might have three engagements—dinner, a soirée and perhaps a supper and dancing elsewhere...’
‘I wish I knew which events you favour,’ Paul said without thinking. ‘I cannot always rely on your mama to tell me.’
Jane stared at him, a little surprised and wary too. She was prepared for friendship, but was Lord Frant flirting with her?
‘I am very sure that some of the events I attend would not amuse you. I dare say you are invited to more than you can attend?’
‘I have my fair share of invitations, but some of them hold little interest... Last evening was the first I have managed to meet you in company.’
Jane’s spine tingled, a little unease creeping into her mind at the exquisite compliment. He was flirting and because of that she made her tone cool as she replied, ‘I cannot think your evening wasted if you do not see me, sir.’
‘No, perhaps not,’ he said, recovering his mistake. ‘It was just so pleasant to dance with you. I should not wish to miss a chance to repeat it.’
‘Then you must accept all the invitations to balls and dances you receive,’ Jane said and smiled because she could not quite resist.
‘Yes, I shall of course be certain of meeting you sometimes then,’ Paul said. ‘In the meantime, perhaps your brother, Melia and yourself would join me for an evening of pleasure at Vauxhall Gardens—unless you have already been invited to such an event?’
‘Will has promised to take us one evening,’ Jane replied, ‘but I am sure he would be happy to make up a party with you, sir. You must speak to him. However, I must warn you...’ Jane stopped, her cheeks warm. She had been about to tell him of her brother’s feelings of distrust regarding his friend, but realised that she could not confide such a thing to him. At times she felt he was a friend and to be relied on, but she hardly knew him and must exercise caution for the moment. ‘No matter...I am sure my brother would be happy to see you at any time, sir.’
His eyes narrowed and she wondered if she had stressed the word you too much, for she did not wish to give offence and Paul Frant was an intelligent man who would not need things spelled out to him. They had returned to the parlour they began with just as Melia and her escort returned from taking the air and therefore no further conversation of an intimate nature took place. She suspected that he might have questioned her on her meaning had they still been alone, but was unable to in the presence of the others.
Refreshments were brought and they talked of the ball they had all attended and of future engagements, many of which Melia had mentioned to Viscount Hargreaves and which he seemed eager to attend. Jane had noticed that her young friend had seemed a little flushed when they first returned to the parlour, but she gave no sign of distress and seemed in high spirits when they left in Jane’s carriage.
‘Adam told me that Lord Frant’s father behaved shamefully to him,’ Melia said, chattering, her eyes very bright. ‘That is why he has to refurbish the house completely—but of course he is very wealthy and can afford to do so.’
‘I had understood something of the kind,’ Jane said in a repressive tone. She did not think it seemly of Paul’s friend to have discussed his personal circumstances with a young girl, but felt it unwise to speak against the gentleman to a girl who was clearly enamoured. ‘It is hardly our business to speculate, Melia. I hope you will not speak of this to anyone else. To discuss another person’s wealth is unseemly.’
‘Of course I would not.’ Melia flushed and looked uncomfortable. ‘Adam was explaining that he is to go into business with Lord Frant, though he is not wealthy himself for his own estate is but small.’
‘Ah, I see.’ Jane gave her a direct look. ‘You speak of the viscount as Adam. Do I take it that he asked you to do so?’
‘Yes, of course.’ Melia smiled saucily at her. ‘Oh, I know
‘I wish I knew which events you favour,’ Paul said without thinking. ‘I cannot always rely on your mama to tell me.’
Jane stared at him, a little surprised and wary too. She was prepared for friendship, but was Lord Frant flirting with her?
‘I am very sure that some of the events I attend would not amuse you. I dare say you are invited to more than you can attend?’
‘I have my fair share of invitations, but some of them hold little interest... Last evening was the first I have managed to meet you in company.’
Jane’s spine tingled, a little unease creeping into her mind at the exquisite compliment. He was flirting and because of that she made her tone cool as she replied, ‘I cannot think your evening wasted if you do not see me, sir.’
‘No, perhaps not,’ he said, recovering his mistake. ‘It was just so pleasant to dance with you. I should not wish to miss a chance to repeat it.’
‘Then you must accept all the invitations to balls and dances you receive,’ Jane said and smiled because she could not quite resist.
‘Yes, I shall of course be certain of meeting you sometimes then,’ Paul said. ‘In the meantime, perhaps your brother, Melia and yourself would join me for an evening of pleasure at Vauxhall Gardens—unless you have already been invited to such an event?’
‘Will has promised to take us one evening,’ Jane replied, ‘but I am sure he would be happy to make up a party with you, sir. You must speak to him. However, I must warn you...’ Jane stopped, her cheeks warm. She had been about to tell him of her brother’s feelings of distrust regarding his friend, but realised that she could not confide such a thing to him. At times she felt he was a friend and to be relied on, but she hardly knew him and must exercise caution for the moment. ‘No matter...I am sure my brother would be happy to see you at any time, sir.’
His eyes narrowed and she wondered if she had stressed the word you too much, for she did not wish to give offence and Paul Frant was an intelligent man who would not need things spelled out to him. They had returned to the parlour they began with just as Melia and her escort returned from taking the air and therefore no further conversation of an intimate nature took place. She suspected that he might have questioned her on her meaning had they still been alone, but was unable to in the presence of the others.
Refreshments were brought and they talked of the ball they had all attended and of future engagements, many of which Melia had mentioned to Viscount Hargreaves and which he seemed eager to attend. Jane had noticed that her young friend had seemed a little flushed when they first returned to the parlour, but she gave no sign of distress and seemed in high spirits when they left in Jane’s carriage.
‘Adam told me that Lord Frant’s father behaved shamefully to him,’ Melia said, chattering, her eyes very bright. ‘That is why he has to refurbish the house completely—but of course he is very wealthy and can afford to do so.’
‘I had understood something of the kind,’ Jane said in a repressive tone. She did not think it seemly of Paul’s friend to have discussed his personal circumstances with a young girl, but felt it unwise to speak against the gentleman to a girl who was clearly enamoured. ‘It is hardly our business to speculate, Melia. I hope you will not speak of this to anyone else. To discuss another person’s wealth is unseemly.’
‘Of course I would not.’ Melia flushed and looked uncomfortable. ‘Adam was explaining that he is to go into business with Lord Frant, though he is not wealthy himself for his own estate is but small.’
‘Ah, I see.’ Jane gave her a direct look. ‘You speak of the viscount as Adam. Do I take it that he asked you to do so?’
‘Yes, of course.’ Melia smiled saucily at her. ‘Oh, I know
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