by Lucy Adams
Thomas turned his head to see none other than the beautiful and charming Lady Reid approaching him, her fan fluttering delicately. He could not help but smile at her, taking great pleasure in the sheer beauty of her. She was dressed in the most ravishing of gowns with the purple hues bringing attention to her dark blue eyes. Her fair hair was held up on the top of her head, with glimmers of pearls catching his attention. With delicate curves, alabaster skin, and full, rosy lips, Thomas could not help but admire her.
“Lady Reid,” he murmured, accepting her proffered hand and bowing over it, his lips only just brushing her skin. “My evening has brightened considerably now that I have seen you.”
Lady Reid’s lips curved gently, her eyes holding his. “Your lips are honey, Lord Weston,” she murmured, as he let go of her hand. “But I shall not be taken in by you.”
Thomas could not help but chuckle, knowing full well that Lady Reid very much enjoyed playing a flirtatious game with any gentleman she set her eyes upon. Being both widowed and wealthy meant that she could do as she pleased, using gentlemen as though they were mere fripperies. He had never yet experienced the pleasures that Lady Reid had to offer, although he very much appreciated her company whenever she deigned herself to draw near to him. He would be the envy of almost every gentleman present.
“Might I not be allowed the opportunity to attempt to find something of import to say, Lady Reid?” he asked, moving a little closer to her, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You may discover that I can be as genuine in my words as in my actions.”
Lady Reid batted her long, dark eyelashes as she looked up at him, tilting her head carefully, as though she were a cat studying her intended prey. “That may be so, Lord Weston,” she replied, her voice soft. “I must consider whether or not I shall give you the opportunity to prove yourself to me in such a fashion.”
Thomas’s heart leapt in his chest – not out of any sort of affection or fondness for the lady before him, but rather because of the hope that he might now become the chosen favorite of Lady Reid. “I must hope that you will find me satisfactory,” he replied with a small bow. “But for the moment, might I walk with you in search of some refreshments?”
Lady Reid looked at him for a long moment, her piercing gaze beginning to bite away at Thomas’s hope. But then, she smiled at him and turned, reaching out one hand to him so that she might place it on his arm – and Thomas’s heart burst to life again.
Walking through the ballroom, Thomas felt as though he were walking on the clouds in the sky, such was his pleasure and delight. Every eye was turned to him, every gaze catching sight of Lady Reid and her hand on his arm. It was a distinct, outward sign that she was considering him, and Thomas was almost breathless with importance.
And then he saw Miss Wells.
His heart dropped to the floor almost at once, his sudden recollection that he was to be supposedly attempting to court Miss Wells stabbing at his mind fiercely. Catching his breath, he forced a smile to his face, as Lady Reid looked up at him sharply, stumbling to find some explanation for his sudden intake of breath.
“I am overwhelmed by your presence, Lady Reid,” he told her, seeing her concern fade and her brows lift from where they had knotted. “You do me a great honor with such attention.” He tried his best to ignore the way his stomach had twisted at the sight of Miss Wells, telling himself that he had nothing to worry about when it came to the lady. He was simply walking through the ballroom with another lady on his arm, and surely Miss Wells could not construe anything improper from that!
Lady Reid gave him a sidelong look, turning her face away. “There may be more of this attention that you so obviously crave, Lord Weston,” she murmured, her words bringing a thrill of excitement to his chest. “If you would like to further your acquaintance with me, then I should be glad if you would call upon me.” She looked up at him again, a knowing smile touching her lips. “Although you should not have any expectations, Lord Weston.”
“I have no expectations whatsoever, I assure you,” Thomas replied firmly, practically feeling the lingering stare of Miss Wells on his retreating back. “But I thank you, Lady Reid, for your generous offer. I should be more than happy to call upon you whenever you are next able to see me.”
Lady Reid nodded, smiled, and let go of his arm. “A dance later, mayhap?”
“A waltz, I hope,” Thomas said, hoping his luck with Lady Reid had not run out. “Or the supper dance?”
