A Gentleman's Justice for NL by Melanie Rachel

Author:Melanie Rachel [Rachel, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Stop Procrastinating_ by Reducing Overthinking_ Laziness and Distractions
Publisher: Microsoft
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The dinner had been a waste. Henry had been seated so far from Lady Grimstone he could barely make out her face in the candlelight. He suffered through the conversations about corn prices and listened to a debate over the new Royal Philharmonic Society, which had held its first concert in the Argyll Rooms in March. Perhaps he would take Georgiana once Lord Bartholomew had been dealt with.

When the musicians began to warm up, Henry stole over to the woman he had hoped to meet this evening.

“Good evening, Lady Grimstone,” he said politely.

“Lord Milton,” she replied.

Henry forged ahead. “I had hoped to speak with you this evening.”

She smiled coolly. “And so you are. Had you anything in particular to say?”

“Before I do, Lady Grimstone, may I request your first dance?” he asked gallantly.

“Oh,” she replied, “I am afraid that dance is already spoken for.”

“The second, then?”

She shook her head. This was only a private dinner and dance—four dances in total.

“Have you any dances at all left available?” he asked, feeling unaccountably annoyed. Surely she must wish to speak with him as much as he did her.

“The third is available, sir.”

He grinned. She was not evading him after all. “The third it is, then.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “Are you always this much in demand, my lady?”

Lady Grimstone met his gaze. Her emotions were all in her eyes if one only knew to watch for them—there was sorrow and regret, but pride, too. “No, my lord,” she said. “I am not. But as there are not many younger women in the party tonight, I shall have my share of amusement.”

“You had some amusement the other night.”

“Oh no, my lord,” she replied. “That was business.” She looked up. “Lord Percy,” she said warmly. “You know Lord Milton?”

Percy nodded. “Good evening, Milton. It is time for our dance, Lady Grimstone.”

Henry sighed as he watched them go. All the titles and proper manners were weighing on him more than usual. Everything so insufferably polite and polished. He longed to toss a little dirt at Percy’s face or spill wine on the tablecloth. And why could people not use their Christian names?

The music began and Henry realized, to his chagrin, that he had not asked any other woman to dance. It was rude, as his mother would no doubt remind him. He spied a woman about the age of Lady Grimstone and apologized for being late to request her hand. As they danced and made increasingly ridiculous conversation, he wondered how scandalized Lady Grimstone would be if he ever called her Rebecca.

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