by Anne Herries
Hot tears stung her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. She could not believe that she had been so very misguided.
After perhaps twenty minutes or so the tears ceased. Pride came to Lucy’s rescue. It was as well that she had said nothing to remind Paul of what she’d thought was his promise to return to her when they had both healed. Lucy could not bear to see rejection of her love in his eyes.
She would give him no cause to think that she was expecting an offer. She would be friendly, of course, because to be anything else with a man she’d known all her life would be ridiculous—but she would be cool.
Her hurt pride eased a little in the reflection that she had one admirer, even if he was a rake—and in Bath she would no doubt meet several gentlemen she could like.
With that thought in mind, she fell into a troubled sleep.
* * *
Lucy woke at her usual time, feeling less than refreshed.
However, it was the day of her dance and she could not be miserable on such a day, for flowers and small gifts from friends began to arrive before she had been served her breakfast in bed. Lucy normally rose and went out riding or walking, but today she had been ordered to remain in bed until midmorning.
A maid brought up her breakfast tray of honey and rolls and a pot of dark chocolate, and another girl brought several posies, cards and small tributes. She discovered that one posy of roses was from Paul Ravenscar, but refused to let herself believe the tribute was more than mere politeness.
George Daventry had sent her a jewelled posy holder with his tribute of fragrant flowers, which were freesias and very delicate. Since they were a pale-lilac colour they would go very well with the gown of delphinium blue that Lucy had chosen for her dance. All the other posies would be left in her room in little vases, but she would acknowledge every one with a thank-you card after the dance.
Her mother came in while she was still looking at some cards and small gifts. Lady Dawlish was bearing a velvet box, which she gave Lucy with an affectionate kiss.
‘These are some earrings, which I thought would go well with your pearls, my love.’
‘Thank you, Mama,’ Lucy said.
‘Who has sent you flowers, dearest?’
‘These are from the earl,’ Lucy said, showing her the freesias in their holder. ‘Paul sent me the white roses and...oh, there are cards and posies from most of our guests. People are amazingly kind, Mama.’
‘Yes, my love. I expect they feel pleased to see you ready to dance and be happy again. Paul sent Judith some pink roses—was that not kind of him? She has had three posies, I think, but it is your dance and so you have many more.’
Lucy felt the pain strike at her heart. Paul had sent roses to Judith, too. Had she needed more proof of his feelings for her cousin, she had it now. She had fallen asleep after making up her mind to forget that she had ever cared for him, but that did not stop the crushing pain in her breast. However, she pushed it away and smiled at her mother.
No one must know that she was breaking her heart for a man who did not love her. Forcing a smile, she changed the subject.
‘Did you know that Major Barton had asked Judith to marry him? She said no, of course.’
‘How foolish of him,’ Lady Dawlish said. ‘To be sure, I thought she might be grateful for any husband before she came to stay with us and was determined to help her—but she is an independent and stylish lady. I am sure there will be many offers for her hand once it is known that she is no longer in mourning.’
‘Yes, she is...beautiful,’ Lucy said, choking back the unworthy feeling that she knew was jealousy. Even her mama thought that Judith was exceptional. It was no wonder that Paul’s interest should have been aroused. ‘I know she looks for a husband, but I am certain she will choose someone who will indulge her by taking her travelling for a while.’
‘She might travel with a chaperon and a trustworthy manservant if she chose,’ Lady Dawlish said. ‘Yet I know it is more comfortable to have a gentleman with one. We missed your papa when he left us in Italy to return home, did we not?’
‘Yes, Mama. It was foolish of me to want to stay there as long as I did. I should have returned sooner.’ She looked down at her flowers, picked up a posy at random and sniffed it. ‘I am feeling better and I have quite decided to marry, Mama. If I meet a gentleman I like and he asks for me, I shall accept him.’
‘Shall you, Lucy?’ her mother asked, frowning a little. ‘I suppose there is no one in particular?’