Lady Reid’s smile grew. “The supper dance would do me very well,” she replied quickly. “I look forward to speaking with you later this evening, Lord Weston.”
“Good evening,” he murmured, watching Lady Reid walk away and finding his whole being suddenly glowing with the delight of what might yet be with the lady. Of course, that could only come after he had finished his supposed courtship with Miss Wells, but that should not inconvenience Lady Reid in any way. She was not the sort of lady who was eager for courtship and marriage, for she was more than content, it seemed, with her life such as it was. If things went as he hoped with Lady Reid, then all he would have to do was ensure that Miss Wells had no knowledge of it.
“What are you doing?”
The hissed words of Lord Henderson reached Thomas’s ears, and he turned around with a sigh, looking wearily at his friend.
“Whatever is the matter now, Henderson?” he asked, rubbing his forehead. “I did not think that accompanying a lady for a short time was to be frowned upon.”
“Miss Wells has been watching you carefully,” Lord Henderson replied, his brow furrowing. “Do you wish to win this wager or not?”
Thomas shook his head. “You are being quite ridiculous, Henderson. I have done nothing wrong. I will admit that I saw Miss Wells watching me, but I felt no concern.” The lie came easily to his lips. “I have not made an error in judgement, I am quite certain.”
Lord Henderson’s frown did not lift. “Everyone in London is aware of Lady Reid’s status. They know full well that she is not at all inclined towards matrimony but rather seeks close friendships with her chosen gentlemen for entirely different purposes.” His eyes narrowed still further. “And now that you have been seen with her in such an intimate fashion, rumors will begin to spread.”
Unable to prevent it, Thomas laughed aloud at this statement, shaking his head. “I hardly think walking with a lady is in any way intimate,” he replied with a chuckle. “You are much too concerned, my friend. I would have thought that you would wish me to lose the bet in order to make me realize just how foolish I am.”
“You are my friend, Weston,” Lord Henderson stated firmly. “I may have been in my cups when the wager was made, but I must tell you that I am concerned not only for your sake but also for Miss Wells. As much as it pains me to admit it, I do not want you to lose the wager—for you will lose a great deal of money. What will your father say to that?”
Thomas’s mouth went dry as he considered it, going cold all over. He had not given much thought to what his father’s reaction would be, for he had believed that he would be quite successful in his wager. However, if he failed, and if he did, in fact, have to pay Lord Wiltshire the money that was owed, then most likely, he would have the weight of his father’s displeasure resting on his shoulders thereafter. His father would be furious, his already worn patience broken completely. Would he insist that Thomas wed a lady of his choosing, instead of allowing Thomas to continue on as he was? Thomas shuddered at the thought.
And yet, the wonderful Lady Reid was much too beautiful to give up.
“I have a dance with Miss Wells,” he told Lord Henderson, who did not look in the least bit pleased. “I shall ensure that my attention is given to her solely and that she knows there is nothing to fear as regards Lady Reid.”
Lord Henderson shook his head but said nothing.
“That will be of great importance since I also have a dance with Lady Reid,” Thomas continued with a small shrug and rueful smile. “Although I canno
t quite recall which dance I am to have with Miss Wells.”
Lord Henderson rolled his eyes and let out a long breath. “It is just as well I was nearby when you approached the lady at the first,” he replied with a grim smile. “You have the supper dance with Miss Wells.”
Thomas closed his eyes, his heart sinking to the floor. Surely he could not have been so foolish as to have offered the same dance to Lady Reid as to Miss Wells?”
“What have you done?” Lord Henderson asked, his tone lowering. “Tell me you have not been foolish.”
Not wanting to admit that this was the case, Thomas let out a long breath and tried to look nonchalant. “It seems that I have made an error, that is all,” he replied with a shrug. “I shall simply have to seek out Miss Wells and ask her for another dance.”
Lord Henderson’s mouth dropped open. “You have them both for the supper dance?”
