health precludes too many late evenings.’
‘How charming you look this evening,’ cried Julia, as she clasped Isabella’s hands. ‘You must have been quizzed by all the men in the pit.’
‘They mean no real harm,’ explained Hal. ‘It is common practice to ogle the ladies in the boxes and meanwhile, the dowagers will take note of what you are wearing, your jewellery and even try to guess what we are speaking of at this moment.’
Isabella laughed at this. ‘Gracious! I thought I was visiting the theatre, not undergoing an inspection.’
‘Have you and Mrs Forster received your invitations to my ball?’ asked Julia.
‘We have, thank you, and—’
‘You are coming?’ interjected Julia anxiously.
‘—we will be most happy to attend,’ concluded Isabella, with a smile.
‘And you too, of course, Sir Seymour,’ said Julia.
‘Indeed!’ he said, nodding as much as his shirt points would allow. ‘The new waltz may be beyond my constitution, but I should be able to enjoy one or two country dances.’
Some conversation on the excellence of the play followed until Julia said, ‘Hal, we had best return to our box – the second act is due to begin.’ Opening a silk and ivory fan, she fanned herself and observed, ‘Goodness, the heat in here is stifling!’
As Julia was taking her leave of Harriet and Sir Seymour, Hal moved to Isabella’s side and whispered earnestly, ‘I came here tonight to see you and to ask if you will accompany me on a drive in the park tomorrow afternoon, Isabella.’
Answering from the heart, she murmured her agreement. He nodded, a gleam of pleasure in his eyes, before kissing her hand and joining his sister outside. Isabella knew there was no turning back now – falling in love with Hal would be easy, but it would be far more difficult for her to trust him. Time would be needed for that trust to grow and to tell him about her past, but, for the first time since the death of her father, she felt cared for and protected. Colour rushed to her cheeks as she recalled the touch of his lips against her skin.
‘Julia was right – it is hot in here,’ she remarked, ‘I’ll step outside for a moment where the air is a little cooler.’
‘Would you like me to accompany you, Lady Vane?’ enquired Sir Seymour politely.
‘No, thank you. I only intend to go a little way.’
Isabella opened the door and stepped out into the passageway. She paced to and fro for a moment, fanning her heated complexion and glancing at the people hurrying to take their seats. Suddenly, she halted; further down the passage and unaware that they were being watched, were Hal and the striking redhead whom Isabella had noticed earlier.
The lady was so close to Hal that her hair brushed his shoulder and she smiled as she tilted her head in a coquettish manner. Isabella could not see Hal’s expression, nor could she hear any conversation, but she watched as one of the lady’s hands reached up to caress his cheek. Then, his strong fingers covered the small hand and curled around it. Shocked, Isabella turned away quickly and returned to her box.
As she sat down again, Harriet was remarking, ‘There are so many people here this evening – half the city must have crowded in.’
‘If you prefer not to stay for the whole performance, we may leave after Macbeth – I believe Aladdin is the second item on the programme,’ replied Sir Seymour.
‘Aladdin and Macbeth,’ exclaimed Harriet. ‘A strange combination for one evening’s entertainment. What do you think, Isabella? Shall we stay?’
But Isabella could offer no immediate reply; she felt too shaken and stunned by what she had just witnessed.
Chapter Nine
I N the heat of the passageway, Hal gripped Lady Portland’s fingers and removed them brusquely from his cheek. He was relieved that his sister had gone on ahead and did not believe Lady Portland’s appearance here was mere chance; Felicity would be audacious enough to follow him. Her
‘How charming you look this evening,’ cried Julia, as she clasped Isabella’s hands. ‘You must have been quizzed by all the men in the pit.’
‘They mean no real harm,’ explained Hal. ‘It is common practice to ogle the ladies in the boxes and meanwhile, the dowagers will take note of what you are wearing, your jewellery and even try to guess what we are speaking of at this moment.’
Isabella laughed at this. ‘Gracious! I thought I was visiting the theatre, not undergoing an inspection.’
‘Have you and Mrs Forster received your invitations to my ball?’ asked Julia.
‘We have, thank you, and—’
‘You are coming?’ interjected Julia anxiously.
‘—we will be most happy to attend,’ concluded Isabella, with a smile.
‘And you too, of course, Sir Seymour,’ said Julia.
‘Indeed!’ he said, nodding as much as his shirt points would allow. ‘The new waltz may be beyond my constitution, but I should be able to enjoy one or two country dances.’
Some conversation on the excellence of the play followed until Julia said, ‘Hal, we had best return to our box – the second act is due to begin.’ Opening a silk and ivory fan, she fanned herself and observed, ‘Goodness, the heat in here is stifling!’
As Julia was taking her leave of Harriet and Sir Seymour, Hal moved to Isabella’s side and whispered earnestly, ‘I came here tonight to see you and to ask if you will accompany me on a drive in the park tomorrow afternoon, Isabella.’
Answering from the heart, she murmured her agreement. He nodded, a gleam of pleasure in his eyes, before kissing her hand and joining his sister outside. Isabella knew there was no turning back now – falling in love with Hal would be easy, but it would be far more difficult for her to trust him. Time would be needed for that trust to grow and to tell him about her past, but, for the first time since the death of her father, she felt cared for and protected. Colour rushed to her cheeks as she recalled the touch of his lips against her skin.
‘Julia was right – it is hot in here,’ she remarked, ‘I’ll step outside for a moment where the air is a little cooler.’
‘Would you like me to accompany you, Lady Vane?’ enquired Sir Seymour politely.
‘No, thank you. I only intend to go a little way.’
Isabella opened the door and stepped out into the passageway. She paced to and fro for a moment, fanning her heated complexion and glancing at the people hurrying to take their seats. Suddenly, she halted; further down the passage and unaware that they were being watched, were Hal and the striking redhead whom Isabella had noticed earlier.
The lady was so close to Hal that her hair brushed his shoulder and she smiled as she tilted her head in a coquettish manner. Isabella could not see Hal’s expression, nor could she hear any conversation, but she watched as one of the lady’s hands reached up to caress his cheek. Then, his strong fingers covered the small hand and curled around it. Shocked, Isabella turned away quickly and returned to her box.
As she sat down again, Harriet was remarking, ‘There are so many people here this evening – half the city must have crowded in.’
‘If you prefer not to stay for the whole performance, we may leave after Macbeth – I believe Aladdin is the second item on the programme,’ replied Sir Seymour.
‘Aladdin and Macbeth,’ exclaimed Harriet. ‘A strange combination for one evening’s entertainment. What do you think, Isabella? Shall we stay?’
But Isabella could offer no immediate reply; she felt too shaken and stunned by what she had just witnessed.
Chapter Nine
I N the heat of the passageway, Hal gripped Lady Portland’s fingers and removed them brusquely from his cheek. He was relieved that his sister had gone on ahead and did not believe Lady Portland’s appearance here was mere chance; Felicity would be audacious enough to follow him. Her
Similar Books
