slip away. “If you will excuse me, ladies. There is someone I must go speak with.”
Lady Mosley glanced up from her vigorous fanning of her friend’s face to offer a nod of farewell. “Very well. Dooooo come around for tea soon, my lord.”
“I shall.” He was already moving toward the promise of Suzanna, if he could only get to her. Another lady was trying to catch his eye as he passed. “Lovely ball, yet not as lovely as you this evening,” he tossed out without a second’s pause to hear her response. He was almost there.
When yet another woman saw him coming and tried to block his path, he swore under his breath. How many ladies were in this damned ballroom? Were there not any men left in the city of London? With a quick motion, he stepped around her, calling over his shoulder, “Lady Channings, it’s been years. We must become reacquainted soon.” Soon but not now , he finished to himself as he turned back to his mission.
Pushing past gathered groups of chatting society matrons, he made his way toward the Fairlyns. What would he say once he reached them? He supposed he could demand to see her, in a nice manner of course. But then what would he say to Suzanna once he saw her? He almost turned back to think it over, yet he’d come this far.
Just then the crowd shifted enough that he could see the people gathered at the base of the column with the Fairlyns. It looked to be an army of young ladies. The twins he knew. Then there were a tall blonde, a tall brunette, and a small lady who he vaguely recognized from the masquerade unmasking.
“Bloody hell,” he heard Thornwood say at his side.
He would have asked what had his friend cursing in the middle of a ballroom, but he was too busy looking around for Suzanna. Where was she? Not bloody well here, to take his friend’s sentiments and extrapolate on them. Then his eyes landed on the small lady in the pale rose gown, the lady who had turned white as a sheet upon seeing him. The same lady who was now staring at him and looking terribly guilty. He would begin with her. She would lead him to Suzanna. He knew it.
With a smile at what certainly lay ahead this evening, he bowed in greeting to the lady in rose.
Six
“Mother, I’ll be in the ballroom with Victoria and Isabelle if you have need of me.” Sue didn’t wait for her mother to respond before she was gone. The door to the retiring room slammed shut behind her. The paintings and doorways of the Dillsworth home slid by in a blur of rich colors as she put as much space between her mother and herself as possible.
If she had to listen to any more intense discussions about which necklace Evangeline should wear this evening, whether it was the best choice of necklaces, or thoughts on whether the one chosen sparkled enough, she was quite likely to choke her mother with said necklace.
Sue rounded the corner into the ballroom, slowing her pace to a ladylike stroll. Attempting a calming breath, she inhaled a large amount of rose-scented air. Calming breaths were supposed to settle one, weren’t they? She should have known she wouldn’t be calm this evening. Not here. Calm and the first large ball of her last season didn’t mix. Candlelight from a thousand candles reflected off the glass-paneled ceiling, raining down like tiny stars on all of London’s social elite below.
Pushing past a group of elderly gentlemen debating politics, she skirted two groups of ladies before she found a free space of floor near a column. Where were Isabelle and Victoria? Rising to her toes, she peered around the room. She’d never find them in this crush, never mind trying to find a gentleman to save her from her disappointing future. She didn’t see any likely candidates on this side of the ballroom.
Glancing back over at the elderly gentlemen, she eyed them for husband potential. Only one wore a monocle. He was her best bet because of the poor vision. Her mother had always said she should find a husband who didn’t
Lady Mosley glanced up from her vigorous fanning of her friend’s face to offer a nod of farewell. “Very well. Dooooo come around for tea soon, my lord.”
“I shall.” He was already moving toward the promise of Suzanna, if he could only get to her. Another lady was trying to catch his eye as he passed. “Lovely ball, yet not as lovely as you this evening,” he tossed out without a second’s pause to hear her response. He was almost there.
When yet another woman saw him coming and tried to block his path, he swore under his breath. How many ladies were in this damned ballroom? Were there not any men left in the city of London? With a quick motion, he stepped around her, calling over his shoulder, “Lady Channings, it’s been years. We must become reacquainted soon.” Soon but not now , he finished to himself as he turned back to his mission.
Pushing past gathered groups of chatting society matrons, he made his way toward the Fairlyns. What would he say once he reached them? He supposed he could demand to see her, in a nice manner of course. But then what would he say to Suzanna once he saw her? He almost turned back to think it over, yet he’d come this far.
Just then the crowd shifted enough that he could see the people gathered at the base of the column with the Fairlyns. It looked to be an army of young ladies. The twins he knew. Then there were a tall blonde, a tall brunette, and a small lady who he vaguely recognized from the masquerade unmasking.
“Bloody hell,” he heard Thornwood say at his side.
He would have asked what had his friend cursing in the middle of a ballroom, but he was too busy looking around for Suzanna. Where was she? Not bloody well here, to take his friend’s sentiments and extrapolate on them. Then his eyes landed on the small lady in the pale rose gown, the lady who had turned white as a sheet upon seeing him. The same lady who was now staring at him and looking terribly guilty. He would begin with her. She would lead him to Suzanna. He knew it.
With a smile at what certainly lay ahead this evening, he bowed in greeting to the lady in rose.
Six
“Mother, I’ll be in the ballroom with Victoria and Isabelle if you have need of me.” Sue didn’t wait for her mother to respond before she was gone. The door to the retiring room slammed shut behind her. The paintings and doorways of the Dillsworth home slid by in a blur of rich colors as she put as much space between her mother and herself as possible.
If she had to listen to any more intense discussions about which necklace Evangeline should wear this evening, whether it was the best choice of necklaces, or thoughts on whether the one chosen sparkled enough, she was quite likely to choke her mother with said necklace.
Sue rounded the corner into the ballroom, slowing her pace to a ladylike stroll. Attempting a calming breath, she inhaled a large amount of rose-scented air. Calming breaths were supposed to settle one, weren’t they? She should have known she wouldn’t be calm this evening. Not here. Calm and the first large ball of her last season didn’t mix. Candlelight from a thousand candles reflected off the glass-paneled ceiling, raining down like tiny stars on all of London’s social elite below.
Pushing past a group of elderly gentlemen debating politics, she skirted two groups of ladies before she found a free space of floor near a column. Where were Isabelle and Victoria? Rising to her toes, she peered around the room. She’d never find them in this crush, never mind trying to find a gentleman to save her from her disappointing future. She didn’t see any likely candidates on this side of the ballroom.
Glancing back over at the elderly gentlemen, she eyed them for husband potential. Only one wore a monocle. He was her best bet because of the poor vision. Her mother had always said she should find a husband who didn’t
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