she pretended they were not in Shropshire, but at the Theatre Royal in London about to attend a performance. The fantasy seemed so real that when he lowered his head to ask her if she wanted a glass of punch, she almost jumped. Several women stared at him with interest, but he didn’t seem to notice any of them.
“Not just yet,” she replied. She was thirsty, but if she had said yes, it would mean his departure. She couldn’t bear being away from him and stifled the nagging thought that only a few weeks remained of her visit.
Lucinda left her friends and hurried back to Jane’s side. “Jane, I do want to introduce you to the Miss Thorntons. I thought we could go driving with them tomorrow.” She tugged on Jane’s hand for good measure. Jane reluctantly turned to the colonel, who seemed amused.
“I won’t be long,” she said, and Lucinda laughed.
“Pooh, he’ll be all right! Colonel B., some officers from the regiment are by the punch. Go and talk with them, and we’ll be back when the dancing starts. You did promise me the quadrille.”
She jostled her way through the crowd until they reached the end of the hall, where two younger girls shared a laugh. Lucinda introduced her, and she made small talk where appropriate, though she wondered if anyone was paying the slightest attention to her. She was almost grateful for their indifference, as it gave her time to look across the room for a glimpse of the colonel.
“Jane! You are daydreaming. Catherine just asked you about your music.”
Jane stammered, “I do enjoy the pianoforte. Miss Thornton, do you play?”
“Yes. When you and Lucinda come tomorrow, we’ll look at the new music our uncle sent.”
Lucinda nudged her in the ribs. “Their uncle has been to Italy! I should so love to go abroad.”
She sighed dramatically, and her friends laughed. Jane smiled, though her thoughts were elsewhere. One of the Thornton girls suddenly opened her fan and used it to shield her face.
“He’s coming over here!”
Her sister giggled, and Lucinda and Jane turned at the same time. Jane half-expected to see the colonel, but her shoulders sagged with disappointment. Jeremy strode up to them, looking almost regal in a dark blue coat, his cream-colored breeches taut on his legs, heavy and muscular from all the riding he’d been doing. His hair was brushed back from his face, showing his high cheekbones to best advantage. He ignored his sister and bowed to Jane and the others, which caused a new paroxysm of girlish twittering.
“Will you dance, Miss Brooke?”
She longed to excuse herself and continue searching for Colonel Blakeney but didn’t know the proper words for such a scandalous idea. She curtsied. At least she’d be away from the silly girls.
“Thank you, Mr. Parker.”
The crowd cleared a space in the center of the assembly hall, and Jane took her place in a line of women opposite the men. Jeremy seemed unable to look anywhere but at her. Jane blamed this on too much wine punch, as his face glistened with perspiration. The musicians jumped into a rollicking gavotte, and she almost enjoyed being turned and twisted around the other swirling couples.
The dance seemed never ending, but when it did, Jeremy took her hand and threaded it through his arm with a surprising firmness. Two open doors revealed the courtyard outside, and he led her toward them.
Jeremy remained silent as they walked, and she tried to glean any meaning behind his intent. His expression told her nothing. The darkness closed around them and she stumbled. He continued walking, and she had to hasten her steps or feared he would drag her along. They rounded the corner and entered a garden, illuminated by several torches. White statues gleamed dimly in the moonlight, and she thought of ghosts. A shiver ran through her, and she didn’t know if it was from the cold or fear. Something wasn’t right. He stopped, and she pulled her arm from his, prepared to turn back.
“Lucinda will
“Not just yet,” she replied. She was thirsty, but if she had said yes, it would mean his departure. She couldn’t bear being away from him and stifled the nagging thought that only a few weeks remained of her visit.
Lucinda left her friends and hurried back to Jane’s side. “Jane, I do want to introduce you to the Miss Thorntons. I thought we could go driving with them tomorrow.” She tugged on Jane’s hand for good measure. Jane reluctantly turned to the colonel, who seemed amused.
“I won’t be long,” she said, and Lucinda laughed.
“Pooh, he’ll be all right! Colonel B., some officers from the regiment are by the punch. Go and talk with them, and we’ll be back when the dancing starts. You did promise me the quadrille.”
She jostled her way through the crowd until they reached the end of the hall, where two younger girls shared a laugh. Lucinda introduced her, and she made small talk where appropriate, though she wondered if anyone was paying the slightest attention to her. She was almost grateful for their indifference, as it gave her time to look across the room for a glimpse of the colonel.
“Jane! You are daydreaming. Catherine just asked you about your music.”
Jane stammered, “I do enjoy the pianoforte. Miss Thornton, do you play?”
“Yes. When you and Lucinda come tomorrow, we’ll look at the new music our uncle sent.”
Lucinda nudged her in the ribs. “Their uncle has been to Italy! I should so love to go abroad.”
She sighed dramatically, and her friends laughed. Jane smiled, though her thoughts were elsewhere. One of the Thornton girls suddenly opened her fan and used it to shield her face.
“He’s coming over here!”
Her sister giggled, and Lucinda and Jane turned at the same time. Jane half-expected to see the colonel, but her shoulders sagged with disappointment. Jeremy strode up to them, looking almost regal in a dark blue coat, his cream-colored breeches taut on his legs, heavy and muscular from all the riding he’d been doing. His hair was brushed back from his face, showing his high cheekbones to best advantage. He ignored his sister and bowed to Jane and the others, which caused a new paroxysm of girlish twittering.
“Will you dance, Miss Brooke?”
She longed to excuse herself and continue searching for Colonel Blakeney but didn’t know the proper words for such a scandalous idea. She curtsied. At least she’d be away from the silly girls.
“Thank you, Mr. Parker.”
The crowd cleared a space in the center of the assembly hall, and Jane took her place in a line of women opposite the men. Jeremy seemed unable to look anywhere but at her. Jane blamed this on too much wine punch, as his face glistened with perspiration. The musicians jumped into a rollicking gavotte, and she almost enjoyed being turned and twisted around the other swirling couples.
The dance seemed never ending, but when it did, Jeremy took her hand and threaded it through his arm with a surprising firmness. Two open doors revealed the courtyard outside, and he led her toward them.
Jeremy remained silent as they walked, and she tried to glean any meaning behind his intent. His expression told her nothing. The darkness closed around them and she stumbled. He continued walking, and she had to hasten her steps or feared he would drag her along. They rounded the corner and entered a garden, illuminated by several torches. White statues gleamed dimly in the moonlight, and she thought of ghosts. A shiver ran through her, and she didn’t know if it was from the cold or fear. Something wasn’t right. He stopped, and she pulled her arm from his, prepared to turn back.
“Lucinda will
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