“And how do you feel this morning?”
Sara shrugged both shoulders.
“I am doing my utmost to find a little joy, but last evening was rather trying.”
Her friend lifted an eyebrow.
“Even with Lord Stoneleigh’s attention? He made you smile at least.”
Sara considered for a moment. Lord Stoneleigh had brought a certain lightness to the evening, definitely, particularly as she had been in a dispirited frame of mind to start with.
“I shall admit that he was a helpful distraction for a time, yes.”
“And you did not speak to Lord Coatbridge again, I assume?”
“No, I did not.” Sara tossed her head. “Instead of feeling sorrow, I found myself rather angry.” A slight flush burned in her cheeks. “Although I certainly am regretful for speaking so unkindly. His newly betrothed Lady Nora did not deserve my harsh words. I was rather thoughtless, was I not?” Her friend did not disabuse her of this notion, nodding in evident agreement. “I should have been a good deal more considerate. I wished to injure Lord Coatbridge, but had you not called me back, I believe I would have injured the lady who has nothing to do with this situation. It appeared that she was without awareness that Lord Coatbridge and I had been courting.”
“Yes, I would agree with that.” Miss Cartwright pulled her mouth to one side. “My heart does pain itself for her. It seems as though she has been quite taken in by his charm, and perhaps even believes that he feels a good deal more for her than he truly does.”
Sara winced.
“Perhaps she is not as unaware of it now, given what I said. It turns out that I would have been better staying at home last evening just as I said to my mother, although I will admit that I had not expected to feel such anger upon seeing him.”
“That is something you cannot be irritated with yourself about either,” her friend insisted. “You were done a great wrong. It is natural to feel such things.” She smiled softly. “I did find Lord Stoneleigh’s company last evening most pleasant.”
As she shot her friend a quick look, Sara’s eyebrows lifted and her heart turned over with concern, only for Miss Cartwright to laugh.
“No, indeed you need not think that I am enamored of him in any way. It is more that I was grateful for a gentleman who was eager to listen and did not force his conversation upon me. I was very glad for your sake too, did you not think the same?”
Sara swallowed, aware of the warmth in her cheeks.
“I will confess to you that I spent the majority of my dance with him looking over his shoulder to determine where Lord Coatbridge and his betrothed might be,” she admitted quickly, realizing that Lord Stoneleigh must have thought her a very poor dancer indeed, if not dreadful company.
“Goodness.” Her friend’s eyes widened a little. “Then might I say that you missed an excellent opportunity to converse with him. Lord Stoneleigh was most engaging to talk with and, I think, would have been able to distract you further from Lord Coatbridge had you give him the opportunity.”
“Mayhap I shall have the chance to dance with him again,” Sara protested a little weakly. “I did not find anything wrong with his dancing, however. I will say that.”
“He did apologize to me about his arm, although I did not notice it.” Hannah told her as Sara frowned. “Did he not speak so to you? I thought he did very well for a gentleman who had been injured.”
Again, Sara was quite at a loss as to what her friend was speaking of. Spreading her hands, she tried to smile, only for her friend to roll her eyes.
“You mean to say that you have very little idea of what I am speaking about?”
“I do not recall him saying anything to me about his arm. Was this spoken to you at the start or the end of the dance?”
“It was before,” Miss Cartwright informed her. “Given that I danced with him before you did, I would have assumed that he would have said the same to you.”
Sara slowly began to realize just how dreadful a dancing partner she had been last evening. No doubt Lord Stoneleigh would have thought her very rude for ignoring his conversation entirely, or not responding to anything he had said. Had he noticed the way that she had concentrated her gaze to look over his shoulder? Had he noticed her distraction? On the whole, she had thought that the dance had gone very well indeed, but it seemed now as though she had not been paying any attention. And that was to her shame.
“I believe I may have an apology to make to Lord Stoneleigh,” she murmured quietly. “Goodness, he must think terribly of me.”
Miss Cartwright smiled.
“Mayhap he is understanding. Evidently, he knew the cause of your difficulties last evening, given what he said. I am sure that he will realize why you were so distracted, and will not think poorly of you because of it.”
“He seems to have made an excellent impression upon you,” Sara remarked as her friend nodded, her eyes twinkling.
“Alas, as favorably as I look upon Lord Stoneleigh, I must confess that I find Lord Millwood a little better – but then I should, as we are to marry!” Her friend laughed. “Although I do think that Lord Stoneleigh would be an excellent gentleman foryouto consider.”
