cool lemonade for the hall was hot. As I watched, Lina flicked her fan open, fanning herself with it while watching the scene before her. Verity arrived looking as lovely and serene as ever in a beige silk gown adorned here and there with silver sequins which sparkled in the light of the candles as she walked gracefully towards us. I was sipping the lemonade when the orchestra struck up to the strains of the Strauss Waltz. Gentlemen were bowing before ladies and leading them to the floor and they did indeed bow and curtsey. Within seconds there was a young man of pleasing appearance with blond hair bowing before Lina who gracefully accepted his polite request for a dance. I watched them as they glided around the floor wondering what they were speaking of when Richard stood before me and my heart lurched, whether it was with pleasure or dismay I honestly could not say. Richard bowed before me.
“May I have the honour of this dance, please, Miss Trent?” he said graciously as I rose from my seat and let him lead me across to the dance floor. Richard gave a slight bow and I a small curtsey as he looked down on me and then his hand was on mine and his other hand resting a little too tightly on my waist.
“I could wait no longer to hold you in my arms, Charlotte,” he whispered as we whirled around the floor. Richard expertly avoiding other dancers. His words in one way surprised me after his curtness the other day and I did not quite feel the pleasure at them as I would have done a week ago. My dancing partner said no more but his hand on my waist was firmer as the dance went on and I was quite relieved when the music stopped and he led me back to my seat.
Lina was dancing all evening. She must have been exhausted and, at one time between dancing, she said with bright eyes, “that young man I have just danced with is called Brett and he is heir to the Malverton Estate in North Devon. He has asked that he may call on me. Isn’t it exciting, Charlotte?” She was whisked away to dance again. I danced intermittently with young gentlemen and more elderly ones. I was beginning to feel tired and while eating a canapé and small sandwiches, I looked up to see Jonathon standing before me. I had never seen him dressed in black before, his fair wavy hair swept back off his face, his white gloved hand reaching out to me.
“Will you bestow on me the honour of this next dance, please Miss Trent?” as he bowed slowly before me, his eyes never leaving my face.
“With pleasure, Mr Moore,” I replied, trembling with anticipation I let him lead me to the floor as the orchestra struck up another waltz. Jonathon bowed and I gave a perfect curtsey in return and then his hand held mine while he gently held my waist. As we glided around the floor he never took his eyes off my face and I could feel the soft green muslin of my skirt, flowing as one with me.
“You look enchanting, Miss Trent and at this moment in time, I am the luckiest man in the ballroom,” he whispered and I felt my cheeks go hot, praying he could not see it.
“Thank you, kind sir,” I replied just as the music stopped to my disappointment. Jonathon bowed and led me back to my chair. He walked away and then I saw him glance back at me; our eyes met and for a brief second we were locked together. I sipped at my lemonade and, with a flourish of my wrist, opened my fan for the first time to cool my hot cheeks.
The evening was a success for Lina as she had a suitor to call upon her the next week at Middlepark. As we stood in the entrance hall, awaiting our carriage to pull up at the front of the Hall, I saw Jonathon and Richard standing not far apart from each other. Nonchalantly, I looked from one to the other and I honestly could not say quite where my heart lay, but I was soon to find out.
Chapter Nine
We arrived back at Middlepark at seven o’clock in the morning. Richard bade us goodnight, kissing Lina on the cheek, before we made our way up the stairs.
“May I have the honour of this dance, please, Miss Trent?” he said graciously as I rose from my seat and let him lead me across to the dance floor. Richard gave a slight bow and I a small curtsey as he looked down on me and then his hand was on mine and his other hand resting a little too tightly on my waist.
“I could wait no longer to hold you in my arms, Charlotte,” he whispered as we whirled around the floor. Richard expertly avoiding other dancers. His words in one way surprised me after his curtness the other day and I did not quite feel the pleasure at them as I would have done a week ago. My dancing partner said no more but his hand on my waist was firmer as the dance went on and I was quite relieved when the music stopped and he led me back to my seat.
Lina was dancing all evening. She must have been exhausted and, at one time between dancing, she said with bright eyes, “that young man I have just danced with is called Brett and he is heir to the Malverton Estate in North Devon. He has asked that he may call on me. Isn’t it exciting, Charlotte?” She was whisked away to dance again. I danced intermittently with young gentlemen and more elderly ones. I was beginning to feel tired and while eating a canapé and small sandwiches, I looked up to see Jonathon standing before me. I had never seen him dressed in black before, his fair wavy hair swept back off his face, his white gloved hand reaching out to me.
“Will you bestow on me the honour of this next dance, please Miss Trent?” as he bowed slowly before me, his eyes never leaving my face.
“With pleasure, Mr Moore,” I replied, trembling with anticipation I let him lead me to the floor as the orchestra struck up another waltz. Jonathon bowed and I gave a perfect curtsey in return and then his hand held mine while he gently held my waist. As we glided around the floor he never took his eyes off my face and I could feel the soft green muslin of my skirt, flowing as one with me.
“You look enchanting, Miss Trent and at this moment in time, I am the luckiest man in the ballroom,” he whispered and I felt my cheeks go hot, praying he could not see it.
“Thank you, kind sir,” I replied just as the music stopped to my disappointment. Jonathon bowed and led me back to my chair. He walked away and then I saw him glance back at me; our eyes met and for a brief second we were locked together. I sipped at my lemonade and, with a flourish of my wrist, opened my fan for the first time to cool my hot cheeks.
The evening was a success for Lina as she had a suitor to call upon her the next week at Middlepark. As we stood in the entrance hall, awaiting our carriage to pull up at the front of the Hall, I saw Jonathon and Richard standing not far apart from each other. Nonchalantly, I looked from one to the other and I honestly could not say quite where my heart lay, but I was soon to find out.
Chapter Nine
We arrived back at Middlepark at seven o’clock in the morning. Richard bade us goodnight, kissing Lina on the cheek, before we made our way up the stairs.
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