are always most welcome. We are pleased to have
had the opportunity to grant you vouchers.”
“Thank you, Lady Sefton,” Elisabeth replied. “I am most
pleased to attend.”
With a final regal nod of approbation the patroness moved on
to other guests as Lady Parker and Elisabeth breathed sighs of relief.
“I believe I see Lady Earlywine and her daughter,” Lord Sherbourne
said as he scanned the room. “Come, let us find seats by them.”
“Miss Ashwood,” Miss Earlywine said, a smile spreading over
her plump cheeks as the three came up to the Earlywines. “I am so happy to see
someone I know. I saw Lady Sefton speaking to you. I should have perished of
nervousness, it was frightening enough to appear before them when they were
considering giving us vouchers. Are you not uneasy, coming here for the first
time? I fear I shall make some dreadful error.”
“I confess I am quite fearful myself,” Elisabeth admitted as
she pulled a chair close to James’ sister. The two young women sat together and
conversed while they waited for the dancing to begin, comparing opinions of the
fashions worn by the other guests. At the same time Elisabeth was covertly
watching to see who entered, wondering if Miss Thibeau would be among the
select at the assembly rooms that night. But she did not see either Miss
Thibeau or her aunt the Comtesse de Fleurille and decided that Almack’s had one
point in its favor if it was a place where she would not see the vivacious
Frenchwoman.
Elisabeth had hoped to have Lord Sherbourne as her partner
for the first dance but one of the patronesses introduced a different gentleman
to her for the dance and Elisabeth had perforce to accept him, as she did yet
another gentleman for the second set. When that young sprig returned her to
Lady Parker after the set ended Elisabeth was unsurprised to see that the Duke
of Norland had joined their party. The Duke asked a patroness to recommend him
to her for the quadrille and kindly did the same for Miss Earlywine the
following dance.
Although both Elisabeth and Miss Earlywine were too
unaffected to notice it, many eyes were upon the two young women that evening
and many ladies of the
bon
ton,
who could see nothing remarkable about either young girl,
wondered why they merited so much attention when they had neither beauty nor
fortune. Lady Parker noticed the glances however and knew that from this night
both young women would be widely recognized wherever they went.
Lord Sherbourne, remembering he needed permission to waltz
with Miss Ashwood at Almack’s, sought one of the patronesses out to ask if he
might have the first waltz.
“Has Miss Ashwood been approved to waltz?” the patroness
inquired and then laughed at Sherbourne’s puzzled expression. “It is the custom
that those young women appearing for their first Season must be approved to
waltz before a partner can be approved for the dance,” she explained. “But
never fear, I shall grant both,” she promised, rising to accompany Sherbourne
back to Lady Parker and Elisabeth.
“Is the waltz agreeable to you, Miss Ashwood?” the patroness
asked Elisabeth. At Elisabeth’s intimation of agreement, the patroness
continued, “Then may I present Lord Sherbourne as a suitable partner?”
“I did not expect it would be so difficult to obtain your
hand for a dance,” Lord Sherbourne commented as he led Elisabeth onto the
floor. “The patronesses are doing their best to introduce you to a multitude of
eligible young gentlemen.”
“I believe that is the purpose of Almack’s,” Elisabeth
answered with a provocative glance.
Moments later the music began and Lord Sherbourne’s arms
were holding her close as they swirled about the room to the intoxicating
rhythm of the waltz. Elisabeth gave herself up to the enchantment of the music
as she dipped and swayed and swirled. She and Lord Sherbourne moved as one
person and suddenly she felt her very essence melt into his and knew by a quick
glance
had the opportunity to grant you vouchers.”
“Thank you, Lady Sefton,” Elisabeth replied. “I am most
pleased to attend.”
With a final regal nod of approbation the patroness moved on
to other guests as Lady Parker and Elisabeth breathed sighs of relief.
“I believe I see Lady Earlywine and her daughter,” Lord Sherbourne
said as he scanned the room. “Come, let us find seats by them.”
“Miss Ashwood,” Miss Earlywine said, a smile spreading over
her plump cheeks as the three came up to the Earlywines. “I am so happy to see
someone I know. I saw Lady Sefton speaking to you. I should have perished of
nervousness, it was frightening enough to appear before them when they were
considering giving us vouchers. Are you not uneasy, coming here for the first
time? I fear I shall make some dreadful error.”
“I confess I am quite fearful myself,” Elisabeth admitted as
she pulled a chair close to James’ sister. The two young women sat together and
conversed while they waited for the dancing to begin, comparing opinions of the
fashions worn by the other guests. At the same time Elisabeth was covertly
watching to see who entered, wondering if Miss Thibeau would be among the
select at the assembly rooms that night. But she did not see either Miss
Thibeau or her aunt the Comtesse de Fleurille and decided that Almack’s had one
point in its favor if it was a place where she would not see the vivacious
Frenchwoman.
Elisabeth had hoped to have Lord Sherbourne as her partner
for the first dance but one of the patronesses introduced a different gentleman
to her for the dance and Elisabeth had perforce to accept him, as she did yet
another gentleman for the second set. When that young sprig returned her to
Lady Parker after the set ended Elisabeth was unsurprised to see that the Duke
of Norland had joined their party. The Duke asked a patroness to recommend him
to her for the quadrille and kindly did the same for Miss Earlywine the
following dance.
Although both Elisabeth and Miss Earlywine were too
unaffected to notice it, many eyes were upon the two young women that evening
and many ladies of the
bon
ton,
who could see nothing remarkable about either young girl,
wondered why they merited so much attention when they had neither beauty nor
fortune. Lady Parker noticed the glances however and knew that from this night
both young women would be widely recognized wherever they went.
Lord Sherbourne, remembering he needed permission to waltz
with Miss Ashwood at Almack’s, sought one of the patronesses out to ask if he
might have the first waltz.
“Has Miss Ashwood been approved to waltz?” the patroness
inquired and then laughed at Sherbourne’s puzzled expression. “It is the custom
that those young women appearing for their first Season must be approved to
waltz before a partner can be approved for the dance,” she explained. “But
never fear, I shall grant both,” she promised, rising to accompany Sherbourne
back to Lady Parker and Elisabeth.
“Is the waltz agreeable to you, Miss Ashwood?” the patroness
asked Elisabeth. At Elisabeth’s intimation of agreement, the patroness
continued, “Then may I present Lord Sherbourne as a suitable partner?”
“I did not expect it would be so difficult to obtain your
hand for a dance,” Lord Sherbourne commented as he led Elisabeth onto the
floor. “The patronesses are doing their best to introduce you to a multitude of
eligible young gentlemen.”
“I believe that is the purpose of Almack’s,” Elisabeth
answered with a provocative glance.
Moments later the music began and Lord Sherbourne’s arms
were holding her close as they swirled about the room to the intoxicating
rhythm of the waltz. Elisabeth gave herself up to the enchantment of the music
as she dipped and swayed and swirled. She and Lord Sherbourne moved as one
person and suddenly she felt her very essence melt into his and knew by a quick
glance
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