‘At the moment, no,’ Lucy said. ‘At least...if he were to ask...but he has not as yet and Judith tells me he is a rake.’
‘You speak of the earl?’ Lady Dawlish looked thoughtful. ‘He does have a certain reputation, dearest, but I believe... I am certain that if he married a young lady he loved that would end.’
‘Do you approve of George Daventry, Mama?’
‘I like him very well, my love. Both your father and I...we could not help noticing his attentions to you. If you did take him, I should be content, but only if you are happy, my love.’
‘Thank you, Mama,’ Lucy said and leaned forward to kiss her. ‘You and Father have been so kind to me. I know most fathers and mothers would expect to arrange a suitable marriage for their daughters—but you have not pushed me at all. You did know that I received several offers in Italy?’
‘Certainly. You are my only daughter,’ Lady Dawlish replied. ‘I have been in no hurry to part from you, my love. All I want is that you should be happy with your choice.’
‘I am very fortunate,’ Lucy said. ‘I hope that very soon I shall make you proud of me by contracting a respectable alliance.’
Lady Dawlish smiled, rose to her feet and left her to continue her breakfast. Lucy picked up the roses from Paul and held them to her nose, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears, which she blinked away.
It was ridiculous to waste her life in regret. She would accept the first man she felt truly at ease with, if he should ask her to wed him.
She would not cry for Paul Ravenscar again.
* * *
The dance was in full swing by the time the party from Ravenscar arrived. Lucy had been dancing with various young men from the beginning and her card was filled apart from two dances, which she had kept back for latecomers. She saw Jenny and Adam just as a dance was ending and prevailed upon her partner to take her to greet them.
‘I had almost given you up, dearest Jenny,’ Lucy said. ‘Did something delay you?’
‘There was an incident upon the road,’ Jenny said. ‘A chaise had overturned and Paul helped to push it off the road so that we could pass. He will be here shortly, but wanted to make sure that the occupants were not harmed and that help was sent to them. I believe he returned to Ravenscar to send our grooms to assist them.’
‘Will he come at all?’ Lucy asked, smothering her disappointment. It was obvious that he did not particularly wish to dance with her, for he would rather dance attendance on strangers than come to her ball.
‘Yes, I am sure he will,’ Adam said. ‘He may wish to change, for he must have soiled his clothes helping push that chaise off the road.’ He smiled at her. ‘I hope you have a dance left for me, Lucy?’
‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘You may have the dance before supper.’
Adam scrawled his name in the space, which meant she had but one left.
* * *
Lucy’s hopes of seeing Paul that evening had faded and it was not until two dances before supper that she saw him enter the room. He spoke to Jenny and Adam, and then looked round the room. She thought that he meant to come to her, but at that moment her partner claimed her and she was swept into a throng of merry dancers performing to a country air. When she looked over her partner’s shoulder a few moments later, she saw that Paul was dancing with Judith and laughing, seemingly enjoying him
self very much.
Adam claimed her for the next dance, which was a waltz. She could not but wish that Paul had been her partner, but the other dance she’d reserved had been and gone and she’d used the time to tidy her gown. Some of the excitement of her special evening had been lost because she knew her chance to dance with Paul was lost.
She had looked forward to it, hoping that perhaps the magic of that dance in London would return and that this time Paul would speak...but of course that was ridiculous. He had hardly looked her way since he arrived.
However, he and Jenny joined her and Adam after the last dance before supper and they all went in together. Daventry and Judith came to sit at the large table and the gentlemen went off to order supper for them all.
‘Are you enjoying your dance?’ Jenny asked when the ladies were left for a short time. ‘You look beautiful. I love the colour of your dress—and that posy goes so well with it.’
‘This was a gift from the Earl of Daventry,’ Lucy said. She glanced at Judith and saw that she was wearing pink roses pinned to her gown by a diamond clip. ‘You look lovely in green, Jenny. It has always suited you.’
