Secrets of a Spinster (11 page)

Well, that was all well and good, Mary huffed to herself as she watched Geoff blatantly ignore her cry for help. She had seen the way he and her sister had debated on her fate, knowing how she was struggling, and then betray her. The two of them would have to be dealt with.

But as she watched her sister dance, to see her laugh again and smile so brightly and with so much joy, she had to admit that it might be worth it.

“Pardon me, Miss Handelin?” prodded the puppy who had been practically proposing to her for the last twelve minutes.

She put aside the cool detachment that had been plaguing her for the last hour, and gave the lad a look. “It is Miss Hamilton, Mr. Davis. If you cannot remember it, then perhaps you ought to work on that before you solicit my society. No woman will take any man, regardless of his youth, if he does not even know her name.”

He went skulking off, cheeks flaming, the other gentlemen snickering in their delight.

She could have shot the lot of them.

“Well said, Miss Hamilton,” an attractive man nearby said with approval. “Poor Master Davis to be so soundly set down by so fair a maiden.”

Mary gave him a careful look, noting his too-extravagant ensemble, which fit perfectly, and tried to ignore the oddly vibrant blue waistcoat. “I daresay he will rally,” she said carefully, reluctantly sliding her debutante mask into place. “He is too young to be serious about courting anyone, let alone someone of my years.”

The man smiled in surprise, showing rather perfect teeth, which must always be admired. “I did not think that ladies referenced their age, no matter the number of years they have.”

“Only those ashamed of their age for one reason or another,” she told him with real honesty. Then she shrugged. “I am not.”

That seemed to impress him and he inclined his head politely, then moved away.

How bizarre, she thought. He was the one man she had spoken with since arriving that she might have actually enjoyed conversing with. Everyone else was just for show. And he would just leave?

She shook her head. It was all so confusing.

“Might I have a dance, Miss Hamilton?”

She looked up into the face of the Marquess of Whitlock, and returned his smile with one of her own. “With pleasure, my lord.”

He led her out into the floor and swept her into the movement with surprising grace. “How is your little project going?” he asked her, looking amused.

She rolled her eyes, which made him laugh. “If I could bear any of the conversation, I might be enjoying myself.”

“Well, you seemed to be getting along with Burlington well enough.”

“Who?” she asked in confusion.

“Henry Burlington,” Derek said, tilting his head in the direction of the attractive, over-dressed man she had just spoken with.

“Oh,” she replied absently. “Yes, I suppose I did. He doesn’t seem to be interested in me at all, which makes me inclined to think well of him.”

Derek laughed, then gave her a scolding look. “You will never get anywhere setting yourself down in such a way, Mary, and I won’t allow it.” He glanced up, one corner of his mouth curving up. “And if you will turn your head slightly to your right on the next movement, you will see where his interest lies.”

Mary did so and saw Mr. Burlington watching her carefully, his expression composed, but engrossed. He looked away when their eyes met, but Mary knew instinctively that he would look back.

She quickly returned to attention to the dance, and her partner, who was smiling mischievously.

“It seems you have an admirer after all,” Derek mused.

“I don’t see why,” Mary retorted as she made her circle around him. “I look like every other woman in the room, and the only words he said to me were a compliment on my insult and his shock on the discussion of my age.”

“You will soon learn, my dear Miss Hamilton, that nothing sparks a gentleman’s interest more than a woman who takes us by surprise.”

“Oh good,” she muttered dryly. “Well, what is he like? Do you know? If he is a man worth entertaining, I might allow his pursuit.”

Derek chortled and spun her as part of the dance. “Him? You could do better. He is the top of the fops.”

That drew a surprised laugh from Mary. “Oh, I doubt that very much. He might be a bit elaborate, but…”

“He is the epitome of elaborate, my dear. Quite ridiculous.”

She gave Derek a long, speculative look. “I don’t believe you. I think you are toying with me for the sake of our long acquaintance, and trying to influence me for your means.”

Derek grinned, looking a little surprised. “Would I do that? When it is something so important as potentially finding your future husband and securing for you the incomparable joy of matrimony?”

“God save me,” she muttered in a dark tone. “This whole venture was supposed to be a laugh, and the first night I find myself more irritated than anything else. It’s not encouraging. They just want me to stand there and look demure while they shower me with flattery.” She closed her eyes briefly. “I’m so bored.”

Derek chuckled softly. “That is because no one has danced with you yet. Present company excluded, naturally.”

Mary gave him a suspicious glance as she passed around him in a movement of the dance. “Is this why you’re dancing with me, Derek?”

“Precisely. Someone had to show off your talent for dancing, and what better person than myself?” He smiled broadly and Mary couldn’t help laughing.

“But I have to confess,” Derek said on a sigh as he turned her, “that was not my only reason for coming over to you.”

Mary wrinkled her brow in confusion. “What was the other?”

Derek took her elbow as the dancing finished and pointed discreetly over at his wife, who was smiling at her. “Kate. She thought you needed a reprieve. Actually her words were, ‘Go save her before she kills someone.’”

“Your wife has remarkable perception.”

“I am well aware of it, I can assure you.”

He led her over to his wife, who smiled up at him proudly. “Thank you, darling.”

“Of course, my love,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek, then striding away towards the card room.

“What in heaven’s name was that all about?” Mary murmured as Kate linked their arms.

Kate laughed and glanced in the direction where her husband had just disappeared. “I’m not entirely certain. He’s been attentive and sweet and adoring for the last several days. I think it might have something to do with Nathan and Moira having little Robert last week, but he won’t tell me anything. Not that I am complaining, mind you, but it’s very odd.”

