“Viscount Yeatman.” Frederick did not know what it was about these two young ladies, or why he felt himself desirous of giving them his name and title, but there was something about the two of them and the situation they were presently in that caught his attention. “Might I ask for your names also?”
“Our names?” The first young lady, the one whose hair shone like copper, Frederick noticed, sounded rather surprised. “Why should you want to do that?”
“It is not the correct way of being introduced, I know, but all the same, I should like it,” Frederick said, quietly. “After my rude manner, I should like it to be introduced so that I might apologize properly.”
He smiled gently, but the two young ladies did not smile with him. The first one was still frowning and the second was studying him as if she were not entirely sure what it was that he genuinely wanted.
“Very well,” the first said slowly, her eyes a little narrowed. “What say you?”
She turned to her friend who, after a moment, nodded.
“I am Lady Frederica,” the first said, steadily.
“And I Miss Fairley,” came the reply from the second, who folded her arms across her chest when Frederick’s eyebrowslifted in recognition of her name. “Does that satisfy you, Lord Yeatman?”
Frederick nodded but said nothing, searching his mind for why that name rang around his mind and told him that he already knew of this lady. They had never met, he was sure, for he would have recognized her face, and then surely would have known her title, so why was it that he knew of her?
It came back to him in a flurry, his eyes flaring as he remembered Lord Gibson and his story about a very clumsy young lady who had knocked a tray of drinks down upon him and upon herself also.Thatwas how he knew her name.
“Lord Yeatman?” Lady Frederica’s eyebrow arched. “Are you quite all right? Has something surprised you? Or are you wondering what it is that has made us two young ladies become wallflowers?”
Frederick shook his head, trying to find a way to explain what he had realized without doing anything or saying anything to insult the lady.
“It is only that I have just now remembered that one of my friends had mentioned you before, Miss Fairley,” he said, gesturing to her and trying to smile in the hope that she would not ask him anything more. “That is all.”
Miss Fairley’s expression immediately darkened.
“Your friend?” she asked, her tone rather crisp now. “Might I ask his name?”
“It is of no consequence,” Frederick replied, shrugging. “Now, might I ask–”
“I have no doubt that whoever this friend is, he did not speak favorably of me,” Miss Fairley interrupted, taking a small step closer to him. “Might you tell me the name of your friend, Lord Yeatman?”
Seeing that there was nothing else to be said or done, other than to give her the name, Frederick cleared his throat and kept his smile fixed in place.
“My friend is Lord Gibson, Miss Fairley,” he said, seeing how she closed her eyes briefly and then pressed her lips tight together. “Forgive me for my surprise and confusion upon hearing your name and realizing thereafter how I knew of you. I do hope that–”
“And, no doubt, Lord Gibson has told you everything about me and told you about what took place.” Again, Miss Fairley interrupted, but her face was slowly beginning to turn scarlet, her hazel eyes sparking bright. “And now you know of my supposed reputation, I presume?”
Frederick did not know what to say. The truth was that yes, he recalled everything that Lord Gibson had told him about the lady, right down to the very detail of how much brandy and wine had gone onto Lord Gibson’s boots.
“I – I do not think that thetonis particularly kind in what they say about those within it, Miss Fairley.” She looked at him and then shook her head, keeping silent, but clearly communicating with him that what he had said had not answered her question. Somehow, it was clear that she knew he was not telling her everything. She already knew the truth without him having to express it. “I – I shall take my leave of you now,” he continued, finding himself more than a little embarrassed as he turned away. “It was my pleasure to be introduced to you both and again, my apologies for my lack of consideration and attention.”
Not a word came from either lady and, though Frederick turned and began to walk away, he could feel their sharp gazes boring into him. He made his way quickly back the way he had come, suddenly eager to find his friends simply so that he might rid himself of his embarrassment through general conversation.
So that is Miss Fairley,he mused, spying Lord Gibson and Lord Pleasance talking together.I did not expect her to be so beautiful.
That thought stopped him short, and he came to a complete stop, his eyes flaring wide. Yes, he had taken note of both of the young ladies, but Miss Fairley, with her copper hair and hazel eyes, had obviously caught his attention.
Shaking his head, Frederick threw his thoughts aside and continued towards his friends. It was not as though Miss Fairley was the only beautiful young lady in the room and, besides that, he was not considering any young lady at present, was he? With a nod to himself, Frederick made his way to his friends and within the next few minutes, threw all consideration of Miss Fairley away completely.
Chapter Five
Emma sighed and leaned back against the wall, aware that she was of no more significance to those present than the paintings on the wall above her. These last two weeks had been a heavy weight upon her heart, and she had found herself growing more and more despondent with every day that passed. The wallflowers had added to their number and, though she was glad of company, she was sorrowful over her lack of presence in amongst society.
“You look a little sorrowful this evening.” Miss Simmons smiled as she came to stand beside Emma. “What troubles you?”
“Aside from being a wallflower?” Emma asked, a little wryly. “I knew that it would be difficult, but I find it more than a little sorrowful to see my sister being guided away by my mother while I am directed to the edge of the room.” She sighed heavily, aware that her friend would understand exactly what she was talking about. “This is now the sixth ball I have attended in the last two weeks and the sixth ball where I shall spend many hours watching everyone dancing rather than dancing myself.” Her lips pursed for a moment. “Not that I did that very well.”