“It was nothing more than a mistake!” Thomas stammered, spreading his hands. “You know what effect Lady Reid can have on a gentleman, do you not? When she asked me to dance with her, I could not help but offer the one that would allow me the greatest length of time with her. And I cannot turn from her now.”
“But you must.”
“No,” Thomas stated firmly. “No, I shall not. Lady Reid will not be willing to give me another opportunity if I turn from her now, whereas Miss Wells will have more than enough space on her dance card to permit me to choose another one. I am quite decided.”
Knowing full well that Lord Henderson would, of course, find this decision to be the wrong one, Thomas turned away at once, leaving Lord Henderson standing with his mouth ajar, clearly ready to have spoken against this choice but having no opportunity to do so. Making his way across the ballroom, Thomas tried to discover where Miss Wells might be, feeling a twist of concern over what he was to have to do, even though he had told Lord Henderson that he was quite confident in his decision.
He had only just made amends with Miss Wells, had he not? She had only just begun to trust that he might not be as rude as he had seemed at the first, but now he was to do something that would, no doubt, have her disappointed in him again. Perhaps he might ruin their budding acquaintance entirely.
Drawing in a long breath, Thomas shook such thoughts from his mind and determined that he would not fear about the consequences. To be the chosen companion of Lady Reid was much too great an opportunity for him to pass up, even if it meant he would have to work all the harder to regain the trust and hopefully, adoration of Miss Wells. Yes, he knew he was being entirely selfish, but since that was as he had always been, it did not matter to him a great deal.
“Miss Wells.” Spotting her, Thomas hurried towards her, bowing quickly and clearing his throat. “I regret to say that I—”
“I know that you may think you ought to be listened to the moment you arrive in the company of any young lady, Lord Weston, but even you must realize it is highly rude to simply interrupt another gentleman when he is conversing with the lady!”
Thomas began to stammer a response, realizing that he had, in fact, stepped right into the middle of a conversation between Miss Wells and another gentleman.
“Lord…” The name escaped him as he struggled to regain his composure. “Forgive me, I–”
“Lord Whitaker,” the gentleman replied dryly, looking at Thomas with a disdainful lift to his brow. “Good evening.”
“Good evening,” Thomas replied, daring a look at Miss Wells, who was, for the most part, watching the interaction with interest. “I must apologize. In my haste, I did not see you speaking to Miss Wells.”
Lord Whitaker chuckled. “You mean to flatter the lady, I think, Lord Weston.”
Thomas gritted his teeth, hating the feeling that Lord Whitaker was not only laughing at him, but was, for whatever reason, appearing much more reasonable and respectful than he. Suddenly, what he had been going to say to Miss Wells about requesting another dance so that he might dance with Lady Reid at the supper dance went from his mind. He could not allow someone such as Lord Whitaker to take his place, if it should mean that that Miss Wells might favor Lord Whitaker instead of himself.
“I mean to speak honestly, Lord Whitaker,” he replied quickly. “That is all.”
Lord Whitaker chuckled again, making Thomas clench his jaw with frustration. “Is that so, Lord Weston?” he replied with a grin. “What is it then, that is so very important that you interrupted my conversation with Miss Wells?”
The words he wanted to say were gone from his mind, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. He looked hopelessly at Miss Wells, feeling as though he were completely lost. This had never been the case before. He was always able to talk to ladies without any difficulty, but this was now the second time that he had struggled to speak to Miss Wells with ease.
“You are having an enjoyable evening, I hope?”
He looked up at her, finding himself more than a little relieved that Miss Wells had been considerate enough to speak and, therefore, saving him from his embarrassment. “I have had an enjoyable evening thus far, Miss Wells, yes.”
Something in her eyes flickered and a slight hardness appeared about her mouth. “You have most of the ton eager to seek your company, it seems.”
The memory of how she had watched him as he had walked with Lady Reid came back to his mind almost at once, recalling the sharpness of her gaze. “I am acquainted with a good many of the beau monde, Miss Wells. Although there are only some to whom I seek to further my acquaintance.” This had been meant to be something of an encouragement to her, for he had wanted to suggest, without saying it implicitly, that it was she to whom he wished to further his acquaintance, but unintentionally, he had suggested that it was Lady Reid to whom his attention had been drawn.
