lecture tours especially.”
“I have heard of these lecture tours. And that though tonight you are guests of Lord and Lady Philamont, the ball is one of Miss Bonnet’s so-called lecture tours.”
“Yes, but tonight is a special experience, forLady Penelope is nearly out.” Gemma smiled. “And because I am next eldest. Miss Bonnet is teaching us
everything.”
“Everything?” Sebastian tried to clarify.
“Well, not history or French, or anything so trivial. She is teaching us what is important in life—how to be a lady.”
“And how does one go about being a lady?”
“By learning …” She paused, searching for the right words. “By having others do everything for you.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened. His grandmother was right in her urgent request that he retrieve Gemma from Mrs. Huddleston’s School of Virtues. Only he wasn’t going to inform her of this while standing in a public place. It was clear she greatly admired this Miss Bonnet.
“Gemma, I should like to make Miss Bonnet’s acquaintance. Perhaps I shall visit the school tomorrow morning,” he said, affixing a warm smile to his lips.
“She would like to meet you as well, Lord Sebastian—only she cannot.” Her earlier buoyant expression sank.
“Is that so? How do you know?”
“Because when I informed her that you were here, and I expressed my wish that she know you,she told me that she had no acquaintances in Bath who might introduce you to her—except me, and well, I am not permitted.”
Sebastian straightened and scanned the room for a teaching mistress. “Where is she, Gemma? Perhaps I have an acquaintance who can facilitate a proper introduction.”
Gemma looked dubious. “Do you?”
Sebastian was surprised by her quick question. He glanced about the ballroom, withholding his negative reply until the Master of Ceremonies finished announcing the next set. “Gemma, I—” He held his next words. Because, though he did not see a soul he recognized, there was one person whom he might coax into making an introduction to appease a new duke in want of a dance partner—the Master of Ceremonies. “Actually, I believe there is a gentleman who may be able to assist us. Now, where may I find Miss Bonnet?”
Gemma was beaming with excitement. She placed her hand on his arm and turned him until he was facing the point where he first saw her. “There, in the peacock changeable silk gown. She is beautiful, is she not?”
Dear God.
There was the beguiling woman he’d noticed when he first entered the ballroom.
She is the reprehensible Miss Bonnet?
Her shining hair was dark as jet, her skin as smooth and pale as porcelain. She was beautiful beyond compare, that much was obvious to everyone in the ballroom judging by the numerous glances cast her way. But as he drew closer, what most drew his notice, and nearly robbed him of breath, was her remarkable resemblance to Lady Priscilla Sinclair.
Yes, he had to meet this woman, but he had to arrange the introduction very carefully. “Do allow me a moment longer, Gemma. I must fetch my acquaintance.” She nodded and started back toward Miss Bonnet. “Gemma—”
She came back to him. “Yes, Lord Sebastian?”
“Please do not mention the introduction just yet.”
He shot her a sheepish grin. “I should like to request that she dance with me, and I do not want to lend her any time to fashion an elegant refusal.”
“Very well.” Gemma laughed softly, then turned and made her careful, studied promenade back to Miss Bonnet.
Chapter 8
Natural amiableness is too often seen in company with sloth, uselessness, with the vanity of the fashionable.
William Ellery Channing
S iusan’s gaze threaded through the crowd. Drat it all, the only gentleman with any potential, Miss Gentree’s new guardian, had disappeared into the mingling masses. Odd that she hadn’t known the girl was a ward, but now that she considered it, she realized that she had never asked her or any of the girls,
“I have heard of these lecture tours. And that though tonight you are guests of Lord and Lady Philamont, the ball is one of Miss Bonnet’s so-called lecture tours.”
“Yes, but tonight is a special experience, forLady Penelope is nearly out.” Gemma smiled. “And because I am next eldest. Miss Bonnet is teaching us
everything.”
“Everything?” Sebastian tried to clarify.
“Well, not history or French, or anything so trivial. She is teaching us what is important in life—how to be a lady.”
“And how does one go about being a lady?”
“By learning …” She paused, searching for the right words. “By having others do everything for you.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened. His grandmother was right in her urgent request that he retrieve Gemma from Mrs. Huddleston’s School of Virtues. Only he wasn’t going to inform her of this while standing in a public place. It was clear she greatly admired this Miss Bonnet.
“Gemma, I should like to make Miss Bonnet’s acquaintance. Perhaps I shall visit the school tomorrow morning,” he said, affixing a warm smile to his lips.
“She would like to meet you as well, Lord Sebastian—only she cannot.” Her earlier buoyant expression sank.
“Is that so? How do you know?”
“Because when I informed her that you were here, and I expressed my wish that she know you,she told me that she had no acquaintances in Bath who might introduce you to her—except me, and well, I am not permitted.”
Sebastian straightened and scanned the room for a teaching mistress. “Where is she, Gemma? Perhaps I have an acquaintance who can facilitate a proper introduction.”
Gemma looked dubious. “Do you?”
Sebastian was surprised by her quick question. He glanced about the ballroom, withholding his negative reply until the Master of Ceremonies finished announcing the next set. “Gemma, I—” He held his next words. Because, though he did not see a soul he recognized, there was one person whom he might coax into making an introduction to appease a new duke in want of a dance partner—the Master of Ceremonies. “Actually, I believe there is a gentleman who may be able to assist us. Now, where may I find Miss Bonnet?”
Gemma was beaming with excitement. She placed her hand on his arm and turned him until he was facing the point where he first saw her. “There, in the peacock changeable silk gown. She is beautiful, is she not?”
Dear God.
There was the beguiling woman he’d noticed when he first entered the ballroom.
She is the reprehensible Miss Bonnet?
Her shining hair was dark as jet, her skin as smooth and pale as porcelain. She was beautiful beyond compare, that much was obvious to everyone in the ballroom judging by the numerous glances cast her way. But as he drew closer, what most drew his notice, and nearly robbed him of breath, was her remarkable resemblance to Lady Priscilla Sinclair.
Yes, he had to meet this woman, but he had to arrange the introduction very carefully. “Do allow me a moment longer, Gemma. I must fetch my acquaintance.” She nodded and started back toward Miss Bonnet. “Gemma—”
She came back to him. “Yes, Lord Sebastian?”
“Please do not mention the introduction just yet.”
He shot her a sheepish grin. “I should like to request that she dance with me, and I do not want to lend her any time to fashion an elegant refusal.”
“Very well.” Gemma laughed softly, then turned and made her careful, studied promenade back to Miss Bonnet.
Chapter 8
Natural amiableness is too often seen in company with sloth, uselessness, with the vanity of the fashionable.
William Ellery Channing
S iusan’s gaze threaded through the crowd. Drat it all, the only gentleman with any potential, Miss Gentree’s new guardian, had disappeared into the mingling masses. Odd that she hadn’t known the girl was a ward, but now that she considered it, she realized that she had never asked her or any of the girls,
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