night is my come-out ball. I wish you would come."
Darius looked at the envelope and read his name neatly inscribed, Major Darius Conover, Lord Warebourne. He laughed harshly. "Haven't you heard anything I said, Miss Randolph? Not even the title will keep me from being tossed on my ear."
"Not at my ball, my lord, not if I invite you myself. I am acquainted with so few people, you see, I should like to have someone familiar there. Everyone else will be Grandmother's friends."
"Deuce take it, my girl, you'll know fewer and fewer if I sit in your pocket. You'll be cut by them all."
Her lips formed a determined line. "I am not asking you to sit in my pocket, my lord, just to stand my friend. One dance is all I wish."
He gave that same humorless laugh. "I cannot even dance, Miss Randolph, with this blasted leg. A fine figure of fun that would make of us, were I to try and fall on my face in front of you and half the ton."
"I am not permitted the waltz yet, so I shall not be dancing every dance, even if I am asked."
"Even if you are asked? Are you fishing for compliments, Miss Randolph? You are beautiful, charming, and well dowered. There will be bucks and beaux lined up along the sidewalks of Grosvenor Square just waiting to ask you!"
Sonia's face was as pink as the ribbons on her bonnet. "I never meant to be so forward, my lord, truly I did not. I just do not know many of those… bucks and beaux, and thought I might be more comfortable sitting out a waltz with someone I know. I'm sorry. It was very improper of me to ask."
"Miss Randolph, your being here in the park with me is improper, and you dashed well know it. Your handing me an invitation your guardian didn't issue is deucedly irregular. Asking a gentleman, and I use the term loosely, for a dance would set you beyond the pale. I am beginning to think there is the heart of a hoyden under that demure exterior," he said sternly, until he caught the beginnings of her dimples. "Are you really comfortable sitting with me?"
She nodded.
"Every other respectable female goes off in a swoon if I half nod in her direction. Why aren't you afraid?"
She countered his question with one of her own: "Do I have any reason to be afraid?"
"Beyond fearing to be tarred with the same brush? No, Miss Randolph, you never need to be afraid of me. Never."
"There. I knew Fitz wouldn't befriend a bounder." She called for the dog and turned to leave, kissing the muddy children and giving Darius one last brilliant smile. "Will you at least please consider the invitation?"
He nodded. That was all he could do, considering Miss Randolph's smile turned his brain to mush.
Darius did contemplate the invitation as he carried two exhausted, grimy children home. Blister it, where was that wretched nursemaid anyway? Benice could hardly drag his cane, while he suffered along with both Gen and Tina in his arms. Gen was smiling at him, which was worth a walk to the Isle of Wight. He knew he had Miss Randolph to thank for that, and again considered the engraved card. He thought about the ball, picturing Miss Randolph twirling in some lucky devil's arms, laughing up into some fortunate chap's eyes. Then he thought what a wretched mull he'd made of his life. Heaven seemed to be waiting just out of reach behind a locked door, and everyone but Darius Conover had the key.
Sonia and Fitz, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, made two stops on her way out of the park. First she checked with the flower girl to make sure lots of violets were on order for the ball. Most of the flowers and greenery for the formal arrangements were coming from Lady Atterbury's favorite florist, but Sonia saw no reason her friends shouldn't profit from the party, too. The pieman was already providing a quantity of gooseberry tarts to augment the Atterbury kitchens.
Sonia's last stop was by the bench of the silver-haired man feeding the squirrels, where she sat down before the elderly gentleman could struggle to his
Darius looked at the envelope and read his name neatly inscribed, Major Darius Conover, Lord Warebourne. He laughed harshly. "Haven't you heard anything I said, Miss Randolph? Not even the title will keep me from being tossed on my ear."
"Not at my ball, my lord, not if I invite you myself. I am acquainted with so few people, you see, I should like to have someone familiar there. Everyone else will be Grandmother's friends."
"Deuce take it, my girl, you'll know fewer and fewer if I sit in your pocket. You'll be cut by them all."
Her lips formed a determined line. "I am not asking you to sit in my pocket, my lord, just to stand my friend. One dance is all I wish."
He gave that same humorless laugh. "I cannot even dance, Miss Randolph, with this blasted leg. A fine figure of fun that would make of us, were I to try and fall on my face in front of you and half the ton."
"I am not permitted the waltz yet, so I shall not be dancing every dance, even if I am asked."
"Even if you are asked? Are you fishing for compliments, Miss Randolph? You are beautiful, charming, and well dowered. There will be bucks and beaux lined up along the sidewalks of Grosvenor Square just waiting to ask you!"
Sonia's face was as pink as the ribbons on her bonnet. "I never meant to be so forward, my lord, truly I did not. I just do not know many of those… bucks and beaux, and thought I might be more comfortable sitting out a waltz with someone I know. I'm sorry. It was very improper of me to ask."
"Miss Randolph, your being here in the park with me is improper, and you dashed well know it. Your handing me an invitation your guardian didn't issue is deucedly irregular. Asking a gentleman, and I use the term loosely, for a dance would set you beyond the pale. I am beginning to think there is the heart of a hoyden under that demure exterior," he said sternly, until he caught the beginnings of her dimples. "Are you really comfortable sitting with me?"
She nodded.
"Every other respectable female goes off in a swoon if I half nod in her direction. Why aren't you afraid?"
She countered his question with one of her own: "Do I have any reason to be afraid?"
"Beyond fearing to be tarred with the same brush? No, Miss Randolph, you never need to be afraid of me. Never."
"There. I knew Fitz wouldn't befriend a bounder." She called for the dog and turned to leave, kissing the muddy children and giving Darius one last brilliant smile. "Will you at least please consider the invitation?"
He nodded. That was all he could do, considering Miss Randolph's smile turned his brain to mush.
Darius did contemplate the invitation as he carried two exhausted, grimy children home. Blister it, where was that wretched nursemaid anyway? Benice could hardly drag his cane, while he suffered along with both Gen and Tina in his arms. Gen was smiling at him, which was worth a walk to the Isle of Wight. He knew he had Miss Randolph to thank for that, and again considered the engraved card. He thought about the ball, picturing Miss Randolph twirling in some lucky devil's arms, laughing up into some fortunate chap's eyes. Then he thought what a wretched mull he'd made of his life. Heaven seemed to be waiting just out of reach behind a locked door, and everyone but Darius Conover had the key.
Sonia and Fitz, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, made two stops on her way out of the park. First she checked with the flower girl to make sure lots of violets were on order for the ball. Most of the flowers and greenery for the formal arrangements were coming from Lady Atterbury's favorite florist, but Sonia saw no reason her friends shouldn't profit from the party, too. The pieman was already providing a quantity of gooseberry tarts to augment the Atterbury kitchens.
Sonia's last stop was by the bench of the silver-haired man feeding the squirrels, where she sat down before the elderly gentleman could struggle to his
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