Her mother did not respond with a great exclamation of pleasure, nor did she gasp in evident delight. Instead, she simply waited for Deborah to continue and, hearing the silent question, Deborah spread out both hands.
“Of course I accepted him. He is, as you yourself said, an excellent gentleman.”
Lady Prescott smiled.
“He certainly is and would be an ideal match, but only if you would be contented with him. This is not something that you must hurry into, Deborah. This is a moment in your life where you must take your time and consider all that must be done, as well as your feelings towards the gentleman, before you accept even a request of courtship.”
Even as she murmured her agreement, Deborah found her gaze falling upon none other than Lord Brookmire. He was walking alongside another gentleman, their heads close together, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. What they were discussing, she did not know but, all the same, her heart quickened a little. She could not help but recall all she had felt when Lord Brookmire had taken her hand. Frustration twined with the heat that still coiled through her as she pulled her eyes away from him. It was most confounding. Why should she react so strongly to Lord Brookmire, but feel very little when it came to Lord Cleverley – a gentleman who was much more suitable for her, and certainly more respectable than Lord Brookmire could ever be?
Itwas the shock of it,she told herself silently,the shock of having him take my hand in such a demanding manner.
Nodding slowly to herself, Deborah took in a deep breath and then released it slowly. This was the only possible explanation for her response, and it was one that she was going to force herself to accept regardless of the questions it brought up within her. She turned her thoughts to an entirely different matter, wondering whether Lady Almeria had found any particular gentleman to dance with that evening, or whether she might make her introductions of Lord Coppinger to another one of their friends. Time and again, her thoughts sought to twist themselves back to Lord Brookmire and her fiery response to his nearness, but with an effort she kept consideration of him away. He was the last person she wanted to think about, and whether or not it took her all of her strength, she was determined not to do so… and, in addition, she would be sure to make certain that Lord Brookmire never touched her again.
Chapter Four
“Do you see her?”
Phillip nodded. His conversation with Miss Madeley was still lingering in his mind, and try as he might, he could not remove her face from his thoughts yet again. She was the most infuriating young lady of his acquaintance and therefore, why he had even stopped to speak with her, he could not say. The distraction of Lady Allanthorpe, and even the company of Lord Anderton was preferable to standing alone and thinking of Miss Madeley.
“Aha! Iamacquainted with the lady, in fact.” Catching sight of Lady Allanthorpe as Lord Anderton indicated her, he took her in. She was a petite lady who was nowhere near her dotage, with sparkling brown eyes and reddish brown hair, which was curled into ringlets. He found himself smiling. It would not take any great difficulty on his part to kiss a lady with such resplendent features as she, he was sure of it. “I am sure that I will be able to persuade her to dance with me and, thereafter, step out into the night air.”
Lord Anderton shook his head.
“I do not think that she will step out of doors with you. She is not inclined to the company of gentlemen, as I have already informed you. You will have to watch for her making her way there and, once outside, take your opportunity.”
Phillip sent a considered look toward Lord Anderton.
“You appear to be very eager for me to succeed here.”
Lord Anderton immediately snorted with evident laughter.
“No, indeed, I am eager to see you fail,” he remarked, digging his elbow into Phillip’s ribs. “I give you the opportunity only, not because I am eager to see you succeed, but only because I am eager to gain my winnings from you, as soon as possible!”
“Is that so?”
Phillip considered, looking at Lord Anderton again, doubting the man’s words, but Lord Anderton only chuckled. He was a gentleman who always seemed to find something mirthful, Phillip considered. In fact, all Lord Anderton appeared to do was laugh, though whether or not it was currently at Phillip’s expense, he could not say for certain.
“What do you think you should do?” Lord Anderton tilted his head, but his eyes remained on the lady in front of them. “As I have said, your best opportunity might be to take her when she is out of doors. Then again, you may wish to attempt to kiss her in the shadows of the ballroom, but-”
“No, I do not think that it would be a wise idea to attempt to do so here.”
Phillip shook his head, his teeth worrying at the edge of his lip. Whether Lord Anderton realized it or not, his suggestion was a wise one. It wouldnotbe a good idea to attempt to kiss Lady Allanthorpe here in the ballroom, for not only would she most likely push him away, given that they would be in public, he was also a little concerned as regarded her reputation. He did not want her to be touched by scandal. Yes, he was something of a rogue, certainly, but then again, in this situation, he could not simply forget about the reputation of the lady. There was certainly no desire for him to damage Lady Allanthorpe’s standing amongst London society, simply because of Lord Anderton’s wager – Lord Marchmont had convinced him enough of that!
“Then you will go out of doors?” Lord Anderton chuckled, and Phillip’s teeth clenched hard together at the sound. He severely regretted taking on this wager with Lord Anderton now, given not only how irritating the man could be, but also how uncertain he felt about it all. Yes, he had every intention of winning it and held every confidence he would do so, but all the same, since Lord Marchmont’s warning, Phillip had become a trifle more concerned.
“Dance with her.” Lord Anderton wiggled his eyebrows. “I shall dance with her thereafter and, no doubt, after two such dances, she will be quite fatigued and will be agreeable to the suggestion to take the air. I think that situation would suit you very well.”
Again, Phillip frowned, finding that Lord Anderton’s suggestion was, for the second time, a good one while at the same time, beginning to question why the gentleman was being so helpful. It was very odd indeed. Unless it was simply that Lord Anderton had every belief that he would win the wager, in which case, he might simply be eager for his winnings, as he had said. But all the same, there was a great deal of doubt in Phillip’s heart. Doubt which he could not push aside.
“I shall sign her dance card at the very least! Come!”
Without waiting for Phillip’s agreement, Lord Anderton made his way directly to the lady and the companions she spoke with. Blinking, Phillip hesitated, wondering whether or not he ought to follow Lord Anderton or stand a little further back and wait for an opportunity when Lord Anderton wasnotspeaking with her, only to realize that, if he did not speak with her now, he might very well find her dances already taken when he approached her later in the evening.
With reluctance, he made his way after Lord Anderton, making certain to amble towards the group of ladies as though he had no real intention of making his way there.
“Ah, Lord Brookmire!” Lord Anderton gestured to him, and Phillip smiled quickly. He did not look at Lady Allanthorpe immediately, but quickly turned his attention to the other ladies, first to Lady Essington. She spoke with him, as did Lady Harrogate, and then, Phillip turned his attention to Lady Allanthorpe at last. It was, of course, his way of making certain that he did not make too much of her presence. The last thing he wanted was for her to think that he was interested in her company, for fear that she would then seek to push him away before he had even had the opportunity to get close enough to win the wager.
“It is a very pleasant evening, is it not.”