Miss Wells’ eyes narrowed, a slow flush creeping up her cheeks. “I see,” she replied, lifting her chin and looking towards Lord Wiltshire. “Then do not allow me to hold you back from such a thing, Lord Weston,” she replied, clearly insulted. “I am quite certain that Lord Whitaker will be more than willing to dance the supper dance with me, since he has already asked.”
Lord Whitaker seemed to be more than pleased with this suggestion, stepping in before Thomas could even speak. “Indeed I would,” he said at once, throwing a hard look in Thomas’s direction. “In fact, nothing would please me more.” It seemed Lord Whitaker did not particularly care for Thomas and was not about to allow him the chance to explain. “In fact, Miss Wells, let me remove you from this situation at once. It seems that the air about us has become a trifle unpleasant.”
Miss Wells frowned, looking back at Thomas for a moment. The hardness of her expression had begun to lift, and she opened her mouth as if she was to say something, only for Lord Whitaker to step directly in front of Thomas and prevent anything from being said. She was swept away before he could say another word, leaving Thomas standing alone, feeling both frustrated and angry. He ought to be relieved, he told himself, turning on his heel and storming across the ballroom. He should be glad that he did not need to dance with Miss Wells and would be able to therefore dance with Lady Reid without concern, but he did not feel any joy nor happiness at the prospect. Instead, he was deeply frustrated at his own confusion and furious with Lord Whitaker’s behavior and attitude that had been so vehemently displayed towards him.
It was deeply unsettling to have such a plethora of emotions over a young lady he was meant to care nothing for. Shaking his head as though it might dislodge some of what he felt, Thomas continued to make his way across the ballroom, thinking that the best thing for him to do until the supper dance was to find a quiet corner and enjoy a glass of brandy. For whatever reason, he did not feel like company any longer, and that in itself was deeply troubling.
Chapter Eight
Merry did her best to keep her sigh as contained and as hidden as possible, but hearing Titania wittering on about her upcoming wedding and all the intricate details that were to be a part of it was, to her mind
, rather tiresome. It was not as though she was not pleased for her sister, for Titania appeared to have made an excellent match, which was made all the better by the fact that Lord Carroway cared for her deeply, but it was growing somewhat wearisome to hear the same discussions over and over again. Dinah was not saying a word, her face turned away from Titania and her eyes closed as though she were in prayer. Catherine was, at the very least, trying to show some interest, but Merry herself was not able to pay even the slightest bit of attention.
Her last interaction with Lord Weston was playing on her mind.
Muttering darkly to herself over her own lack of ability to push him from her thoughts, Merry rose from her chair and without a word to her sisters or cousin, began to make her way towards the door.
“Merry!”
She paused, turning her head and looking at Titania’s wide-eyed face. “Yes?”
“You do not wish to hear what I have to say about the ribbons?”
Pasting a smile on her face, Merry gave a small shrug. “I have some matters of my own to sort out, Titania.”
“But the ribbons!” Titania exclaimed, as though this was, at present, the most important thing. “Surely you cannot–”
“Do leave Merry alone,” Catherine replied suddenly, throwing Merry a quick glance before frowning at Titania. “She has matters of her own, as she has said.” She gave Merry a quick smile. “Has Mama got more gowns for you to try?”
Merry, grateful for Catherine’s help, lifted her shoulder. “You know that Mama is doing her very best to have me noticed by the gentlemen of the ton, as much as I do not wish it,” she replied quickly. “Therefore, I have very little choice now but to go along with what she requests. Especially since, despite my pleas, it has been decided that I have lost the wager!” She shot a dark glance towards Titania, who held her chin up defiantly.
“Lord Whitaker seemed to be very attentive last evening, I thought,” Catherine said quietly, looking at Merry with no discernable expression on her face. Perhaps she wanted to gauge Merry’s reaction before she said any more. “What did you think of him?”
