It took him hours to finally calm down. So she did have another man she cared for. A doctor, of course, he sneered to himself. Well, perhaps he should give himself a few marks, as he had her moaning to him last night, not some other Yankee off to heaven knows where. He’d be pacing, to work off his anger but with his foot so injured, and him wanting to dance tonight, he contained himself to a few strides.
He passed the hallway looking glass. A glance at himself brought him to a complete halt. He was too thin, walking crooked with the cane, hair way too long and a shadow on his face from the whiskers. Hardly ballroom material. He snarled.
“James!”
Chapter 27
“This will, in all probability, compel him to try and throw himself between us and Richmond, and in such a movement, I hope to be able to attack him in a more open country, and outside of his breastworks.”
—General US Grant in regard to General Lee
Battle of the Wilderness, May 7, 1865
Ada tried to keep from shifting on her feet, but her blood raced and she needed to do something other than just stand. The rustling of her new silk dress drowned her hearing, or so she chose to believe, instead of the racing of her heart.
“You look beautiful,” Francois whispered in her ear.
She tried to grin, but the pressure on her was building. Trying to wiggle inside the corset, which was impossible to do as laced as it was for this outfit, she replied, “Thank you.”
He chuckled softly. “It’s a lovely gown, not a prison. Relax, let the beauty just flow through you.”
She raised a brow. The man next to her was very dapper. His long dark hair looked so neat, pomaded back for the dressy event. He was clean-shaven, wearing a white shirt, dark blue silk waistcoat that matched his sapphire eyes, with black woolen frock coat and trousers. How stunning he looked, all cleaned up and dressed well. She’d witnessed him the reverse, with blood stains and a starved look in his eyes. To see him now nearly knocked her off her heels. Of course, where he got the outfit she was afraid to ask. Will dressed nice when needed, but none of these pieces matched any she’d seen on him.
Flattening her skirt, she returned his smile. “Thank you. Again. For the compliment and the dress.”
“A lady as talented and pretty as you are, deserves a little pampering.” He winked.
She rolled her bottom lip inward—another nervous response of hers—trying not to give another look at the devil in disguise next to her. “So you have your wish and we are here. Now, may we depart?”
He laughed. “My lady, the ball has barely begun. Unless you are unwell, we have no excuse to politely excuse ourselves. I think you need to relax, feel the music the quartet is playing, and dance. Time will fly faster that way.”
He was right. She rarely swore, but right now, the cussword dangled perilously close to being heard. Pasting a smile on her face, she forcibly unclenched the hand that clutched her fan as if it was a life raft.
“You are correct. We shall stay.” She bit back a chuckle. “You did survive the crowd last night. I can do the same here.”
He gave her a beaming smile. “I take it you’ve been amiss of social affairs lately.”
“Yes, well, I have had duties at the front.”
“For the whole war?”
She looked away from him, counting back to the night before Richard left and the impact it had had on her, one that found her at Dragon Dix’s office the next day…
“Nurses don’t have time for frivolities and such.”
He frowned for a second but when the string quartet stuck up the music, he held out his hand. “Shall we dance?”
She gave him her hand and he dragged her out onto the dance floor. He spun her in front of him and it was then she saw he’d left the cane near the chair.
“No cane?”
He shook his head, just in time for her to curtsey before him and him to bow in return. Offering his hand, he held her tightly as he turned them to stand behind the next couple. The opening dance was a parade of sorts, couples that would swirl in lines around the room, weaving through everyone so everyone could see who was there and what they wore. It was a gossiper’s dream and a lady’s nightmare, worrying what if her hair was amiss, her dress lacking style or her escort failing? She had none of these issues, except for her feeling overwhelmed. Thankfully, the rebel seemed to know the protocol more than her, and took charge, for which she’d have to remember to thank him later.
She had to admit, the scene before her was breathtaking. All the bright colored silks, ranging from gold to pink to blue and white, decorated in ruffles, ribbons and silk flowers, mixed with the laughter of the ladies wearing the concoctions, with their gloved hands resting on their partner’s hand. Men wore black, blue, greens and browns with colorful waistcoats, well-cut frock coats and hair slicked back. The candlelight from the sconces and candelabra danced off them all and the scent of the lilacs and lilies with the evergreens made it all wonderful.
“Doctor, perhaps you might close those pretty little lips,” her partner whispered in her ear.
Instantly, she realized her jaw had dropped open so she quickly shut her lips, her cheeks heated. “I apologize. It has been a spell since I’ve seen such, such…”
“Elegance? Yes, compared to what we’ve both seen, it is quite a contrast.” He squeezed her fingers that draped over the edge of his palm. “More the reason for us to stay.”
All she could do was nod. “You must think me ill-couth for making such a scene.”
Now, he chuckled as they bent the corner as the line snaked through the
