honour me
with this dance, Miss Linley?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Meg
said brightly, and hoped her new student was learning.
As she laid her hand on the
squire’s arm, she observed the marquis once again scowling in her direction. He
really ought not to act so proud. She might be only a governess in his eyes,
but she intended to enjoy this dance. For Veronica’s sake, if not her own.
Veronica steeled her nerve as
they walked away. How fortune that she had Miss Linley’s example to follow.
Now, as the music ended, she approached Jeffrey. “Isn’t he a superb dancer?”
she said to Miss Conley, slipping her arm once again through his.
“Indeed,” replied the girl in
some confusion.
Mrs. Ludden struck up a new
dance, and Jeffrey, as courtesy required, invited Veronica to be his partner.
Only after she accepted did she realize the music was a waltz. Oh dear.
Veronica was well aware that she had rendered more than one gentleman
temporarily crippled upon the dance floor, and Jeffrey was regarding her with
apprehension.
She must surprise him with her
grace. Casting an eye on the elegant Miss Linley as she glided across the floor
with the squire, Veronica followed her example.
As Jeffrey partnered her, she
smiled warmly up at him and made cheerful conversation. How different she felt
from her usual clumsy self.
“You are much changed, Miss
Ludden,” Jeffrey observed. “Have you been taking lessons?’’
“Lessons?” That question struck
uncomfortably close to the truth.
“In dancing.”
“Yes. No. Well, not precisely.”
Veronica glanced nervously at her father glowering by the pianoforte, but
forged ahead bravely. “I’m determined to transform myself into a young lady.” Then
came a stroke of inspiration. She added in a conspiratorial tone, “May I be so
bold as to request your assistance?”
“In what way?” he asked, whirling her past his
father and Miss Linley.
“I’m only just learning to
conduct myself as a young lady. I’ve been terribly awkward, haven’t I?”
Veronica could feel the change in Jeffrey. A surge of sympathy showed on his
dear familiar face. “Miss Conley is beautiful, but then she’s had opportunities
that I have not, to go about in society and meet gentlemen. I fear I make a
poor showing by comparison.”
“You’re not so inelegant as all
that.” It was the strongest compliment he had ever tendered.
“If you could spare me a bit of
your time, at such events as these, to help me improve my manner, I should be
ever so grateful.”
What gentleman could resist so
complimentary a request? “Of course, I shall do my utmost,” he said.
From that moment on, Veronica
became Jeffrey’s protégée, and for the rest of the evening she felt him
regarding her afresh. He complimented her on every small improvement and paid
her the bulk of his attention, to the evident mystification of Miss Conley.
While Veronica did not imagine
the war to be won in a single skirmish, she felt grateful that she had made a
good showing on the battlefield.
“Will you come and see my rose
garden?” the squire asked when the waltz finished.
“At night?” countered Meg,
restraining the urge to rub her foot where he had stepped on it.
“Ah, indeed, ‘tis dark.” Squire
Roberts stared at the window accusingly, as if the sky had darkened purposely
to thwart him. “The orangerie, then? I have a lemon tree all in bloom.”
The image of the heavy,
phlegmatic squire framed by the delicate blossoms of a lemon tree struck Meg as
humorous, and she began to laugh.
“I say!” The man clearly wasn’t
sure how to respond.
“Pray forgive me.” She controlled
her mirth. “It’s only that one thinks of lemons as sour, and I cannot imagine
one in bloom!” It was the only excuse that came to mind, and a weak one at
that. In truth, she had seen such trees in London and loved the rich fragrance.
“I see.” Despite his words, the
squire sounded puzzled.
The marquis approached
with this dance, Miss Linley?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Meg
said brightly, and hoped her new student was learning.
As she laid her hand on the
squire’s arm, she observed the marquis once again scowling in her direction. He
really ought not to act so proud. She might be only a governess in his eyes,
but she intended to enjoy this dance. For Veronica’s sake, if not her own.
Veronica steeled her nerve as
they walked away. How fortune that she had Miss Linley’s example to follow.
Now, as the music ended, she approached Jeffrey. “Isn’t he a superb dancer?”
she said to Miss Conley, slipping her arm once again through his.
“Indeed,” replied the girl in
some confusion.
Mrs. Ludden struck up a new
dance, and Jeffrey, as courtesy required, invited Veronica to be his partner.
Only after she accepted did she realize the music was a waltz. Oh dear.
Veronica was well aware that she had rendered more than one gentleman
temporarily crippled upon the dance floor, and Jeffrey was regarding her with
apprehension.
She must surprise him with her
grace. Casting an eye on the elegant Miss Linley as she glided across the floor
with the squire, Veronica followed her example.
As Jeffrey partnered her, she
smiled warmly up at him and made cheerful conversation. How different she felt
from her usual clumsy self.
“You are much changed, Miss
Ludden,” Jeffrey observed. “Have you been taking lessons?’’
“Lessons?” That question struck
uncomfortably close to the truth.
“In dancing.”
“Yes. No. Well, not precisely.”
Veronica glanced nervously at her father glowering by the pianoforte, but
forged ahead bravely. “I’m determined to transform myself into a young lady.” Then
came a stroke of inspiration. She added in a conspiratorial tone, “May I be so
bold as to request your assistance?”
“In what way?” he asked, whirling her past his
father and Miss Linley.
“I’m only just learning to
conduct myself as a young lady. I’ve been terribly awkward, haven’t I?”
Veronica could feel the change in Jeffrey. A surge of sympathy showed on his
dear familiar face. “Miss Conley is beautiful, but then she’s had opportunities
that I have not, to go about in society and meet gentlemen. I fear I make a
poor showing by comparison.”
“You’re not so inelegant as all
that.” It was the strongest compliment he had ever tendered.
“If you could spare me a bit of
your time, at such events as these, to help me improve my manner, I should be
ever so grateful.”
What gentleman could resist so
complimentary a request? “Of course, I shall do my utmost,” he said.
From that moment on, Veronica
became Jeffrey’s protégée, and for the rest of the evening she felt him
regarding her afresh. He complimented her on every small improvement and paid
her the bulk of his attention, to the evident mystification of Miss Conley.
While Veronica did not imagine
the war to be won in a single skirmish, she felt grateful that she had made a
good showing on the battlefield.
“Will you come and see my rose
garden?” the squire asked when the waltz finished.
“At night?” countered Meg,
restraining the urge to rub her foot where he had stepped on it.
“Ah, indeed, ‘tis dark.” Squire
Roberts stared at the window accusingly, as if the sky had darkened purposely
to thwart him. “The orangerie, then? I have a lemon tree all in bloom.”
The image of the heavy,
phlegmatic squire framed by the delicate blossoms of a lemon tree struck Meg as
humorous, and she began to laugh.
“I say!” The man clearly wasn’t
sure how to respond.
“Pray forgive me.” She controlled
her mirth. “It’s only that one thinks of lemons as sour, and I cannot imagine
one in bloom!” It was the only excuse that came to mind, and a weak one at
that. In truth, she had seen such trees in London and loved the rich fragrance.
“I see.” Despite his words, the
squire sounded puzzled.
The marquis approached
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