difficult steps, n'est pas? Messieurs?"
Gerald started backing towards the door through which they had come, his agitated stammer producing stream upon stream of apologies, but William quickly cut off his retreat.
"Where do you think you're going, you young jackanapes?" While the ladies gazed on in amused silence, he held on to the back of Gerald's collar, making escape virtually impossible.
"For God's sake, Will! You don't expect me to dance, do you?" Gerald whispered fiercely. "I wouldn't know how to take the first step."
"You do not need to know how. That is the most remarkable thing about dancing lessons. The dancing master teaches you the steps."
"Aw, Will, you know what I mean. I'll make an ass of myself."
"No, you won't. Any sprig who can learn to drive and box and fence with the best of them, can learn a few paltry dance steps."
"I am sure Gerald will do excellently." Mattie came forward to intervene. "But I would hate to coerce him into anything he would find repugnant."
"Gerald finds anything of a civilized nature to be repugnant," William replied. "However, if you would not object to our intrusion, this would be a prime opportunity to slap some polish on this barbarian."
Mattie laughed and took Gerald's arm, saying in a coaxing voice, "How could I object? We have all been learning, you see, for my own skills are very rusty indeed, and they are only now coming back to me. I promise to help you as we go along."
"Thank you, Mattie," William said, handing over his captive.
He smiled at her and saw her cheeks turn rosy under his regard. Her self-conscious response raised a heat deep inside him, which made it difficult to tear his eyes away. He turned towards Pamela and offered her his arm.
Now that there were two couples, he and Pamela could square off against the other two for the country dance, letting their imaginations and the intervening beats in the music fill in for the two missing sides. As the most practiced dancer in the group, William could perform his part without thinking and could spend his time observing the others.
His own partner could not converse when all her attention was needed to govern her feet. Lady Pamela danced with her gaze fixed solidly on the floor in front of her, so that William was at leisure to peer at the other two.
He had to keep himself from laughing at the dejected air of his brother, who seemed to find dancing more difficult than all his considerable athletic pursuits put together. William would never have believed that his graceful Gerald could look so clumsy if he had not witnessed the scene himself.
Mattie, on the other hand, looked like the duchess she was in a flowing skirt that swirled when she walked, with her piquant little chin held high in the air. She danced as if the music flowed through her veins. Her happy expression as she turned and curtsied told William all he needed to know.
He had to be careful not to stare at her, so he turned his eyes back to his partner and politely kept them there until it was his and Mattie's turn to execute a step together. When they did, and took a turn about the centre of the square, his gaze found hers for one electric moment. The beat in his throat grew more rapid as she turned away in confusion. The feel of her fingertips in his— for neither wore gloves— set a current pulsing through his veins.
When that country dance was over, Monsieur Le Gros clapped his hands together.
"That was far more better, messieurs et mesdames. Messieurs, I cannot thank you enough."
"It was our pleasure," William responded. Then, before he and Gerald could be dismissed, he added, "But the ladies surely must learn more. While we are here, perhaps it would be wise to practice the basic steps of a Sir Roger de Coverley, for that cannot be danced without couples to exchange."
Monsieur Le Gros became his ally, taking him up on his offer despite Gerald's frown. The couples arranged themselves with Gerald at William's left and the ladies facing
Gerald started backing towards the door through which they had come, his agitated stammer producing stream upon stream of apologies, but William quickly cut off his retreat.
"Where do you think you're going, you young jackanapes?" While the ladies gazed on in amused silence, he held on to the back of Gerald's collar, making escape virtually impossible.
"For God's sake, Will! You don't expect me to dance, do you?" Gerald whispered fiercely. "I wouldn't know how to take the first step."
"You do not need to know how. That is the most remarkable thing about dancing lessons. The dancing master teaches you the steps."
"Aw, Will, you know what I mean. I'll make an ass of myself."
"No, you won't. Any sprig who can learn to drive and box and fence with the best of them, can learn a few paltry dance steps."
"I am sure Gerald will do excellently." Mattie came forward to intervene. "But I would hate to coerce him into anything he would find repugnant."
"Gerald finds anything of a civilized nature to be repugnant," William replied. "However, if you would not object to our intrusion, this would be a prime opportunity to slap some polish on this barbarian."
Mattie laughed and took Gerald's arm, saying in a coaxing voice, "How could I object? We have all been learning, you see, for my own skills are very rusty indeed, and they are only now coming back to me. I promise to help you as we go along."
"Thank you, Mattie," William said, handing over his captive.
He smiled at her and saw her cheeks turn rosy under his regard. Her self-conscious response raised a heat deep inside him, which made it difficult to tear his eyes away. He turned towards Pamela and offered her his arm.
Now that there were two couples, he and Pamela could square off against the other two for the country dance, letting their imaginations and the intervening beats in the music fill in for the two missing sides. As the most practiced dancer in the group, William could perform his part without thinking and could spend his time observing the others.
His own partner could not converse when all her attention was needed to govern her feet. Lady Pamela danced with her gaze fixed solidly on the floor in front of her, so that William was at leisure to peer at the other two.
He had to keep himself from laughing at the dejected air of his brother, who seemed to find dancing more difficult than all his considerable athletic pursuits put together. William would never have believed that his graceful Gerald could look so clumsy if he had not witnessed the scene himself.
Mattie, on the other hand, looked like the duchess she was in a flowing skirt that swirled when she walked, with her piquant little chin held high in the air. She danced as if the music flowed through her veins. Her happy expression as she turned and curtsied told William all he needed to know.
He had to be careful not to stare at her, so he turned his eyes back to his partner and politely kept them there until it was his and Mattie's turn to execute a step together. When they did, and took a turn about the centre of the square, his gaze found hers for one electric moment. The beat in his throat grew more rapid as she turned away in confusion. The feel of her fingertips in his— for neither wore gloves— set a current pulsing through his veins.
When that country dance was over, Monsieur Le Gros clapped his hands together.
"That was far more better, messieurs et mesdames. Messieurs, I cannot thank you enough."
"It was our pleasure," William responded. Then, before he and Gerald could be dismissed, he added, "But the ladies surely must learn more. While we are here, perhaps it would be wise to practice the basic steps of a Sir Roger de Coverley, for that cannot be danced without couples to exchange."
Monsieur Le Gros became his ally, taking him up on his offer despite Gerald's frown. The couples arranged themselves with Gerald at William's left and the ladies facing
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