Judith’s gown was white silk with pink-tulle frills to the skirt and little puffed sleeves; she wore a pale-pink stole over her arms. Paul’s roses complemented the gown beautifully. Lucy had thought her cousin meant to wear yellow and was surprised at her choice of gown since the primrose silk was new. Had she changed her mind on which gown to wear because of Paul’s roses?
When the gentlemen returned, bearing champagne buckets and followed by two footmen with large trays of delicious trifles, Lucy could not help noticing that Paul chose a seat between Judith and Jenny. She felt hurt, as if he were deliberately snubbing her, but in another moment she had forgot him as the earl applied himself to serving her with some of the delicious little pastries and jellies.
Lucy smiled up at him, giving a very good impression of being well pleased with his attention.
The conversation was general for a time. Daventry was truly the soul of the party, making them all laugh with his gossip and his wit. He told stories of the Prince Regent and of other people he knew well. Lucy laughed at his stories, some of which were a little risqué and brought colour to her cheeks.
Raising his glass, George Daventry said, ‘To Miss Lucy Dawlish—the belle of the evening.’
‘To Lucy,’ everyone said and raised their glasses.
Lucy blushed and glanced at Paul. He seemed to glare at her, but in the next moment he was saying something in a quiet voice to Judith and they laughed together. Lucy’s skin prickled, for she felt they were laughing at her, and she turned to the earl, asking him to tell her about something the Regent had said at a party and listening intently as he obliged.
She peeped at Paul again and saw that he was once more frowning at her. It was almost as if he disapproved of her for being pleasant with the earl.
As people began to leave the supper room, Lucy excused herself. She went upstairs to make herself comfortable before the dancing began again. As she returned to the ballroom, she saw Paul standing alone in the hall looking thoughtful.
‘I hope the people you rescued were not harmed by their accident,’ she said.
He turned to look at her, his eyes narrowed. ‘The ladies were elderly and much shaken, but I fetched one of our carriages to them and gave them a little brandy and they were able to continue. I fear it made me too late to secure a dance with you, Miss Dawlish.’
‘I saved one for you earlier, but my card is full, sir. In fact, I must not keep my next partner waiting for I think the music is about to start.’
As she went to pass him, Paul clasped her wrist. The touch of his strong fingers sent little thrills down her spine. She caught her breath, her heart beating wildly.
‘Daventry is charming, I know, but be careful of him, Lucy. His reputation is not all it might be.’
‘I thank you, sir,’ Lucy said, made uneasy by his touch. She resented his advice, for it was unnecessary and impertinent. ‘But I do not stand in any danger. I believe the earl knows better than to try to seduce me.’
‘It was not of seduction that I meant to warn you. The fellow would lead you a pretty dance if you wed him, Lucy. He would never be faithful to you. I should not like to see you unhappy.’
‘Indeed?’ She arched her brow, feeling angry. ‘It appears to me that you should keep your opinions to yourself. I do not see that it is any affair of yours, sir.’
‘Damn it, I thought we were friends,’ Paul said. ‘It was merely a friendly warning from an old friend. There is no need to put on that look with me.’
‘I do not know what you mean,’ Lucy said, bristling. ‘I do not believe I am in any danger from the earl, sir.’
She wrenched away from his hold and he let her go. Her head high, she walked into the ballroom, refusing to look back even though she felt that he was watching her.
How dare he warn her against the earl when he had been flirting with her cousin ever since he had arrived? Why, he was no better than the man he had chosen to vilify.
Lucy’s throat was tight, though she wasn’t sure whether it was from anger or hurt that Paul could speak to her that way. He had trifled with her and broken her heart when he left her after his brother’s unfortunate death. Who was he to criticise her or her admirers?
Anger banished the tears. He was arrogant, careless and impossible!
