the other. The elderly noblewoman was a little more bent than she had been the last time Jonas had seen her, but her white hair was ratted to perfection, and pale-blue bows the same color as her gown were tied to the ringlets falling at her neck. Mounds of lace adorned her dress, making Miss Allerton’s elegant gown seem very simple in comparison.

Jonas turned his attention to the young woman who had so fully stolen his heart. Her beauty took his breath away, but there was so much more to her. So much that he needed to live up to. She made him wish to be better, to do better. And he’d long since realized that he wanted her for his wife more than he’d ever wanted anything before.

The threesome reached the last stair, and the Duke and Duchess of Kelbrook stepped forward to greet them. Jonas held back, his eyes on Miss Allerton. She smiled at something Lord Bloxley said, and his mother reached out to squeeze her hand. The gesture was not typical of the usually imperious noblewoman, and Jonas’s tension eased. Why did he ever question Rosalind’s intuition?

“Ah, Lord Langton,” Lady Bloxley said, noticing him for the first time. “Have you met my niece?”

Jonas smiled. “Indeed. I have already had that honor, my lady.”

“You’re too young to remember, of course,” she said, “but she’s the spitting image of her mother. Quite remarkable. Really, it is.”

“Am I correct in thinking that Mrs. Allerton had an especially fine voice?” Jonas asked.

“Why, yes.” Lady Bloxley fluffed out the lace on her sleeve. “She was highly acclaimed for her singing, both here and abroad.”

“Then you are in for a treat this evening,” Jonas said. “I have it on excellent authority that Miss Allerton has also inherited her mother’s beautiful voice.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw color touch Miss Allerton’s cheeks.

“Well then,” the older lady said. “I think we should join the other guests and allow her to perform.”

“An excellent suggestion,” the duke said. “Shall we, my dear?” He offered his arm to his wife and led the way into the drawing room, with Lord and Lady Bloxley close behind and Jonas and Miss Allerton bringing up the rear.

***

Elizabeth stood beside the duke and duchess, greeting their guests. One after another, the finely dressed gentlemen and exquisitely coiffured ladies offered their praise and congratulations. The concert had been a success, and she was weak with relief. Her face ached from smiling, and she was quite sure she would not remember a fraction of the people who had demanded an introduction. Even now, their names were all blurring.

Across the room, Lady Bloxley was holding court. The older woman was positively glowing, her sonorous voice accepting compliments and well-wishes with enthusiasm. Elizabeth was grateful she’d performed well enough to make her aunt proud, even though there was someone else whose opinion meant far more. She scanned the room again, looking for Lord Langton. He and Lord Bloxley had slipped out together at the end of the concert and had been conspicuously absent ever since.