The Wagered Heart: Signet Regency Romance (InterMix) by Rhonda Woodward Page B

cousin from you. My mother has given permission for a waltz to be played, and I wish to claim my wife’s hand.”
    Caro beamed up at her husband, and Julia again thought that Caro was showing great wisdom in her handling of this difficult situation.
    With deliberate ceremony, Lord Farren led his beautiful wife to the floor. Julia noticed that there were only four other couples with the pluck to join Lord and Lady Farren in performing the daring dance.
    Glancing around at the other guests watching from the edges of the floor, Julia noticed the number of older people looking on disapprovingly.
    Lud, Bath really could be stuffy.
At the assembly balls back home, couples waltzed with nary an eyebrow raised by even the most straitlaced. Undaunted, Caro and Clive took their places as the lilting strains of the waltz began.
    A smile came to Julia’s lips when she saw the older couple she had been admiring all evening performing the steps with smooth grace.
    “What a lovely sight you present, Miss Allard, framed by the flowers and candles—like a goddess in her bower.”
    Julia turned to see Mr. Dillingham standing next to her. Admiring his attractive dimples, she paused to assess her heartbeat, just in case. It would have been nice to fall in love with so amiable a man.
    “You catch me at a loss for words, Mr. Dillingham—so I shall only say thank you for your kind flattery.”
    Placing a hand over his heart, Mr. Dillingham gave her a mock look of pain. “You wound me, Miss Allard, my words are a true expression of my feelings! And you call it mere flattery—I thought it was closer to poetry.”
    “I sincerely apologize, sir, for not properly appreciating your poetry,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes.
    The smile on Mr. Dillingham’s face stilled as his eyes swept over her features.
    “You really are the loveliest young lady I have ever seen.”
    Julia suddenly felt shy at the serious tone in his soft voice, and was at a loss as to how to reply.
    As if he sensed the change in her mood, his voice changed back to a lighter tone as he asked her if she waltzed.
    “Yes, I do.”
    “Mayhap in the future you will honor me with a waltz.”
    Julia smiled but made no response and continued to watch the dancers.
    Though Mr. Dillingham stayed by her side, he said little else.
    This was a familiar scene, Julia thought with a mental sigh. Here they were at the beginning of a perfectly fine conversation, and he had to go and make it awkward by becoming too serious. Why did gentlemen do that? Continuing their banter would have been much more fun. She hoped he was not developing a
tendre
for her. It would be too bad to have to start avoiding him—he was such a good dancer.
    At that moment their hostess approached, and Julia thought her green turban and tight aubergine-colored gown made her look rather like an eggplant.
    “La, Miss Allard, does not my son dance beautifully?”Her high, breathless voice seemed at odds with her plump, matronly figure.
    “Indeed he does, my lady.”
    “Yes, he takes after me. I would have thought that he would partner me for the first waltz—he is usually the most considerate son.”
    Out of sheer loyalty to Caro, Julia could not let this pass and looked down at the matron with a raised brow. “Well, my lady, I think it is most appropriate for Lord Farren to waltz with his new wife,” she stated, trying to keep the edge of anger from her voice.
    The lady’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and she sputtered in her attempt to respond.
    Julia tensed, ready to continue her defense of Caro. Suddenly the dowager’s mouth closed, and her eyes lit up as she espied something over Julia’s shoulder.
    “Bless me! The Duke of Kelbourne has decided to grace my little ball!”
    Julia’s heart sank to her slippers as she whipped her head around to see the duke. He was standing in the frame of the open double doors, gazing around the room with that bored yet somehow assessing expression.
    At his right was