“Hannah.” Reaching out, she grasped her hand. “I am soveryglad to see you this evening.”
“I confess I am a little surprised to see you present. I would have thought that you would want to remain at home this evening.”
Sara pulled a face.
“You have heard then?”
“Yes, I have done so. I believe almost everyone in society has heard of Lord Coatbridge’s sudden betrothal. It is a little strange, is it not? I thought that he was courting you!”
“As did I.” Sara tried to laugh but the sound did not quite come out of her lips. “This has been a great shock to me. I would have much preferred to remain at home and give myself the opportunity to come to terms with this news. But Mama was most insistent that I appear this evening. I believe she did not wish me to hide away, thinking of my reputation, of course.”
“That must be difficult for you, however.” Looping one arm through Sara’s, Hannah gave her a small smile. “But I am here with you this evening. You shall be able to face whatever is thrown at you, I am sure of it. You have enough strength of character to endure.”
“I must hope so.” A slight wobble came into her voice, and she looked away. “I shall tell you that I had come to care for Lord Coatbridge. That may have been foolish of me, but after everything that he promised me, I could not help but feelsomething. It was not any sort of great love, at least, but I had been affected by what he had promised me in terms of our future together.”
“I quite understand.” Hannah’s sympathetic voice was a balm to her pain. “I can well understand that you wish to keep such feelings hidden from everyone else, however. What he has done has been the biggest betrayal.”
“I simply do not understand it. If there was an explanation, then I might feel a little better, but as such there is not.”
“In that regard, his behavior has been very strange, I grant you. I do not understand firstly, why he would turn his back on you and, secondly, why he would betroth himself to someone else so very quickly. There has been no obvious attachment between them, has there?”
“There has been nothing whatsoever,” Sara agreed. “Not as far as I was aware at least.”
“Not as far as thetonwas aware either, otherwise it would not have come as such a great surprise, and there would not be so many tongues wagging.”
Sara rolled her eyes and Hannah sighed in sympathy.
“They are all eager to speak with you this evening. I am sure that I have already heard at least three ladies stating that they are certain you will be heartbroken. I was quick to reassure them that you were a good deal more sensible than that.”
Sara smiled.
“Thank you for coming to my defense. Perhaps my mother was right to insist that I attend this evening, loath as I am to admit it.”
“You must keep your head held high and a genial expression on your face,” Hannah added. “They will all be looking at you.” She stopped suddenly, her hand tightening on Sara’s arm. “Prepare yourself, my dear. He has arrived.”
Even as Hannah tugged her into motion again, Sara did not need to ask who she was talking about. Her stomach dropped to the floor as they continued to promenade slowly around the room. She did not look to the left, nor to the right, albeit with a tingling awareness that Lord Coatbridge was present.
“Where is he?” she hissed. “Can you see him?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hannah glance over her shoulder, followed by a swift intake of breath.
“He is walking towards us,” came the reply. “And he is arm in arm with his… betrothed.”
“Then we must walk a little more swiftly,” Sara determined. “Or mayhap we ought to stand somewhere quietly so that he can pass us and make his way to other guests within the ballroom, who are no doubt eager to see him.”
She and Hannah were about to do the latter when a sudden, familiar voice reached her ears.
“Good evening, Lady Sara. Good evening, Miss Cartwright.”
What struck her the most was the joviality with which he spoke, appearing to indicate that he was very pleased to see her, whilst for her, he was the last person she wished to be in company with.
Turning around, she kept her expression cool, despite her mother’s warning that she ought to smile in such a situation. When she met Lord Coatbridge’s eyes, one eyebrow arched as she looked back into his face, seeing the slight flush which colored his cheeks.
“Good evening, Lord Coatbridge,” she murmured, entirely unaware as to whether or not Hannah had already said this. “Please introduce us to the young lady on your arm.”
She did not look at the young lady in question, but kept her gaze fixed on Lord Coatbridge, who had now gone a deeper shade of red.
“But of course.” He cleared his throat, and his voice cracked a little as he spoke. “This is Lady Nora. Her father is the Marquess of Westerly.” As he spoke, his eyes turned towards the lady and he sent her a warm smile, which then faded as he turned back toward Sara. “Lady Nora, this is Lady Sara and her acquaintance, Miss Cartwright.”
