Luke Chadwick stood beside his mother , watching over the ballroom with sharp eyes.He had been here for over an hour.He had danced the obligatory dances and made small talk with a few high titles in the room.Now ,he just felt stifling hot - and bored.His mother and the duchess of Winchester sat together drinking Sherry and talking .He pressed down the urge to loosen his cravat.It wouldn't do to fidget.Great men never fidgeted.He watched Miss Rogers , the Duke of Winchester's daughter laugh and flirt lightly with the men surrounding her.It was her second season.He'd have married her last year but she had come down with a bad flu just when he was going to propose and she had had to go to the country and recuperate.She was young and healthy, beautiful, from good bloodlines, a proper lady .She'd bear him children and manage his vast households and their mothers were best of friends.She was in fact perfect.
She glanced over at him and blushed.Her lashes lowering.She looked away.
Catherine wasn't a fool.In fact the whole ton was buzzing with the news.Chadwick was besotted with Miss Rogers.Besotted was taking it a bit far.Luke could never be besotted with anybody.He was too smart for that.
The strains of the next waltz began.He excused himself from his mother's side and crossed over to where Miss Rogers stood.The younger men around her scattered away.Perfect.He took her hand "I believe this is my dance"
Missy watched the ballroom and hid her third yawn behind her fan.Her sisters were tittering and giggling at one corner .Henry was paying attendance to Elizabeth Darren , hanging on her every word.Jesus Christ he looked besotted , could he make it any more obvious.Missy decided she'd give him lessons on discreet flirting .What gritted on her nerve was how the whole room seemed to radiate out of the couple dancing in the centre.
She rolled her eyes at them.Duke of Chadwick and daughter of the Duke of Winchester.Could society matches be any more predictable and selfish than that? She got a huge title , he got a perfect simpering miss and mother to his children and her large dowry.
What she really wanted to do was explore but the countess was watching her with target sharp eyes.The weather was stiffling.The noise and music was hurting her ears and her slipper and corset was too tight .Plus she got tired of being whispered about .
What's she doing here? She wondered too
Isn't she an old maid? Not as old as your mother but sure, an old maid .
The countess eyes turned away , she disappeared from the room .She raced to the back gardens and kicked off her shoes and breathed a sigh of relief.She wished she could undo this bloody corset.Was Eunice trying to kill her? Her small waist already looked non existent.She flopped down on a stone bench .
"hello there"
She jumped to her feet , startled.A man came out of the shadows.Drat , she hadn't seen him.The man was tall and broad shouldered.His eyes were like polished silver underneath dark blonde brows and a lighter blonde head full of hair.He wore a gold stitched waist coat and navy jacket.Fawn colored breeches and well polished top boots.
"like what you see?"he asked his mouth curving up in amusement.
She rolled her eyes and flopped back to the chair "what are you doing here?"
"same thing you are .Escaping"
"please go away"
"scared for your reputation?"
"No.I'm not in the mood for conversation"
"I was here first so it's you who would have to leave"
She reached for her shoes "Don't go.We can both stay here and not talk"
"Don't you have girls to dance with inside or flirt with?"she asked
"I could ask the same of you"
"nobody would come near me with a twelve inch pole"she grinned
"why not?"
"you don't know who I am?"she asked wide eyed .
"I'm new in town"he said eyes squinted and studying her closely"and I'm not one for gossip"
"Ah.well then I feel it's my duty to give you all the dirty details"
"or we could just talk about something else and I'd decide if I like you instead of judging you for your -er- adventures"
"sit down -"
"Jonathan Belmont"he supplied
She gasped "you! I've heard your name more times than I've heard mine"
"what have you heard?"
"Rake, flirt , wealthy , unconventional"
He laughed "that pretty much sums it up.I've never seen hair like yours.Is it real?"
She fingered the escaping curls "no.I bought it at the flea market.Do you think I should ask for a refund?"she slanted him a grin .
"ah.a woman who knows what humor is.A woman after my own heart"
"so what brings the great Jonathan Belmont out here in the cold , starry night when he has a ball room to conquer"
"the usual.Boredom.Same music , same watered down drinks , same giggling misses , same old everything"
"You don't know the half of it .Women have it worse.But by this time next year I will be in the Graford country side doing as I please.It's my last chance at a season.I can't wait to get it done with"
"what's your name?"
"thought you'd never ask .Missandrei Fensworth"
He thought for a moment "Don't tell me you are related to those three in there"
"you know my sisters, how grand"she uttered
"You look nothing like those girls"
"I got the hair from my mother's mother.She was just like me or so everybody says"
"and how are you?"
"a bit too problematic to ever be a society lady.I can out shoot you with a bow .I might probably be able to out ride you and I'm great at cheating at cards"
He smiled "I like you Missandrei"
"Missy"
"Can I apply for the role of your friend?"
"Hm.why?"
"Because I like you"
"what qualifications do you have?"she asked
He tapped his finger against his jaw in thought "I'm a good rider ,I might be terrible with a bow but im a crack shot.I'll never try to kiss you-"
"how do you know I don't want to be kissed?"
"do you?"
"God no"
He chuckled "And I'm very adventurous"
"you are hired"
"you didn't ask me to go through a trial period"
"I don't know anything about hiring people.I've never done that before"
"do you dance?"
"No.why?"he stood up and dragged her to her feet
"a waltz just started.I'd like to dance with my new friend "
She laughed.Under the moonlight, she stepped on his feet more than she danced.He didn't complain once .
"you've probably maimed me for life Missy.Now you can't ever decide to stop being my friend.Or you owe me a new pair of legs"
"noted"she smiled "but in my defense I did tell you I couldn't dance"
"big difference between inability to dance and a good , hard trampling"he said"you never had a dance teacher.i thought all girls had that"
"I maimed him"she grinned
"of course you did"