Elaine released a slow breath of relief at the change in topic. She most certainly did enjoy poetry. More than that, she enjoyed being able to talk to someone with such ease, without silly little emotions about one’s brother clouding her mind.
Chapter Eight
The smell of tobacco must have embedded itself into every surface in this room, Michael mused. It was threatening to choke him. He would have left the parlour a long time ago if he wasn’t so certain that social disgrace would follow him.
“And that Lady Hannah, oh my! A feisty young thing, she is.”
Michael rolled his eyes, certain that the overly enthusiastic gentleman to his left would not notice. He had been going on about Lady Hannah for some time now. Whenever the conversation shifted, he deftly steered it back to her. Michael would have admired his determination had it not been irritating.
“You and that Lady Hannah,” another one of the gentlemen Michael was sitting with groaned. “Why don’t you up and marry the lady if you are so infatuated with her?”
“Perhaps I shall! I shall approach her father with my intentions in the morning. But for now, do you think she will fancy roses or peonies?”
“How on earth are we to know?” drawled another.
The gentleman appeared oblivious to how annoying he was, a fact that Michael found somewhat amusing. He sat in a group of eight men, the others taking turns playing billiards. Between the decanters of whiskey and the snuff boxes being passed around, it was only a matter of time before half of them were too out of it to say a proper sentence.
Lord Blimey, Michael realised suddenly. He had been trying to recall the name of the overly smitten lord since the moment he opened his mouth about Lady Hannah. A fitting title, he supposed.
“I shall ask her then,” Lord Blimey mused aloud, oblivious. “Shall I go now?”
“Go right ahead,” said Lord Penly, who had been quietly glaring at Lord Blimey without saying a word. “And be sure to return to us and tell us what she says.”
Lord Blimey was already out of his chair. “I shall! Wish me luck, gentlemen!”
Michael shook his head at him as he hurried off. He was an eager young thing. Older than Michael and yet so obviously inexperienced that it was difficult to watch. Though he supposed it would be rather nice if Lord Blimey had the happy ending with Lady Hannah he was so desperately longing for.
“I thought we would never be done with him,” Lord Penly sighed. “What a sap. I hope he does not blame us when he is inevitably sent away from the ball.”
“Good riddance,” Lord Thornbush retorted. They always came in threes, Michael noticed. Lord Penly, Lord Millbury, and Lord Thornbush never seemed to be far from each other.
“Yes, quite so,” said another lord, whom Michael had not been introduced to. Not that he really cared to be. “But Lord Penly, I have been meaning to ask. I saw you talking with a lovely sunset-haired lady just before dinner. Is she new to London?”
“Oh, you mean Lady Elaine?”
Michael straightened in his seat, the whiskey-induced haze lifting immediately.
“She was talking to all of us,” Lord Millbury pointed out but Lord Penly fanned him off.
“Yes, but she seemed far more interested in me than in you two,” he pressed. “And to answer your question, Lord Gringott, she is not new to London. If I recall correctly, she has resided here nearly all her life, but only recently received the chance to debut. I believe she is being sponsored by the Viscount of Abney.”
Michael glanced over at the billiards table. Lord Abney stood there with his cue stick between him, frowning down at the tablewith a concentration that the game certainly did not deserve. The man seemed to have an uncanny sixth sense about him so Michael made sure to look away before he saw him staring.
“A pretty thing, isn’t she?” Lord Thornbush said with a cheeky grin.
“Yes, I believe I shall keep my eye on her,” Lord Penly agreed with a nod, draining his glass.
“May the best gentleman win then,” said Lord Millbury.
Michael got to his feet. He paid the men no attention as he stalked away, knowing that they were staring after him. Something burned deep in the pit of his stomach, a feeling that only began to grow as the men continued talking about Lady Elaine.
It didn’t matter if someone thought her suitable to be courted, he told himself, making his way to the sideboard. She was beautiful, with a natural innocence that men were bound to be drawn to. He’d seen firsthand how taken Lord Penly seemed to be with her while they spoke. And he had no intention of courting her himself, so why did it bother him so?
Perhaps because they may come in the way of his plans. Yes, that had to be it. He needed to get close to her. It wouldn’t help if there was another gentleman monopolising her time.
Satisfied with that, he proceeded to pour himself another drink.
“Your Grace.”
