Holiday in Bath by Laura Matthews

Author:Laura Matthews [Matthews, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Regency romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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Her daughter, at that very moment, was attempting to follow Cranford’s lead as Lady Jane played for them, but the waltz, so different from the dances she had previously learned, was incomprehensible to her, and Cranford’s hand at her waist was disturbing. Lady Jane paused for a moment when Cranford exasperatedly said, “You are paying no attention to the music, Trelenny."

Although it seemed unlikely, a thought occurred to Lady Jane. “Have you never seen the waltz danced, Miss Storwood?”

Trelenny bit her lip. “No, ma’am.”

“Well, Cranford, how can you expect her to understand if she doesn’t know what she is about?” Lady Jane asked with laugh. “We will show you, my dear. Come, you shall play for us.”

“I don’t play at all well,” Trelenny admitted softly.

“No matter. I can hum.” She rose from the pianoforte bench and smiled at Cranford. “It’s a pity we can’t show Miss Storwood how wretched we were in those early days. Do you know, I remember your tripping me twice in one morning so that I not only landed on the floor but had to have my dress rehemmed.”

“You’re thinking of someone else,” he protested, his eyes twinkling, as he encircled her with his arm. “I’m sure I don’t recall ever doing such an ungracious thing as tripping a lovely lady.”

She broke the rhythm of her humming to say, “You did though. I wrote it in my journal, and had a bruise on my hip for a week to remember you by. And Mr. Bodford was no better with Nancy; she had a sprained ankle for close on a month.”

Forgotten, Trelenny stood beside the pianoforte and watched the couple whirl about the floor, gracefully gliding to Lady Jane’s faint hum. They made a handsome pair, the lady’s height dwindling beside her even taller partner, her lively eyes and quick smile bringing forth an answering response from him. Cranford is very attractive when he’s enjoying himself, Trelenny thought mournfully as she toyed with the ribbon on her dress, untying the bow with her unthinking fingers.

When they stopped before her, Lady Jane lifted a quizzical brow. “Does that help you get a feeling for the waltz, Miss Storwood?”

“Yes, thank you. I did not realize one moved about so. Don’t you bump into other couples?”

“Only if your partner is careless.” Lady Jane reseated herself on the bench. “You won’t have that difficulty with Cranford.”

Trelenny had given him her hand in preparation for another attempt at the dance, but he noticed the untied ribbon and, with deft fingers, he secured it in a bow, making her feel a child before the friendly eyes of Lady Jane. “You could have called it to my attention,” she informed him in a fierce whisper. “I’m not a child in need of being—” Her face suffused with a painful flush and she turned from him.

“Lady Jane is waiting,” he told her back in a neutral tone.

It required every ounce of her resolve to face him and allow him to take her in his arms.

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