“My – my dance card,” Selina murmured, as heat poured into her face. “Yes, yes, of course, Lord Barrington. I – ” Fumbling with the ribbon, she finally managed to release it from her wrist and handed it to him, aware of the small smile on his face as she did so. “You will find it quite empty, Lord Barrington, as we have only just arrived.”
“I am sure it will not be so for long,” came the quick reply, as he bent his head to look it over. Knots began to tie themselves in Selina’s stomach as she waited, aware of just how ridiculous she must have sounded to the gentleman. For her first ball of the Season, she was not managing to behave with any sort of poise or elegance. Rather she was making an utter fool of herself.
“The cotillion?” Lord Barrington asked, looking up at her, one eyebrow raised slightly. “Would that suit you, Lady Selina?”
“Yes, of course,” she managed to say, as Lady Hayward looked on. “Thank you, Lord Barrington.”
He smiled at her.
“But of course.” Handing her back the dance card, he bowed low. “And now I should excuse myself. The scotch reel is soon to be upon us and I am to dance with Miss Arbuckle.”
Selina dropped into a curtsey, relief filling her as the gentleman took his leave. Their conversation, for the moment at least, was entirely at an end.
“Lord Barrington is very handsome, is he not?”
A little startled, Selina looked towards Lady Prudence, who was watching the gentleman leave with a soft smile on her face, as though she were deeply invested in the gentleman’s company and was now sorry to have to lose it for a time.
“I am only glad that he came to ask me to dance before the rest of my dances were taken!” She laughed and looked meaningfully towards Selina, who found herself inwardly recoiling. “He has asked me for two dances, in fact. The second is to be within the hour, although I must say I am not certain what to do with his attentions, should they increase, for I have many other gentlemen eager to dance with me.” Again, her eyes pierced Selina’s. “Did he only choose the one dance with you, Lady Selina? That is unfortunate.” A long sigh left her lips and she shook her head, as though Selina lacked something that she herself had but could not impart. “You must try to make a better impression upon gentlemen, Lady Selina, for perhaps then, they might –”
“As Lady Selina has said, my dear, she has only just arrived,” Lady Thurleigh interrupted hastily, in a clear attempt to prevent her daughter from saying anything more. “But yes, of course, Lord Barrington is very handsome and most eligible too, I might add!”
Lady Hayward put a hand on Selina’s arm. “Perhaps a glass of wine or champagne?” she asked, changing the subject entirely. “Or should you like to make your way through the guests so that we might greet those that we are acquainted with?”
Selina, seeing the glint of steel in Lady Hayward’s eye and knowing full well that she was just as displeased with Lady Prudence’s words as Selina was, smiled at her chaperone.
“Might I suggest we do both?” she asked, as Lady Hayward nodded. “As you say, we should greet those that we are acquainted with, given that it is my first outing into society since we returned to London.” With another swift smile, she bobbed a quick curtsy towards Lady Thurleigh and Lady Prudence. “Pray excuse me.”
Lady Thurleigh’s expression was one of distress, perhaps because she was aware that her daughter had been the one to chase Selina away, given what she had said.
“I am sure we will meet again very soon,” Lady Hayward said kindly, as Lady Thurleigh remained silent, her brow furrowing as she shot a hard glance towards her daughter. “Thank you for your conversation, Lady Thurleigh. It has been very good to see you again.” Lady Hayward turned to Lady Prudence, who had gone a little pale, perhaps anticipating the anger that would soon follow from her mother, once Selina had gone. “Good evening, Lady Prudence. I have been glad to make your acquaintance.”
“As have I,” Selina lied, before turning on her heel and beginning to walk away.
Lady Hayward joined her.
“Good gracious!” she exclaimed, the moment they were out of earshot. “I did not think that Lady Prudence would be so rude! To speak with such impropriety is more than a little embarrassing, and I should think that Lady Thurleigh will have sharp words to say to her daughter, once we are gone from their company.” Selina shot a quick glance behind her and saw Lady Thurleigh speaking quickly to her daughter, her shoulders lifted and an anger evident in her expression. Lady Prudence was standing quietly, her head bowed and her shoulders lowered as she accepted her mother’s berating. “Whilst you might believe you need a little more confidence, Lady Selina,” Lady Hayward added, “to be overly so is also a trait that requires… consideration.”
Selina shook her head, letting out a long breath.
“I think Lady Prudence wanted to make certain that I knew just how successful she had been with the gentlemen of the ton,” she said, as Lady Hayward nodded. “I cannot understand why, but –”
“Because you are the daughter of a Duke,” Lady Hayward interrupted, with a small smile. “She is the daughter of an Earl and, whilst that title is not to be ignored, it fades a good deal when placed beside that of a Duke. That is all.”
Frowning, Selina let out a long breath.
“I see.”
“It might well be difficult to gain acquaintances that have not a single ounce of jealousy within their hearts,” Lady Hayward warned. “I am aware that both
