“Gentlemen, good to see you again. Let me introduce my cousin, Miss Sonia Hearst. Miss Hearst, may I present the Earl of Beaufort and the Marquess of Wilmington.”
“It’s an honor,” Sonia said and recalled the curtsy her cousin had taught her in a week-long intensive course on the customs and protocols of the exacting English society.
“I speak for my friend and for myself when I say that the honor is ours, Miss Hearst.” He kissed her hand.
“If I may say so, American women are very beautiful. I have not seen one that is not stunning.”
Sonia accepted the compliment with a friendly smile and looked at the other man who seemed to strip her naked with his eyes.
“Miss Hearst, it is nice to meet you.” He kissed her hand.
He was a handsome man with deep blue eyes that looked coldly at everyone. His aristocratic countenance gave him an arrogant look and his thick-lipped mouth smiled with malice.
“I imagine you are enjoying your stay in London.”
“Oh yes! It is a beautiful place and full of so much history.”
A waltz began at that moment and Sonia was informed that it was her turn to dance with the prince. She walked away from the group looking anxiously at her cousin who made a kind gesture to fill her with confidence.
Horatia stared at her for a moment and then returned to the conversation.
“Lady Exeter, I can only assume that after tonight your house will receive many invitations from people who will want to meet your cousin,” said Lord Beaufort.
“I certainly hope so, Lord Beaufort.”
“She is really charming.”
Horatia looked at him with narrowed eyes. The marquess was a man known for many things, but not for being impressed with any woman, and that simple comment said a lot. She hoped to finish the night successfully, seeing that he asked her cousin to dance.
When Sonia felt her feet aching from so much dancing and only one space remained on her dance card, the marquess approached her.
“Miss Hearst, would you do me the honor of reserving a dance for me?”
Sonia was not surprised to hear him say that, because all night long as she danced, she felt his burning gaze following her everywhere. Sonia desired his invitation to dance, but she had almost lost hope near the end of the night.
“It would be my pleasure, Lord Wilmington,” Sonia wrote his name on her dance card.
“Thank you, but I beg to differ. The pleasure will be all mine.” He smiled and Sonia could see very straight, almost perfect white teeth.
“Lord Wilmington, my daughter and I were wondering where you were,” said a woman with more jewels on her than a treasure chest. She looked at Sonia with disdain and took the Marquess by the arm.
“Lady Dashford allow me to introduce you to Miss. Hearst.”
“Yes, I have already had the pleasure.” In reality, they hadn’t met before. The woman looked her up and down without saying or doing anything else. She kept talking as if Sonia did not exist.
Lord Wilmington stopped suddenly. “I’m sorry Lady Dashford, but I’m talking to Miss Hearst.” He looked annoyed at the woman.
“Do not worry,” Sonia said quickly, “I just saw a good friend.” Sonia curtsied briefly and walked away. She hated the habit of the English of seeing her as an empty-headed upstart who had no more qualities than her dowry as if they did not seek the same.
After a while, the time came for the last dance and Robert would not miss the opportunity to dance with the golden heiress. The evening was not yet over. His friend Lord Beaufort told him of the 300,000 pounds her father offered as a dowry to the man who would marry her, plus a beautiful country house in Somerset, it was something that motivated him. He did not know if it was entirely true, but after arriving from the war and finding that he had no monetary inheritance because his gambler of a father had squandered it all. Robert found himself in the painful need to resort to a marriage of convenience. The creditors arrived at his house to collect continuously, not to mention that the mansion that had once been imposing, was falling to pieces and was in need of repairs. His only alternative was to marry an extremely rich woman to solve all his financial problems within the family. He walked over to her. “Miss, I think we have a dance pending.”
“Of course, Lord Wilmington.” Sonia took the arm he offered, and they headed toward the center of the room where all the couples began to converge. They began to play the first notes of music and Sonia loved how well the dance was going. Robert was a good dancer and Sonia liked that because one of her requirement for a good match for marriage was that the candidate be an excellent dancer. Robert, made her float on the dance floor, to the point that she didn’t care about the other couples. Robert looked at the surrounding people who watched them like eagles and murmured. He marveled at the fact that his dancing companion was so adept, he observed her without speaking, admiring her beauty. He noticed her features. Her huge brown eyes reminded him of the delicious chocolates they sold at the chocolate shop they had recently opened on London Street. Her rosy cheeks gave her an air of innocence, something that her sensual mouth and firm chin belied a little. She had a nice figure, her hips swayed to the beat of the music, arousing a strong sense of desire in him. It was something from which he usually did not suffer for he had always been a man who knew how to control his passions well.
When the dance ended, he thanked her and took her aside. “It was an entertaining dance.”
“Yes, it was,” Sonia said, smiling.
“Would you like