She shrugged a little and began to walk with Mary around the ballroom slowly, nodding at various people, who whispered excitedly.

“How are you enjoying yourself, Mary?” Kate asked, as she smiled at Lady Greversham tightly. “Or are you enjoying yourself?”

“It’s difficult to say,” Mary replied, choosing her words carefully. “I think the shock of so much attention is preventing me from feeling anything but anxiety at the moment.”

Kate patted her hand and sighed. “I think you’ll have to get used to attention if you’re going to pull this off. Use it to your advantage. I don’t know your sister well, but I hope she hasn’t been attempting to mold you into someone else.”

“No, Cassie seems to want me to remain myself under this costume, but it still feels strange and unnatural to act like this.”

“I know,” Kate murmured, looking over at her. “Change is a painful process. Balancing who you are with who you wish to be is a never-ending struggle. But you can do it, Mary, and I trust you can do so with more poise than I had.”

Mary smiled softly in response, remembering when she had met Kate during her own transformation, though she had been a witness to the old Kate, or Katherine as she always was, and the difference was truly profound.

“I think you had grace and poise enough for royalty, Kate.”

That seemed to take Kate by surprise, and she smiled in return, though her eyes grew a little misty. “Thank you, Mary. That means a great deal.” She blinked rapidly and laughed. “Well, do you think we have done enough parading for one evening?”

“Is that what this was?” Mary asked as she carefully looked around. Dozens, if not hundreds, of eyes were on the two of them, and she found herself wondering just how many had been watching them the whole time.

“A bit, but I really did want to talk with you alone. And if I could do that while showing you off, all the better!” She grinned rather grandly, which made Mary chuckle.

“You are conniving, Lady Whitlock.”

“A marchioness with an attractive friend in need of suitors must be, my dear Miss Hamilton.” Kate softened her smile and looked beyond Mary for a moment. “Now, Geoffrey is coming to save you, so I will just kiss your cheek and be on my way.”

“So many saviors, so little time,” Mary sighed as Kate kissed her cheek and winked.

Kate squeezed her hands. “Don’t blame us for liking you,” she whispered. “We can’t help it.”

Mary shook her head in amusement as Kate walked away, no doubt to speak with people of great importance and spreading her influence far and wide.

Derek was lucky to have such a wife.

“Well, I certainly am a fortunate man to finally catch you alone, Miss Hamilton.”

Mary rolled her eyes and turned to face Geoff with a severe look. “It wouldn’t have been so difficult if you had simply come over, Mr. Harris. I was not so surrounded that there was not room for you.”

Geoff grinned and inclined his head towards her. “Are we pretending again or are you being serious?”

“A debutante never reveals her true intentions, Mr. Harris,” Mary told him, quoting her sister to a tee, and fluttering her eyes a little. “She leaves a man guessing right until the very end.”

“Ah, so she does,” he replied, bowing smartly. “Will you consent to a dance, then, Miss Hamilton? I so desire to have further opportunity to guess at those intentions of yours.”

Mary had to refrain from giggling, and very calmly placed her hand in his. “It would be a pleasure, Mr. Harris.”

He led her out to the dance floor proudly, the pair of them remarkably composed for the laughter threatening to explode at the whispers behind them.

“Bravo, Goose,” Geoff whispered. “You are better than I thought.”

“It is Cassie’s lessons,” she murmured back as they moved into position.

“Lessons? Really?”

“Yes, really,” she told him with a smile. “One cannot become a debutante overnight. It takes lessons and practice and learning to be long-suffering to perfect one’s self.”

“Well, you are in fine form tonight, Miss Hamilton,” he said a bit louder as the dance started.

“I hardly think it appropriate for you to comment on my form, Mr. Harris,” she scolded.

He shrugged. “I’m not nearly as appropriate as people think me, Miss Hamilton, and I frequently comment on things I shouldn’t.”

“How very shocking you must be, then! How should I reply?”

“You might say something shocking in return.”

She lifted a brow rather imperiously at him as he crossed in front of her in the dance. “I have nothing shocking to say.”

“Oh, I doubt that very much, Miss Hamilton,” he said with a bit of a wicked grin. “I know you. You always have something shocking to say.”

“Perhaps you don’t know me as well as you might think.”

It was now his turn to offer a lifted brow, daring her to continue.

“A lady never says shocking things, Mr. Harris,” she informed him as she crossed. “She merely thinks them very loudly.”

He closed his eyes, struggling not to laugh. Mary was having no less trouble, but she forced herself to not bite down on her lip.

The dance continued without much opportunity to converse further, but they said a great deal with their eyes, and it made the act of not laughing that much more difficult. When it was done, Geoffrey led her to a different side of the room than she had been previously.

“Let’s see if we can’t get you some more appropriate fops on this side, shall we?” he murmured as he escorted her.

“I doubt it, but why not?” she laughed, feeling a bit breathless from the dance. “That was the most fun I have had in a while, Geoff. Thank you.”

“I would dance with you more, but I think a line will be forming in about forty-two seconds.” He laughed to himself as he looked around.

“Oh, my poor feet,” she moaned.

“I wouldn’t worry for them. They are quite perfect, you know.”

“My feet?” she asked with a laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. Nobody has seen my feet.”

He smiled rather devilishly. “I have. Therefore, I feel expressly qualified to comment on their perfection. Each and every toe.”

She blushed a bit, which made him chuckle. “Is that your favorite part of me, then?”

He shrugged and bowed low. She returned it with a deep curtsey.

“Don’t cause a scandal now, Goose,” he whispered, still smiling.

“You first,” she replied.

He acknowledged her comment with a slight tilt of his head, then walked away, still smiling.