bareback through Hyde Park? And I do not mean without a saddle?”
Peterson’s eyes widened. “You would not dare!”
“Then stop baiting me with your snuff box and tales of the rumours you hear.” His voice was becoming louder and a few heads had turned in his direction.
“Oh no.” Lord Matlock spoke and started off towards his son, but was surprised to see that Anne was ahead of him.
“What are you bellowing about, Albert?” Anne demanded and took his arm. “Are you in your cups already? Will I have to call for our carriage to be found and take you home? Who knows where it could be at this point. The driver is probably drunk himself.”
“You think that I am drunk?” Gladney stared down at her.
“What other reason is there for you to be drawing attention to yourself?”
“I am doing no such thing. And I am not drunk.”
“Prove it, then.” She challenged him.
“Fine.” He took her out to the dance floor and they stood across from each other. Anne’s haughty bravado faded. “Can you dance?”
“You know that I cannot.” She whispered in a panic as the eyes of the room found them again.
“And you know that I am not drunk, and yet you bellow that out before the same onlookers.”
“You were creating a scene.”
“And you cared enough to stop me?” Gladney demanded.
“I . . . I do not know.” Confused, Anne looked at him.
“Show me that you trust me.”
“How am I to do that?”
“Dance with me.” The music began and, awkwardly, terribly, Anne tried to move through the steps that she did not know and had never observed, let alone practiced. But they managed to survive and at the end, she was exhilarated with the attempt and heard nothing of the whispered remarks regarding her performance and his tolerance as her partner. Gladney noticed his parents standing with Lady Catherine and the expressions on their faces. For the first time he noted that none of them looked at him and Anne with avarice. He actually saw what could be called parental pride. Interesting. Holding out his arm, he offered to lead her away.
“Oh. Must we stop?” She looked back at the dancers preparing for the next set.
“I am afraid that my feet require respite.” He noticed her face colouring. “But we managed to get through it. I would suggest some lessons before we make another attempt.”
“Another?”
“Unless you do not want to?”
“Can you manage to be in this atmosphere again? I saw you staring at that snuff box.”
Gladney saw the familiar intolerant stare and shrugged. “If I have a distraction, I may be fine.”
“Am I sufficient distraction?” Anne demanded.
“I do not know. Do you care to find out?” His lips lifted slightly as she hesitated and he nodded as people returned to their conversations. “Or do you want to meet someone else?”
Anne looked around the room at the men and knew that the few who spared her a passing glance only did so for Rosings. She looked back to her cousin, who still possessed some of his handsome visage and carriage, despite the ravages of the drugs. “I suppose I will have to settle for you.”
“A ringing endorsement.” He raised her hand to his lips. “I will buy you an engagement gift tomorrow.”
“You do not have any money.”
“Then I will take something from Mother’s jewel box.”
Anne rolled her eyes. “The sentiment is overwhelming.”
“I imagine that it is equal to yours, my dear .”
Cathy watched her brother and cousin across the room and started when her dance partner spoke. “I am sorry, what did you say?”
“I said that it looks like the rumours I heard are true? Miss de Bourgh is to marry your brother?”
“I . . .” She looked away from them and back to Manning. “Oh yes, of course.” Nodding, she shrugged. “I do not know why anyone would be surprised.” She shot her brother another
Peterson’s eyes widened. “You would not dare!”
“Then stop baiting me with your snuff box and tales of the rumours you hear.” His voice was becoming louder and a few heads had turned in his direction.
“Oh no.” Lord Matlock spoke and started off towards his son, but was surprised to see that Anne was ahead of him.
“What are you bellowing about, Albert?” Anne demanded and took his arm. “Are you in your cups already? Will I have to call for our carriage to be found and take you home? Who knows where it could be at this point. The driver is probably drunk himself.”
“You think that I am drunk?” Gladney stared down at her.
“What other reason is there for you to be drawing attention to yourself?”
“I am doing no such thing. And I am not drunk.”
“Prove it, then.” She challenged him.
“Fine.” He took her out to the dance floor and they stood across from each other. Anne’s haughty bravado faded. “Can you dance?”
“You know that I cannot.” She whispered in a panic as the eyes of the room found them again.
“And you know that I am not drunk, and yet you bellow that out before the same onlookers.”
“You were creating a scene.”
“And you cared enough to stop me?” Gladney demanded.
“I . . . I do not know.” Confused, Anne looked at him.
“Show me that you trust me.”
“How am I to do that?”
“Dance with me.” The music began and, awkwardly, terribly, Anne tried to move through the steps that she did not know and had never observed, let alone practiced. But they managed to survive and at the end, she was exhilarated with the attempt and heard nothing of the whispered remarks regarding her performance and his tolerance as her partner. Gladney noticed his parents standing with Lady Catherine and the expressions on their faces. For the first time he noted that none of them looked at him and Anne with avarice. He actually saw what could be called parental pride. Interesting. Holding out his arm, he offered to lead her away.
“Oh. Must we stop?” She looked back at the dancers preparing for the next set.
“I am afraid that my feet require respite.” He noticed her face colouring. “But we managed to get through it. I would suggest some lessons before we make another attempt.”
“Another?”
“Unless you do not want to?”
“Can you manage to be in this atmosphere again? I saw you staring at that snuff box.”
Gladney saw the familiar intolerant stare and shrugged. “If I have a distraction, I may be fine.”
“Am I sufficient distraction?” Anne demanded.
“I do not know. Do you care to find out?” His lips lifted slightly as she hesitated and he nodded as people returned to their conversations. “Or do you want to meet someone else?”
Anne looked around the room at the men and knew that the few who spared her a passing glance only did so for Rosings. She looked back to her cousin, who still possessed some of his handsome visage and carriage, despite the ravages of the drugs. “I suppose I will have to settle for you.”
“A ringing endorsement.” He raised her hand to his lips. “I will buy you an engagement gift tomorrow.”
“You do not have any money.”
“Then I will take something from Mother’s jewel box.”
Anne rolled her eyes. “The sentiment is overwhelming.”
“I imagine that it is equal to yours, my dear .”
Cathy watched her brother and cousin across the room and started when her dance partner spoke. “I am sorry, what did you say?”
“I said that it looks like the rumours I heard are true? Miss de Bourgh is to marry your brother?”
“I . . .” She looked away from them and back to Manning. “Oh yes, of course.” Nodding, she shrugged. “I do not know why anyone would be surprised.” She shot her brother another
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