Page 35 of Duke in Shining Armor
On the following day, Catherine received a bouquet of roses of different colors, accompanied by a thank you card from the duke. Charlotte and Beatrice were most entertained, tittering and giggling, when they read the card, which merely thanked her for a lovely afternoon. The duchess seemed to think James was taken with her, and her mother was, of course, very pleased.
Her mother presented her with several invitations, and Catherine read them all. She had been invited to several balls, and the first was the Marquess of Claydon.
The Marquess of Claydon requests the honor of Lady Catherine Davenport’s company at the evening ball on Saturday, June 6th. Dancing will begin at eight o’clock.
Catherine stared at the invitation; then glanced at her mother, who could not hide her pleasure. The marquess was considered to be a great catch, and there was the potential to make a good match. The countess bid her to keep an open mind and to become acquainted with the eligible gentlemen of thehaut ton,until one declared his intentions. She only wished some excitement stirred in her heart at the notion.
CHAPTER12
One sennight later
The countess read all of Catherine’s correspondence and responded to them before sharing it with Catherine. There was no opportunity for her to refuse such engagements, and she found afternoon tea most insufferable. Since the carriage ride, she had not set eyes upon the duke. She attended other engagements this past sennight, such as afternoon tea and a dinner party, but she did not see him there.
She prepared for the Marquess of Claydon’s ball, selecting an emerald satin gown with a fitted bodice and short sleeves. She had just the pair of gloves and a fan to complement her outfit. The countess selected her jewelry, and as always, it showed her exemplary taste. Catherine stared at the ruby necklace with matching earrings. She was dazzled by how well her ensemble came together. Once dressed, she did not dally, for papa would have her head if they were late.
She was not surprised when a low murmur went through the crowd as she entered the ballroom. She knew both the emeralds and satin suited well. Lady Claydon hurried to her side, leading her away to make several introductions. While she mingled, Catherine came to be in the presence of the Duchess of Pembroke and the duke. She did not realize he was present until they came face to face. He was handsomely dressed in a white shirt, dark breeches, a waistcoat with gold buttons, and a cravat. He appeared very distinguished.
Catherine curtsied. “Your Grace, I am pleased to meet you here.”
“I trust you enjoyed the evening at my ball,” the duchess said with a wide smile.
“It was wonderful, Your Grace,” Catherine replied, her heart doing that sillypitter patter.
“You are already acquainted with the duke?” Lady Claydon asked, her inquisitive gaze volleying between them.
“Yes. Lady Catherine did me the honor of taking a carriage ride with me to Hyde Park,” James replied.
“How splendid,” Lady Claydon said.
“Lady Catherine, may I kindly see your dance card?” James asked.
James took the dance card and reserved two dances with Catherine, and she blushed.
I’ll be damned!Thehaut tonwill be awash with gossip this evening ...
Two dances. Again.
It was only proper for a gentleman to pay this much attention to a lady if he was serious about courting her. As she had only just arrived at the ball, the duke was the first to put his name on her dance card, which meant that all the other gentlemen would see that James stretched the boundaries of propriety. A third dance would have been a downright scandal.
As these thoughts raced through her mind, a tall, well-dressed gentleman approached them. They had been introduced earlier.
“You are looking quite lovely as always, Your Grace,” said Charles Blaine, Earl of Warwick.
“You are as much a flatterer as James,” the duchess replied. “How are you, Charles? I thought you were in Scotland.” She paused and turned to face Catherine. “Please let me introduce you to Lady Catherine Davenport. Lady Catherine, may I present the Earl of Warwick, who is a close companion of my son.”
She could feel the Earl of Warwick’s eyes upon her with a quizzical stare. Catherine dipped into a curtsy. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, my lord.”
“The pleasure is mine, Lady Catherine,” the earl said, bowing.
Catherine was curious about the friendship between James and the earl, but she could delve no further, because at that opportune moment the Marquess of Claydon approached.
“Good evening, Your Grace, Pembroke, Warwick,” the marquess said as he greeted everyone.
“Please excuse Lady Catherine. There is someone I wish for her to meet.” Without further ado, Lord Claydon steered Catherine to another group of ladies to make introductions.
* * *
“If you will excuseme for a moment, gentlemen, I have just seen the Countess of Lancaster and I must greet her.” The duchess walked away leaving James and Warwick gazing after Catherine.
