Page 13 of A Lady's Propitious Match
Just then, Lady Abigail Ashford swept up in a cloud of expensive French perfume and glittering diamonds. She was unlike anyone Clara had ever seen before. She was already enamored with her.
“Well, well, well,” Abigail declared in a sweeping voice as she scanned her eyes around the four of them. “How good it is to see you all. I see the waltzing pairs are just lining up.” Clara was in awe as Abigail arched a brow at Elliot and Christopher. “I think you two should take these lovely ladies out onto the dance floor. They look like they would make wonderful partners for the pair of you.”
Elliot grinned and immediately extended his hand out to Imogen, who accepted eagerly. That left Clara, slowly turning to look at Christopher to see how he was feeling about this. She had no idea if this was about to be a wonderful moment, where all her dreams for the evening came true, or if she was about to be humiliated and rejected.
It was unlikely. Christopher did not seem the type to be rude or to want to ruin her reputation, but if he had been out of the country for a while, he might not recall how to do things the right way. He might act without thinking.
But he did not. Much to Clara’s relief, he extended his gloved hand to Clara, who took it happily. A smile spread across her face as a thrill of awareness coursed through her body. This was the strongest moment of excitement that she had ever experienced, and it was just getting started. The quicker Christopher and she got on to the dance floor, the more of him she would get to experience.
Never had she wanted to get to know a gentleman as much as this one. She had not been looking forward to this ball tonight, until she laid eyes on him.
As the opening chords swelled, Christopher’s hand gently grasped Clara’s to lead her in to the rotating steps in flawless time.
Clara had to admit that she was surprised how well he seemed to glide with her, when it looked like he had been having trouble getting the steps right while partnered with Henrietta. Was that because they were simply in tune with one another in ways that other people would not be able to understand?
“Are you ever inspired by the works of Thomas Lawrence?” Christopher suddenly asked her, igniting that deep spark of passion. “Because I have always found his work quite fascinating. His brush strokes…”
“Oh and the way that he captures the human spirit,” Clara agreed whole heartedly. “I can always feel the emotions of his subjects when I see his work. That is something I only wish I could achieve myself. I try, but I think it will take me a long time.”
Speaking about her own art reminded her that Christopher wanted to come and see her work. If that was not just a polite suggestion, which she did not think it was. Christopher did not seem like the type of man to speak idly.
“I love the way Lawrence works shadow and lighting into his work,” Christopher agreed with her. “It gives everything a strong sense of realism. I know in other areas of Europe, people are fascinated by the surrealism and bizarre, but I like to feel myself within a painting.”
He was so exotic and well traveled, it made Clara swoon. This was exactly the sort of conversation that she would like to imagine having with her future husband. She wanted a man that she could understand, and who understood her also.
Just a few moments with Christopher were far more thrilling than any time she had spent with Simon. This only made her more determined to ensure her parents understood that she did not wish to marry Lord Caldwell, no matter what his status and title meant.
“Do you have a favourite painting of his?”
This felt like an incredibly intimate question for Clara to ask, it was not something that she had ever discussed with another person before. But if there was anyone who would understand the importance of this question, it was Christopher.
“I have always enjoyed Pinkie,” Christopher said after musing for only a moment. “How about you?”
“I adore Children of Sir Samuel Fludye” she replied without a second of hesitation. “The emotions depicted in that art work are just wonderful.”
Unfortunately, before Clara could get any more excited, the music sadly drifted in to silence. Clara’s disappointment to have her meaningful and fascinating conversation come to an end was acute and palpable. There was so much that she wanted to say, but she was not sure when she would get the chance to do so. If at all.
She suddenly noticed someone glaring at her over Christopher’s shoulder. Miss Henrietta Deveraux. She might have had smooth features on the surface, but Henrietta could sense a simmering anger underneath the surface. Clearly she was not happy to see Christopher dancing with someone else which might prove to be a problem in the future.
She might not be allowed to dance with him again, which would be a real, heartbreaking shame.
