Page 48 of The Midnight Secret

Bottles, perhaps.

‘You’re swaying.’

‘Nonsense. The room’s just dizzy from all the dancing.’ His words were a jumbled slur.

Sholto looked wryly at Effie. ‘I need to find my partner for this – but he’s harmless, honestly. Althoughyoumay need to leadhim, by the looks of things.’ He gripped the youngviscount’s shoulder hard. ‘Look after my fiancée, Lisle, do you hear?’

‘Yesh.’ He swayed again.

Effie watched him with apprehension. Strip the Willow was one of the simpler reels, but it did involve a lot of turning. He didn’t look as if he’d have the legs – or the stomach – for it.

‘And when it’s done, you’re to accompany Miss Gillies here straight down to MacLeod’s yacht, you hear?’

‘Yesh.’

‘What did I just say?’

‘Accompany the ghillie to MacLeod’s yacht.’

‘Near enough,’ Sholto muttered. ‘Will you be all right?’ he asked Effie.

‘Of course.’

‘I’ll be...’ He looked around to find Bitsy frantically motioning for him with a highly irritated look. ‘Down there with Miss Sourpants.’

Effie stifled a laugh.

‘See you on board, darling.’

The band played the first four bars as he darted through the room. The revellers had organized themselves into two long lines, men on one side, women on the other, and Effie took her position opposite her dance partner.

As the dance began, she had to reach for him and lead him into swinging her around. There was no doubt the young viscount had the muscle memory for the dance, but he lacked the physical coordination. He was supposed to swing Effie and then present her to each man in the line in turn, but as she swung round his neighbour and reached for him again, he missed her arm. Effie had to almost run around him to keep up with the music.

When it was his turn to come back up the line, swinging and turning with the ladies, he was like a ball to skittles. It was a chaotic end to what had been an invigorating two nights, and many people were tutting at him by the time the last bar was played.

‘Shorry,’ he said afterwards as the dancers broke up into an emotional crowd, wishing one another festive greetings and swapping travel plans for the new year.

‘It’s quite all right,’ Effie replied, eager to make her getaway.

‘You’re a good sport. I knew you would be.’ He looked as if the room was still turning around him.

‘Did you?’

‘Of course. You’re Sholly’s fiancée.’

He really was very drunk. ‘Yes. Well, it was a pleasure—’

‘He must really love you.’

She gave a small laugh as she turned away. ‘Given we’re getting married, I should hope so—’

He made a long slurring sound. ‘Not many men would give up their birthright for love. Certainly none of the fellows in this room, that’s for sure.’

Effie halted and turned back, staring at him. ‘...What?’

He swayed. She had a sudden urge to shake him.

‘Tell me – what did you mean by that?’

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