burning cheeks in his cravat. A burst of laughter made her look round in surprise. Then she joined in the merriment; Lord Bloomfield and Sarah had been similarly occupied.
“Quite right, my boy, but food first and talk later. Ladies, if you would like to set out cutlery we shall deal with the wine and lemonade.”
Over supper, Sarah told her what had transpired downstairs in her absence. “Our ploy was successful, Elizabeth, in that it deflected the Hartfords’ anger from yourself. However, I believe Sir James is now a social outcast for playing fast and loose with the most popular girl in the neighbourhood.”
“Good gracious, they must think you are a hardened rake, James.” Her hands flew to her mouth in horror. To use his given name in her own head was permissible but she should not have spoken it out loud. “I beg your pardon, Sir James — ”
“There’s no need, my love. I wished you to call me James but thought you might be shocked if I suggested it. From now on you shall be Elizabeth to me.”
“I was going to say, James, that you will have all the rackety young widows flocking to your door.”
His eyebrows vanished beneath his hair. “And what do you know, Miss Baverstock, about such matters, might I ask?”
Giggling, she waved airily at him. “Although I do not go in to society myself I listen to what others tell me and I read the newspapers. There is often interesting gossip to be found on the society pages.”
He shook his head in mock ferocity. “I am deeply shocked, young lady that you even know what a rake is.”
She pouted and placed a fingertip on her lips. “It is a garden instrument, is it not, sir? I must own myself a trifle puzzled as to why a gentleman should be likened to such a thing.”
“You, my angel, are a baggage. Now stop this tomfoolery, there is something urgent we must all do.”
Whilst she and James had been talking nonsense, Sarah and Lord Bloomfield had flung open the windows. The sound of sweet music drifted up through the still night air. He held out his hand and she took it. She was to have the last waltz with the man she loved after all.
As they spun in perfect unison, he tightened his hold until every inch of her was pressed against his chest. Then, as if she weighed no more than a feather, her feet were drifting and he whirled her around with his chin resting on top of her head. As they turned, she saw Sarah as closely held as she. Her friend was smiling up at her partner, her face illuminated by love.
They were still dancing when the church clock struck midnight. At the last stroke, the music stopped and the sound of cheering and clapping from the guests below filled the room. At this moment, Elizabeth knew she could not leave him. Whatever the consequences, she would stay at his side until they could be united in the sight of God.
“Oh dear! I wish I had not eaten quite so much, I feel decidedly queasy after all that spinning around.”
Sarah’s laughing comment broke the spell and they collapsed onto one of the small wooden chairs, once used for children, to catch their breath. Now was the time to tell James the bad news.
“James, I shall not be one and twenty until the end of next November. Lord Hartford will never give me permission to marry. What are we to do?”
“You can elope to Gretna Green and get married over the anvil. I believe this is all the rage amongst the cognoscenti at the moment.”
“We shall do no such thing, Miss Culley. When Elizabeth and I are united, it will be with our friends there to wish us well and a sumptuous wedding breakfast to follow. We are not having a havey-cavey ceremony in Scotland.”
How fierce he sounded, but he was quite right. She would hate to be obliged to run away in order to be married. “Then I have no option but to take up my position as a governess. I cannot live without the benefit of clergy in your establishment, James.”
“You shall do no such thing. You’re the granddaughter of an earl;
“Quite right, my boy, but food first and talk later. Ladies, if you would like to set out cutlery we shall deal with the wine and lemonade.”
Over supper, Sarah told her what had transpired downstairs in her absence. “Our ploy was successful, Elizabeth, in that it deflected the Hartfords’ anger from yourself. However, I believe Sir James is now a social outcast for playing fast and loose with the most popular girl in the neighbourhood.”
“Good gracious, they must think you are a hardened rake, James.” Her hands flew to her mouth in horror. To use his given name in her own head was permissible but she should not have spoken it out loud. “I beg your pardon, Sir James — ”
“There’s no need, my love. I wished you to call me James but thought you might be shocked if I suggested it. From now on you shall be Elizabeth to me.”
“I was going to say, James, that you will have all the rackety young widows flocking to your door.”
His eyebrows vanished beneath his hair. “And what do you know, Miss Baverstock, about such matters, might I ask?”
Giggling, she waved airily at him. “Although I do not go in to society myself I listen to what others tell me and I read the newspapers. There is often interesting gossip to be found on the society pages.”
He shook his head in mock ferocity. “I am deeply shocked, young lady that you even know what a rake is.”
She pouted and placed a fingertip on her lips. “It is a garden instrument, is it not, sir? I must own myself a trifle puzzled as to why a gentleman should be likened to such a thing.”
“You, my angel, are a baggage. Now stop this tomfoolery, there is something urgent we must all do.”
Whilst she and James had been talking nonsense, Sarah and Lord Bloomfield had flung open the windows. The sound of sweet music drifted up through the still night air. He held out his hand and she took it. She was to have the last waltz with the man she loved after all.
As they spun in perfect unison, he tightened his hold until every inch of her was pressed against his chest. Then, as if she weighed no more than a feather, her feet were drifting and he whirled her around with his chin resting on top of her head. As they turned, she saw Sarah as closely held as she. Her friend was smiling up at her partner, her face illuminated by love.
They were still dancing when the church clock struck midnight. At the last stroke, the music stopped and the sound of cheering and clapping from the guests below filled the room. At this moment, Elizabeth knew she could not leave him. Whatever the consequences, she would stay at his side until they could be united in the sight of God.
“Oh dear! I wish I had not eaten quite so much, I feel decidedly queasy after all that spinning around.”
Sarah’s laughing comment broke the spell and they collapsed onto one of the small wooden chairs, once used for children, to catch their breath. Now was the time to tell James the bad news.
“James, I shall not be one and twenty until the end of next November. Lord Hartford will never give me permission to marry. What are we to do?”
“You can elope to Gretna Green and get married over the anvil. I believe this is all the rage amongst the cognoscenti at the moment.”
“We shall do no such thing, Miss Culley. When Elizabeth and I are united, it will be with our friends there to wish us well and a sumptuous wedding breakfast to follow. We are not having a havey-cavey ceremony in Scotland.”
How fierce he sounded, but he was quite right. She would hate to be obliged to run away in order to be married. “Then I have no option but to take up my position as a governess. I cannot live without the benefit of clergy in your establishment, James.”
“You shall do no such thing. You’re the granddaughter of an earl;
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