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“Lady Darcy,” he replied, bowing over her hand. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

To his surprise, unlike the other debutantes, she did not attempt to engage in further conversation but stepped back to allow him to greet her brothers. Somewhat bemused, Sebastian glanced at her over her elder brother’s shoulder and saw a flash of pleased calculation in her gaze. Ah. She was clever, and she realized that not tripping over herself to speak to him might pique his interest.

He had to admit, it worked.

Sebastian was now both more curious about her and intrigued by her quiet self-assurance.

The rest of her family was rather unremarkable, although Lord Owen appeared to be somewhat dazzled by Tiffany, which was making Gregory bristle. As if sensing their host’s growing impatience with their son’s gawking, the earl and countess smoothly moved things along. Mrs. Mays was there to help them get to their rooms.

As they went up the stairs, Sebastian turned to watch them go, wondering if Lady Darcy would look back or if she would continue to feign disinterest. Or was her disinterest real? In any case, she did not look back at him to see if he was watching her.

Interesting.

“What do you think?” Gregory asked from behind him. “Should we attempt to wait until Drake arrives?”

“What do you think are the chances of him arriving any time soon?” Tiffany sounded nearly as exasperated as Lady Astrid would, making Sebastian chuckle. He turned, glancing up to the balcony where Miss Hu had been standing as he did so, but she was no longer there.

When had she left her post? As soon as he’d been introduced to Lady Darcy? Sometime afterward? And why did he feel disappointed at knowing she was no longer watching over him?

Mei

That had been harder to watch than she’d anticipated. Even knowing that Lady Darcy was her first choice for the Duke of Bolton’s hand.

He’d seemed enamored by her.

Which was good.

He’d observed her in a manner that he had not the others.

Which was good.

And then he’d turned to watch her leave.

Which should have been good, but for some reason, Mei felt like crying.

Walking down the hallway—not toward her room, which was in a hall now full of noble ladies, but toward nowhere in particular—she pressed her hand to her now-aching chest and took in deep breaths. This was what she was here for. To find the Duke of Bolton a bride.

He was already intrigued by one of the potential candidates, as he was supposed to be. Not only that, but she’d picked the frontrunner correctly. This was good. The sooner she could get past this unasked-for attraction to him, the better, because it was unexpectedly painful.

10

Mei

After wandering the halls, Mei made her way back to her room, thankfully without running into any of the noble ladies. They were all in their own rooms, resting and readying themselves for supper. She needed to change her dress as well. Walking into her room, she startled when someone in the corner got to their feet, standing up from the chair they were sitting in.

“Miss Hu.” Dressed in the Clarence livery, the young woman bobbed a curtsey greeting, startling Mei even further. She could not have been more than a year or two younger than Mei herself.

“I… who are you?” She did not mean to be rude, but she was too startled to be less blunt.

“My name is Jocelyn, miss. Her Grace noticed you did not have a ladies’ maid and sent me to be yours.” Her face lit up with a glow. “I am only in training, but I promise I will do a good job.”

It was on the tip of Mei’s tongue to say that she had not brought a ladies’ maid because she did not need a ladies’ maid, but seeing how excited Jocelyn was about being promoted to trying on her own… blast. She could not stomp on the young woman’s happiness. This was a chance for her to prove herself.

Which was likely why Tiffany had sent Jocelyn rather than an accomplished ladies’ maid. Mei would not need as much. She would be more patient, and she would also be unable to refuse the assistance. It would also give Mei some standing with the nobles she was in the hall with if they saw a dedicated maid tending to Mei. She would not be on equal footing with them, of course, but it would be less unequal. Another reason not to refuse. All in all, it was diabolical, really.

“Thank you, Jocelyn.” Mei sighed inwardly. “I thought to get ready for supper.”

“Of course!” Jocelyn sprang into action, hurrying over to the wardrobe. “I saw that your things were already unpacked, but I did my best brushing out any wrinkles or dust that I noticed.”