Theodore led the two of them inside.
Plainly, Gabriel had spared no expense on the ball. Every surface in the ballroom was decorated beautifully for the event. There was a mixture of white and dried russet flowers, hailing the changing of the season into autumn.
Everyone was smiling as they wandered back and forth, with some ladies hurrying to the dance floor, waving their dance cards in the air, as some gentlemen stood back, poring over glasses of wine and whisky. Amongst the happy faces, Theodore spied Cedric. His friend was already charming two young ladies, making them laugh at some grand tale he was telling about the continent.
A short distance away stood Gabriel and Evelina, welcoming their guests.
“Margaret!” Evelina called.
Margaret released Theodore’s arm and moved toward her sister, as Theodore followed behind to greet Gabriel.
“You’ve done a grand job,” Theodore observed. “Enjoyed the preparations, have you?” He already knew Gabriel had little liking for such arrangements.
“It’s all down to Evelina,” he explained. “She has been magnificent. You two should hold a ball of your own now you are settled.”
“One party at a time, Gabriel,” Thoedore warned him, prompting Gabriel to chuckle in a low tone.
Distracted, Gabriel looked to the side.
Margaret and Evelina had embraced warmly, but as they spoke, a gentleman had come up to speak to them both. It was a gentleman whom Theodore did not recognize, though he was now trying to repeatedly take Margaret’s dance card.
“You’ll have to forgive Mr. Urwin,” Evelina said, trying to smooth over any awkwardness as Margaret tried to pull the dance card out of reach. “He is an eager dancer.”
“An eager drinker, too,” Gabriel murmured, for Theodore’s ears only.
“Come, Your Grace.” Mr. Urwin tried to take Margaret’s dance card once again. “I see you have no name on your card yet. A lady such as you must dance tonight! Allow me to remedy that.” He offered his hand gallantly. “To turn me down now would be a great insult.”
Theodore gritted his teeth together in anger as Gabriel tried not to laugh at Mr. Urwin’s audaciousness.
Margaret clearly now felt cornered as she stood there, clutching to her dance card.
“I… erm…”
“My wife will not dance with you tonight.” Theodore stepped forward, offering his hand to his wife swiftly. “Maggie is dancing with me.”
“Oh, oh, I see.” Mr. Urwin chuckled, as if he had not realized he was stepping on a husband’s toes. “My apologies, Your Grace. I did not realize the lady had… such an attentive husband.”
“Good evening to you, sir.” Theodore gave him a quick dismissal as he pulled lightly on Margaret’s hand and towed her away, toward the dance floor.
“We are to dance?” she spluttered in surprise. “I did not know you were a dancer.”
“I’m not. I’m shockingly bad,” he assured her, “but I am not watching another man bully you into dancing with him.”
“Theo –”
“What kind of man is he to speak to you in such a tone? It’s an outrage –”
“Theo,” she spoke in a sing-song tone as she tried to get his attention, but he was furious, struggling to notice her saying his name at all.
“I was standing right there, beside you, and yet he had the audacity to suggest it would be an insult to turn him down.”
“Theo, in case you hadn’t noticed, your hand is the one I’m holding onto.” She smiled at him as they reached the side of the dance floor. “He is long gone now.”
Her words cut through at last. A sort of softness muffled the red mist which had descended, and he sighed, trying to release the anger which had filled him.
“Shall we?” she murmured, gesturing to the floor as the dancers changed places with the shifting of the music.
He led her onto the floor, somewhat relieved to find it was a waltz and not a heavily choreographed cotillion. He took up their place in the center of the dancers and bowed to her as the music began. Pulling her forward into his arms, he tried not to think of the delicate curve of Margaret’s waist beneath his touch, not the softness of her hands, in his grasp and on his shoulder.
