list.
The Marquess of Huntly was her next partner. “Tell me, Miss Winterton, do you enjoy the amenities of London?”
“I do indeed, my lord,” Sophie replied. The marquess was Lord Percy’s elder brother and, despite his bluff appearance and a tendency to stoutness, was unquestionably eligible.
“I’ve heard that you ride in the Park. Mayhap we’ll meet one fine morning.”
“Perhaps,” Sophie returned, her smile noncommittal.
As they left the floor, Sophie decided the marquess could remain on her list for the present. Perhaps a meeting in the Park, with her younger cousins in tow, would be useful? She was pondering the point when a deep voice cut across her thoughts.
“I believe our waltz is next, Miss Winterton.” Jack nodded to the marquess. “Huntly.”
“Lester.” The marquess returned his nod. “Seen Percy about?”
“He was chatting with Harrison earlier in the evening.”
“Suppose I should go and have a word with him. M’brother, you know,” the marquess confided to Sophie. “M’father’s been at death’s door-should see how he is. If you’ll excuse me, m’dear?”
Even as she stared at Lord Huntly’s retreating back, Sophie’s mental pencil was scrubbing out his name. Such callousness was appalling.
Seeing her shocked expression, Jack abruptly shut his lips on the explanation he had been about to make. He did not consider Huntly a rival-but why make a whip for his own back? Appropriating Sophie’s hand, he laid it on his sleeve. “Perhaps we could stroll about the room until the waltz commences?”
Sophie blinked, then frowned. “I really should return to my aunt.”
His own frown hidden behind an urbane smile, Jack inclined his head and dutifully led her to where her court was waiting.
An unwise move. He was not impressed by the small crowd of eligibles who apparently could find nothing better to do at the first major ball of the Season than congregate about his Sophie. His temper was not improved by having to listen to them vie to heap accolades upon their compliments. For their part, they ignored him, secure in the knowledge that Sophie’s expectations were insufficient to permit him to woo her. The thought made Jack smile inwardly. The smile turned to a suppressed growl when he heard Sophie say, “I do indeed enjoy the opera, Lord Annerby.”
She then smiled serenely at his lordship.
“I’ll be sure to let you know when the season begins, my dear Miss Winterton.” Lord Annerby all but gloated.
Jack gritted his teeth. He had avoided the opera for years-a fact that owed nothing to the performances but rather more to those performing. To his immense relief, the strains of the waltz heralded his salvation. “Miss Winterton?”
Surprised, Sophie blinked up at him even as she put her hand in his. His fingers closed tightly about hers. His words had sounded like a command. An inkling of a difficulty she had not previously considered awoke in Sophie’s brain.
Without further speech, Jack led Sophie to the door, drawing her into his arms with an arrogance that bespoke his mind far too well. He knew it, but did not care. The relief as she settled into his arms was balm to his lacerated feelings.
As they joined the swirling crowd on the floor, Jack considered closing his eyes. He would wager he could waltz round any ballroom blindfolded, so accustomed was he to the exercise. And with his eyes closed, his senses would be free to concentrate solely on Sophie-on the soft warmth of her, on how well she fitted in his arms, on the subtle caress of her silk-encased thighs against his.
Stifling a sigh, he kept his eyes open.
“Are you enjoying the ball, Mr. Lester?”
Sophie’s calm and rather distant comment drew Jack’s eyes from contemplation of her curls. He considered her question, simultaneously considering her invitingly full lips. “I’m enjoying this waltz,” he replied.
Raising his eyes to hers, Jack watched a frown form in the sky-blue orbs. Puzzled, he continued, “But when are you going to call me Jack? I’ve been calling you Sophie for weeks.”
He had never before seen a lady blush and frown simultaneously.
“I know,” Sophie admitted, forcing herself to throw him a disapproving glance. “And you know you should not. It’s not at all acceptable.”
Jack simply smiled.
Sophie shot him an exasperated glance, then transferred her gaze to the safe space above his shoulder. As always, being in his arms had a distinctly unnerving affect on her. A fluttery, shivery awareness had her in its grip; breathless excitement threatened her wits. His strength reached out and enfolded her, seductively beckoning, enticing her mind to dwell on prospects she could not even dream of without blushing.
She blushed now, and was thankful to hear the closing bars of the waltz.
Jack saw her blush but was far too wise to comment. Instead, he smoothly escorted her into supper, adroitly snaffling a plate of delicacies and managing to install plate, glasses of champagne and Sophie at a small table tucked away near the conservatory.
He had reckoned without her court. They came swarming about, sipping champagne and, to Jack’s mind, making thorough nuisances of themselves. He bore it stoically, repeatedly reminding himself that Lucilla would not consider the first major ball of the Season a suitable venue for him to declare his intentions. When the light meal was over, he insisted on escorting Sophie all the way back to her aunt’s side.
The look he bent on Lucilla made her hide a grin.
With Sophie and Clarissa both claimed for the next dance, Lucilla turned her large eyes on Jack. “I must say, Mr. Lester, that you’re doing a very good job on Ned.”
Somewhat stiffly, Jack inclined his head. “I’m glad the transformation meets with your approval, ma’am.”
“Indeed. I’m most grateful.
Seeing Lady Entwhistle fast approaching, clearly intent on having a word in Lucilla’s ear, Jack bowed briefly and drifted into the crowd. As he passed the dancers, he heard a silvery laugh. Glancing up, he saw Sophie, smiling brightly up at Lord Ainsley, a handsome and very rich peer.
Muting his growl, Jack swung into an alcove. What numbskull had invented the practice of wooing? Lucilla’s comment, which he felt confident in interpreting as open encouragement, was welcome enough. However, the last thing his passions needed right now was further encouragement, particularly when the object of said passions was behaving in a manner designed to enflame them.
Suppressing his curses, he set himself to endure. He could have left, but the night was yet young. Besides, he was not sufficiently sure of Ned to leave his protege unsupported. At the thought, Jack drew his gaze from Sophie’s bright curls and scanned the dancers for Clarissa.
Predictably, Sophie’s cousin was smiling up at an elegant youth as she went down the floor in the dance. Jack silently harrumphed, then switched his gaze back to Sophie. Clarissa was clearly absorbed with her partner.
In so thinking, Jack erred.
Although Clarissa smiled and nodded at Mr. Pommeroy’s stilted conversation, her attention was far removed from that blameless young gentleman. From the corner of her eye, she could see Ned dancing with Miss Ellis in the next set. The sight filled Clarissa with a sort of quiet fury she had never before experienced. Regardless of its import, it was quite clearly time to refocus Ned’s attention on that which had brought him to town.
Her eyes narrowing, Clarissa herself refocused-on Mr. Pommeroy. She grimaced. Startled, Mr. Pommeroy stumbled and almost fell. Guiltily, for she had not meant to grimace openly, Clarissa applied herself to soothing her partner’s ruffled feathers while looking about her for inspiration.
Her court, unfortunately, had little to offer. They were so young; not even in her wildest dreams could she cast them in the role she was rapidly becoming convinced she needed filled. Back amongst them, responding to their quips with but half her mind, Clarissa grimly watched as Ned joined the crowd about two sisters also making their come-out this year. Inwardly sniffing, Clarissa shifted her gaze-and saw Toby coming towards her, a positive Adonis in tow.
“Ah, Clarissa?” Toby came to an uncertain halt before his sister. “Might I make known to you Captain Gurnard? He’s with the Guards.” Toby was unsure how his sister would react, but the captain had been keen to gain a