She discovered her next partner waiting for her and was swept into a lively country dance. After that came a waltz and, as George Daventry claimed her for it, she saw that Paul was dancing with Judith once more. Her cousin’s laughter floated above the music and Lucy could not but be aware that Judith was showing every pleasure in encouraging Paul’s attention. She herself had danced with the earl twice that evening, but when she saw her cousin dance with Paul yet again as the dance ended, she felt as if her heart was breaking again.
He had danced with Judith three times. It was a mark of special attention; he must be planning to make her an offer. Lucy’s throat tightened and she felt the tears build.
No, she would not let it spoil her evening. Refusing to heed the tears that pricked her eyes, Lucy began to say goodnight to the guests who had come for her dance and were now leaving. A few, like the earl, were staying for the night and lingered with a glass of wine, but those who lived locally were sending for their carriages and Lucy went to each in turn to wish them a safe journey home.
She was congratulated on the dance, which had been much enjoyed by all, and more than one lady of her acquaintance gave her a knowing look and commented on the Earl of Daventry’s pleasant manners.
‘You must be happy and excited to have had such a successful evening,’ Mrs Morrison said archly. ‘I dare say we may look to hear some good news soon...’
Lucy’s cheeks felt warm. She knew that she had laughed at the earl’s jests and that he had been most attentive to her all evening—also she had chosen to wear his posy. It was obvious that her mama’s friends were putting two and two together and making five.
‘I have enjoyed myself very much,’ Lucy said. ‘People have been kind to me.’
‘And one particular gentleman more kind than any other, perhaps?’ the lady said and smiled as she left.
Lucy felt her cheeks flame. One or two of her mother’s friends also made gentle hints, but none as obvious as Mrs Morrison. Lucy did not think she had been more particular in her manner to the earl than to any of her other guests, although she had danced with him twice and only once with most of the other gentlemen.
She had not danced even once with Paul and that was a disappointment to her, for she had hoped that she might feel as she had once before in his arms...that he might look at her with love...but there was no sense in repining. Paul preferred her cousin.
Jenny and Adam had come to say goodn
ight to her.
‘I may not see you again before you go to Bath,’ Jenny told her. ‘Hal and his wife leave in the morning and I shall be busy. I hope you have a lovely time—and that you will have news for us when you return.’
She smiled and kissed Lucy.
Lucy swallowed hard and managed a smile, but made no answer. It seemed that even Jenny thought she’d made up her mind to have the earl and she wondered what she had done to give that impression. She had not intended it, but perhaps in her hurt over Paul’s behaviour she had laughed a little too much.
Paul was taking his leave of Judith. She saw him kiss her hand and it took all her time to keep her smile in place as he came to her.
‘Goodnight, Miss Dawlish,’ he said. ‘I hope you will have a pleasant stay in Bath.’
‘I dare say we shall. Judith wishes to buy new gowns and I dare say we shall attend the assemblies and the theatre.’
‘I am sure you will be engaged every evening,’ he replied and smiled in an odd way. ‘If my father continues well, I may come down for a couple of days. Lady Sparrow wishes for my advice on a matter concerning some horses and I promised to come if I could.’
‘Oh...is my cousin desirous of buying a new horse?’ Lucy asked, her nails turning into the palms of her hands as she struggled to keep the pain from her voice.
He would come to Bath for Judith’s sake, but he had not even bothered to come in time to secure a dance with her this evening! She needed nothing more to convince her of where his interest lay.
‘I believe Lady Sparrow intends to look for a house in Bath, but wants to make sure that there is sufficient stabling for her horses should she wish to live there for a part of the year.’
Lucy was surprised. Judith had said nothing to her of purchasing a house in Bath. She had assumed that she would make her home with them until she married.
‘I see...’ she said and swallowed hard. ‘We shall expect you in Bath then, sir.’
‘If my father’s health remains stable,’ he said and bowed over her hand. ‘I hope you enjoyed your evening, Lucy—and that you shall not regret any decision you made.’
