Dodge.”
“Do you?” The young man smiled. “Who told you that, I wonder?”
She frowned. “Hmm. I cannot recall. I’ve met so many people this evening, ’tis impossible to keep them all straight. Was I misinformed?”
“Henry Dodge and I are…acquainted,” he admitted.
“Have you met his daughter, Miss Theodora?”
“I have had that pleasure.”
“We are having quite a good time this evening. I do not mind telling you that I was reluctant to come to town, but I am finding the entertainments here vastly amusing.”
“I was under the impression that you were a fairly recent arrival. What have you done whilst here, Miss Nevins?”
“Shopping, riding lessons, and walking in Hyde Park, trips to the dressmaker, an excursion to Covent Garden, and a very little sight-seeing. I hope to do more before I return to Sussex.”
“Parliament, Westminster—that sort of thing?” he asked.
She nodded. Sir Edmund was going to be difficult to lead. Perhaps it would be best if she didn’t try.
She could feel herself blushing when his glance snagged on her décolletage. She resisted the temptation to look down to be certain she did not expose more than the dressmaker had intended. There was nothing she could do but endure his attention with good grace and resolve to attend her wardrobe the moment she could.
“I hope I will be seeing you at other events, Miss Nevins. You are not returning to…?”
“Sussex,” she supplied.
He smiled. “ Sussex anytime soon?”
“I cannot say precisely when I shall leave, but I cannot think I’ll be in London more than a fortnight.”
His left eyebrow quirked. “Hmm. Then we shall have to think of some compelling reason for you to stay longer. A fortnight is scarce long enough to find your way, let alone become acquainted.”
“Alas, Sir Edmund. I have responsibilities at home. But Sussex is not far. I shall be returning on occasion.”
He inclined his head with a teasing smile. “I suppose I must learn to be content with that, Miss Nevins. It will tax me, but I shall bear up. I am certain you will make the most of the time you have. May I ask where you are staying during your visit?”
“With my trustee, Mr. Dodge.”
“Ah, of course.”
The dance ended, and Sir Edmund returned her to her group. When he bowed, she was a little sorry to see him go. She rather liked him.
Her next partner was Lord Jonah Devaux, a roguishly good-looking man of twenty-eight or nine, who swept her into a quadrille before she could demure, a spark of amusement lighting his hazel eyes.
“You may commence with your gratitude, Miss Nevins. Feel free to express it in any way you choose.”
“Pardon me?” Emily blinked, wondering if she had missed something.
“For rescuing you from that pack of wolves out there.” He tilted his head to indicate the men milling near the dance floor. “And thus for saving your feet from complete ruination. They’re wretched dancers, every one of them, so you’re much better off with me.”
“Ah!” She hid her smile and gave a regal nod. “Well, then, Lord Devaux, please accept my boundless appreciation.”
“Prithee, do not mention it.”
“I would not have, had you not asked for it.”
He grinned at her in such a boyishly charming way that she laughed. For all his teasing, Lord Devaux appeared to be a gentleman.
“I say, Miss Nevins, that’s a becoming piece of frippery you’ve got on. Shows you to good advantage, if I may say so.”
She laughed at this rough honesty. He and Squire Davis would have gotten along quite well despite their difference in age. “You are the only man who has said so. The others have not mentioned my gown at all.”
He passed her under his arm and made a low bow. “Well, they aren’t blind, so they must be…er, undone when they look. A man hates to be caught at attention, as it were. You bring a man’s blood up, Miss Nevins. Indeed, you do.”
Emily knew she should be shocked. She was certain Theodora
“Do you?” The young man smiled. “Who told you that, I wonder?”
She frowned. “Hmm. I cannot recall. I’ve met so many people this evening, ’tis impossible to keep them all straight. Was I misinformed?”
“Henry Dodge and I are…acquainted,” he admitted.
“Have you met his daughter, Miss Theodora?”
“I have had that pleasure.”
“We are having quite a good time this evening. I do not mind telling you that I was reluctant to come to town, but I am finding the entertainments here vastly amusing.”
“I was under the impression that you were a fairly recent arrival. What have you done whilst here, Miss Nevins?”
“Shopping, riding lessons, and walking in Hyde Park, trips to the dressmaker, an excursion to Covent Garden, and a very little sight-seeing. I hope to do more before I return to Sussex.”
“Parliament, Westminster—that sort of thing?” he asked.
She nodded. Sir Edmund was going to be difficult to lead. Perhaps it would be best if she didn’t try.
She could feel herself blushing when his glance snagged on her décolletage. She resisted the temptation to look down to be certain she did not expose more than the dressmaker had intended. There was nothing she could do but endure his attention with good grace and resolve to attend her wardrobe the moment she could.
“I hope I will be seeing you at other events, Miss Nevins. You are not returning to…?”
“Sussex,” she supplied.
He smiled. “ Sussex anytime soon?”
“I cannot say precisely when I shall leave, but I cannot think I’ll be in London more than a fortnight.”
His left eyebrow quirked. “Hmm. Then we shall have to think of some compelling reason for you to stay longer. A fortnight is scarce long enough to find your way, let alone become acquainted.”
“Alas, Sir Edmund. I have responsibilities at home. But Sussex is not far. I shall be returning on occasion.”
He inclined his head with a teasing smile. “I suppose I must learn to be content with that, Miss Nevins. It will tax me, but I shall bear up. I am certain you will make the most of the time you have. May I ask where you are staying during your visit?”
“With my trustee, Mr. Dodge.”
“Ah, of course.”
The dance ended, and Sir Edmund returned her to her group. When he bowed, she was a little sorry to see him go. She rather liked him.
Her next partner was Lord Jonah Devaux, a roguishly good-looking man of twenty-eight or nine, who swept her into a quadrille before she could demure, a spark of amusement lighting his hazel eyes.
“You may commence with your gratitude, Miss Nevins. Feel free to express it in any way you choose.”
“Pardon me?” Emily blinked, wondering if she had missed something.
“For rescuing you from that pack of wolves out there.” He tilted his head to indicate the men milling near the dance floor. “And thus for saving your feet from complete ruination. They’re wretched dancers, every one of them, so you’re much better off with me.”
“Ah!” She hid her smile and gave a regal nod. “Well, then, Lord Devaux, please accept my boundless appreciation.”
“Prithee, do not mention it.”
“I would not have, had you not asked for it.”
He grinned at her in such a boyishly charming way that she laughed. For all his teasing, Lord Devaux appeared to be a gentleman.
“I say, Miss Nevins, that’s a becoming piece of frippery you’ve got on. Shows you to good advantage, if I may say so.”
She laughed at this rough honesty. He and Squire Davis would have gotten along quite well despite their difference in age. “You are the only man who has said so. The others have not mentioned my gown at all.”
He passed her under his arm and made a low bow. “Well, they aren’t blind, so they must be…er, undone when they look. A man hates to be caught at attention, as it were. You bring a man’s blood up, Miss Nevins. Indeed, you do.”
Emily knew she should be shocked. She was certain Theodora
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