first
waltz.” He turned to her and smiled softly. “Because, the first
waltz with Miss Berkley is promised to me.”
Jules and Miles took to blustering over this,
while Star felt the blush rush to her head. Star gave up trying to
stop Jules and Miles from arguing and heard Georgie say to Sir
Edward, “Well done, sir.”
“I thought so, Miss Madison,” Sir Edward said
glibly and grinned.
“Yes indeed, but do call me Georgie .
If you are to be one of our escorts tonight, we can dispense with
formalities.”
“Indeed,” Star agreed as she turned toward
them. She suddenly realized, they were going to the ball tonight
and grabbed her friend’s hands and exclaimed, “Georgie…we are going
to the ball—we have so much to do.” She turned to her brother. “Are
you sure it is acceptable…to have gentlemen escort us?”
“Well, Sir Edward thinks it is acceptable, so
I bow to his knowledge of such matters. After all, as he says, one
gentleman, certainly not . Two, he says…still questionable,
but three, quite above board . After all, I certainly can ask
my friends to stand in lieu of me. Very respectable,” Vern said.
“Now, out with you, all of you, except Georgie.”
Star glanced at both her friend and her
brother. It wasn’t the thing to allow Georgie to stay alone with
him in his room.
Jules frowned over the matter and surprised
Star by sticking in, “I say…I don’t think…no, I don’t at all think
Miss Madison should remain here alone with you.”
Georgie put up her hand with a laugh and
said, “Good afternoon, Vern. I do hope you feel better very
soon.”
“Indeed,” Star added, “You are a naughty boy
for it is most improper of you to try and keep Georgie here with
you, besides Vern, you really do look fatigued. You must rest.”
Miles made one last attempt to get his way
and said, “Vern, I am your oldest and dearest friend. I don’t see
why it wouldn’t be perfectly respectable for me to escort your
sister and her friend to the ball. We don’t need these two to tag
along. After all, only the worst of the sticklers might
object.”
“That is just it, I don’t want anyone to object. This makes it certain they can’t,” Vern offered
wearily.
Miles sighed and grumbled, “Still think I
don’t need Jules or Sir Edward here…” He glanced at Sir Edward and
said, “No offense intended.”
“None taken, lad,” Sir Edward said swallowing
a laugh.
Star giggled and felt her naughty streak rise
up. “You know, he is right Vern. Miles is all the escort we
need.”
Jules started to bluster again and Sir Edward
glanced her way and a slow smile curved his sensuous lips as their
gazes locked.
“Oh, but Star,” Georgie stuck in with her
usual good sense. “Only think how it will add to our consequence to
walk into Sefton’s tonight with three distinguished escorts—two of
which are notable London beaus.” She made a dramatic show of
sighing. “Why, it will drive Marigold mad with envy!”
Star laughed and clapped her hands. “So very,
very true, you naughty girl.” She turned and with a flirtatious
smile, dismissed their guests, “Till tonight, then.”
They waited until they were certain the three
gentlemen had left the house before she and Georgie left Vern to
his rest and glided over the distance to Star’s room. There they
clasped one another and fell into whoops of laughter, landed on
Star’s bed and sighed at length over their sudden good fortune.
They exchanged glances and Star said, “Can you see her face?
Marigold will be green, she will turn green! This will teach her to
sneer at us!”
Georgie smiled and said, “La, but you are too
sensitive, Star. Why do you allow her to annoy you? She is not a
nice person and therefore, her opinion should not matter to
us.”
“Right you are. Never mind, Marigold. Are you
still going to wear that lovely russet gown?”
“That or the ivory, but Star, tell me…”
Georgie hesitated.
Star had gotten up from her bed and
waltz.” He turned to her and smiled softly. “Because, the first
waltz with Miss Berkley is promised to me.”
Jules and Miles took to blustering over this,
while Star felt the blush rush to her head. Star gave up trying to
stop Jules and Miles from arguing and heard Georgie say to Sir
Edward, “Well done, sir.”
“I thought so, Miss Madison,” Sir Edward said
glibly and grinned.
“Yes indeed, but do call me Georgie .
If you are to be one of our escorts tonight, we can dispense with
formalities.”
“Indeed,” Star agreed as she turned toward
them. She suddenly realized, they were going to the ball tonight
and grabbed her friend’s hands and exclaimed, “Georgie…we are going
to the ball—we have so much to do.” She turned to her brother. “Are
you sure it is acceptable…to have gentlemen escort us?”
“Well, Sir Edward thinks it is acceptable, so
I bow to his knowledge of such matters. After all, as he says, one
gentleman, certainly not . Two, he says…still questionable,
but three, quite above board . After all, I certainly can ask
my friends to stand in lieu of me. Very respectable,” Vern said.
“Now, out with you, all of you, except Georgie.”
Star glanced at both her friend and her
brother. It wasn’t the thing to allow Georgie to stay alone with
him in his room.
Jules frowned over the matter and surprised
Star by sticking in, “I say…I don’t think…no, I don’t at all think
Miss Madison should remain here alone with you.”
Georgie put up her hand with a laugh and
said, “Good afternoon, Vern. I do hope you feel better very
soon.”
“Indeed,” Star added, “You are a naughty boy
for it is most improper of you to try and keep Georgie here with
you, besides Vern, you really do look fatigued. You must rest.”
Miles made one last attempt to get his way
and said, “Vern, I am your oldest and dearest friend. I don’t see
why it wouldn’t be perfectly respectable for me to escort your
sister and her friend to the ball. We don’t need these two to tag
along. After all, only the worst of the sticklers might
object.”
“That is just it, I don’t want anyone to object. This makes it certain they can’t,” Vern offered
wearily.
Miles sighed and grumbled, “Still think I
don’t need Jules or Sir Edward here…” He glanced at Sir Edward and
said, “No offense intended.”
“None taken, lad,” Sir Edward said swallowing
a laugh.
Star giggled and felt her naughty streak rise
up. “You know, he is right Vern. Miles is all the escort we
need.”
Jules started to bluster again and Sir Edward
glanced her way and a slow smile curved his sensuous lips as their
gazes locked.
“Oh, but Star,” Georgie stuck in with her
usual good sense. “Only think how it will add to our consequence to
walk into Sefton’s tonight with three distinguished escorts—two of
which are notable London beaus.” She made a dramatic show of
sighing. “Why, it will drive Marigold mad with envy!”
Star laughed and clapped her hands. “So very,
very true, you naughty girl.” She turned and with a flirtatious
smile, dismissed their guests, “Till tonight, then.”
They waited until they were certain the three
gentlemen had left the house before she and Georgie left Vern to
his rest and glided over the distance to Star’s room. There they
clasped one another and fell into whoops of laughter, landed on
Star’s bed and sighed at length over their sudden good fortune.
They exchanged glances and Star said, “Can you see her face?
Marigold will be green, she will turn green! This will teach her to
sneer at us!”
Georgie smiled and said, “La, but you are too
sensitive, Star. Why do you allow her to annoy you? She is not a
nice person and therefore, her opinion should not matter to
us.”
“Right you are. Never mind, Marigold. Are you
still going to wear that lovely russet gown?”
“That or the ivory, but Star, tell me…”
Georgie hesitated.
Star had gotten up from her bed and
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