Just then, a different type of catastrophe struck.
Lionel had been so lost in his thoughts that he had missed the next step, his foot coming down on something that was notquite the solidity of the dance floor. It was… slippery. And as it happened, Amelia’s eyes widened in horror, at the very second that a loud ripping sound greeted his confused ears.
“Oh… oh no!” she gasped, her hand fumbling along the seams of her gown to find what he had torn. “I think something has ripped.”
Lionel, however, could see the damage. The seam underneath her arm had popped open.
“Amelia, I am so very sorry,” he hurried to say, taking a half step back so he would not catch her dress again. “It will be fixed as soon as possible.”
To his surprise, as Amelia found the torn seam, her expression did not remain aghast. Instead, her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes alight with humor as she laughed behind her palm. Her cheeks turned that lovely shade of pink again, enchanting him.
“It was not your fault,” she said cheerfully. “I told you I was a terrible dancer, but Idothink this is a first for me. Usually, I am so far from my partner that they have no chance of stepping on my dress. I would have been distressed if it was not a clean tear, but it is—the gown is not ruined, and I shall not let this ruin anything either.”
He stared at her, bewildered. “But you cannot keep dancing with a torn dress.”
“Nonsense,” she replied. “No one will notice, as long as I keep my arm down, and I am… rather enjoyingthisdance. As you said, it will be fixed soon enough, so there is no reason to end this dance early when I can manage to hide it.”
She demonstrated her plan, clamping her arm against her side as she continued through the dance, that radiant smile never leaving her face. He could not understand it; she should have been furious with him, as he was with himself. In all his life, he had never been so clumsy. He would not have made a very good soldier if he was prone to such things, but around her, he kept making missteps.
What is she doing to me?
He made sure to leave an additional gap between them, watchful of where her skirts were, as they continued on, joining hands to promenade side by side. As they did, he was caught by a bombardment of that intoxicating perfume once more, the scent infiltrating his senses until he feared he might make another spectacle of himself. The sight and scent and sound of her was enough to make any gentleman stumble.
“You see,” she whispered conspiratorially. “No one has noticed. After all, there is no one else here but me and you, just as you said.”
He cast her a sideways glance that she did not notice, her blue gaze fixed ahead as they promenaded up and around the dance floor in a half circle, returning to their original positions. It astounded him that gentlemen had not been fighting tooth andnail for the privilege of marrying her sooner, for she might have been the most remarkable woman he had ever met.
And I wish that we had been able to marry under different circumstances,he mused absently, his heart heavy. For she had no notion of the truth, and why he would have to remain distant for as long as he had with her.
It was the first time in a long while that he felt a prickle of anger at the prospect of his fate, but that was the one thing no man could fight and win—the destiny that was already written in the stars.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Goodness!” Amelia cried, startling Lionel.
“What is it?” he asked. “Is something the matter?”
They had ended their dance well, though he had not risked asking her for another, in case he stepped on her gown again and ripped more than he had already. She seemed to be dealing with the tear well enough, though, her demeanor more relaxed than it had been before the dance.
Indeed, the entire ballroom seemed to have moved onto other things, no longer interested in the Earl and Countess of Westyork.
“My friend is here!” Amelia replied with a radiant grin that had a peculiar effect upon Lionel.
He had seen her smile and laugh, but always with an air of shyness, or a fear that if she was too expressive she wouldsomehow be punished for it. So, to see her smile without any worry at all, with such confidence and brightness, was an astonishing thing. He felt privileged to behold it.
“Your friend?” Lionel asked, schooling his voice into a casual tone.
Amelia pulled him by the arm toward a young lady, surprisingly familiar. She was the same young lady who had been with Amelia at the Assembly Rooms, who had done her best to defend Amelia from Martin’s sharp tongue.
“Valery!” Amelia gasped. “What are you doing here?”
Valery beamed from ear to ear, pulling Amelia away from Lionel and into a fierce embrace. “What amIdoing here? What areyoudoing here? You are supposed to be in the midst of your blissful honeymoon, are you not?” She cast a sly look at Lionel. “This must be your dear husband. Please, introduce me, as I had no opportunity to meet him at your wedding.”
Lionel straightened up, bristling at the woman’s veiled accusation.
But Amelia spoke before he could, coming to his defense. “Oh, that was no fault of his, dearest Valery. That was all my brother’s doing. Indeed, Lionel was as surprised as I was that I had no one there but my father and brother.”
“It is true,” Lionel said. “It was a pity she had no friends there to witness the occasion.”
