Luke drained his punch and set his glass on a small nearby table. “And this is all due to the supposed objections to your family?”
“I believe so,” Charlotte replied. “Lord Harry has told me – well, he has written to me that he is not ready to reveal everything to the world just yet.”
“And has he given you any indication of when that time will come?”
Charlotte paused and looked at the Duke again. She could not fail to notice his chiseled jaw, a hint of a shadow of stubble there now as the day approached its end. But his handsomeness did not have any effect on her right at that moment. Her mind was in too much confusion about Lord Harry and his intentions towards her. If he had any intentions at all.
“He has not, Your Grace.” She glanced down at her dress and grimaced. “And matters are not helped by the insistence of my stepmother on dressing my sister and me in gowns from the last century, just to be sure that everyone in society thinks that we are from another world and barely fit to be seen in public.
“It is a shame that you are forced into this difficult situation,” the Duke replied. “Although might I say that I think the shade of your gown becomes you very well.”
Charlotte smiled. Perhaps the Duke was simple, after all? Or trying to flatter her for some reason known only to himself. She sighed at how complicated it was to navigate all these things. “I am sure it will all come good in the end.”
She had decided a long time ago that she would put her trust in Lord Harry, and she must not let this moment of flirtation between him and Miss Thomas divert her from. The Duke was obviously trying to be kind, but she would hold steady. She would write to Lord Harry tomorrow, and he would reassure her, and all would be well.
* * *
Luke cleared his throat, coming to a decision suddenly, which surprised him a little. The conversation with Miss Hervey had not gone entirely as he thought it would, and he found her intriguing. He had not intended to dance this evening if he could possibly avoid it, but the conviction, now, to dance with Miss Hervey was so strong that he could not help himself. He turned to face her.
“Miss Hervey,” he said rather formally. “I wonder if you are engaged for the first two dances?”
A bemused look crossed her face. “I never dance at balls such as this, Your Grace. There is no need for you to trouble yourself to dance with me out of pity or some such thing.”
He shook his head. “It is not pity,” he insisted. “I am genuinely most desirous to dance with you.”
He had come to the ball this evening with no expectations, no hope of enjoying himself, but he had found himself taking great pleasure in the company of this young lady. She was so different from all the other young ladies of his acquaintance, the way she spoke so candidly of her feelings. And he wanted to prolong their exchange for as long as possible. And where better to do that than on the dance floor?
He could see that she was hesitating, glancing across the room toward the hapless Lord Harry. It took all his self-control to prevent himself from striding across the room and asking the man what he thought he was playing at. Why on earth would the fool not dance with this young lady that he was supposedly so enamored with? He was not behaving as a gentleman should, and Luke felt strongly that someone should take him to task. But even though he knew so little of Miss Hervey, he was certain that she would not want him to cause a scene in a ballroom on her behalf, so he held back and returned his attention to her. If they were to partake in a dance together, it would at least take her mind off things and perhaps draw some favorable attention in her direction.
“Will you not agree to dance with me, Miss Hervey?” he tried again. He was surprised by how much he found himself wanting to take her onto the dance floor now. The sense of compulsion was strong indeed.
“Why should you want to dance with me, Your Grace?” she asked.
He felt his heart clench a little as she looked up at him in confusion. Could this lady really not believe that he wanted to dance with her just for the pleasure of her company? He was unexpectedly moved by her plight, as well as mildly amused at her reluctance to dance with him. He had no false modesty, and he knew that most of the young ladies in the room would be delighted to have the chance to dance with him, and their mothers would be delighted too.
“Miss Hervey,” he said with a smile. “I am enjoying your company very much, that is all. I think it would be delightful to dance with you. We are at a ball, are we not? Dancing is what people generally do at balls.”
“But what can you have to gain from it? I do not understand.” She looked at him suspiciously through narrowed eyes. She was still being her true, candid self, he realized, but the feelings she was showing him now were self-doubt and a disarming lack of confidence. It made him want to take her in his arms even more.
“It is not about having anything to gain, Miss Hervey, I assure you, other than the enjoyment of your company,” he said. “But you have nothing to lose. You are not promised to this Lord Harry, and he does not appear to be in any danger of honoring his previously mentioned intentions towards you. Perhaps if you were to stand up with me, you might show him a little of what he is missing?”
She blinked. “But – but why would you want to do this? It makes no sense to me. People will judge you if you are seen dancing with me. You know what everyone thinks of my sister and me.”
He let out an exasperated sigh. If they did not hurry, they would miss this set of dancing anyway; he could hear the strains of the music starting up already.
“Miss Hervey, if you dance with me, you will save me from the dreadful plight of having to dance with some other insipid miss, under the watchful eye of her mother, who will no doubt be already thinking of ordering wedding clothes.”
Her face broke into a smile at his comment. “Your Grace, how can you say such things?” she said, her hand flying to her mouth in a gasp of shock, which, he thought, was a little mocking and not entirely genuine.
“I know it is shocking, and I am a very impertinent man, but I cannot bear it. I have only been back five minutes, and already I need a break from the people of the ton. And you are just the person to give it to me.” He held out his hand to her. “Miss Hervey, please, will you do me the honor?”
At last, she nodded and took his hand, and he led her across the room to the dancefloor. All eyes were on them as they began the set.
* * *
“Mama, what on earth is he doing dancing withher?”
On the other side of the room, Miss Alison Jarvis was staring wide-eyed at her stepsister, who was being led onto the dancefloor by none other than the newly returned Duke of Seton. The incredibly handsome, well-connected and wealthy Duke of Seton, who everyone had been talking about for days in the lead-up to this much-anticipated ball.
