Page 11 of The Missing Book
“Lord Broughton?”
He cleared his throat, looking back to Lady Gwendoline. “Yes?”
“Shall we?”
It took him a moment to realize what it was she had said. She was accepting his offer to dance, he realized, even though now, he did not want to step out with her.
But I have no choice.
With a grimace tugging at his lips, he offered his arm and then strode out to the dance floor, making his way directly across the room and away from Lady Ameila. Mayhap he might be fortunate enough not to have to stand up with her. Mayhap there would be enough gentlemen and ladies on the floor for him to avoid her completely!
“Lord Broughton?” Lady Gwendoline said again, as he pulled his gaze away from Lady Amelia. “Are you quite ready?”
“Yes, I am. OfcourseI am,” he snapped, a little too late in realizing that he had spoken harshly. “Yes,” he said again, as Lady Gwendoline’s eyes rounded. “Yes, I am ready.”
She blinked but said nothing, sinking down into a curtsy as Leopold bowed hastily. Reaching for her, he took her hand and the dance began, though Leopold fought to remember the steps clearly. He was much too distracted by Lady Amelia’s presence, fearful now that hewouldhave to stand up with her for a few moments.
“You are to say nothing to me, Lord Broughton?”
Growing irritated by Lady Gwendoline’s almost constant remarks, Leopold looked down at her. “What is it you wish for me to say?”
Her eyes grew a little bigger, and a flush rose in her cheeks. “It is only that most gentlemen have something to say to the lady they are dancing with, that is all.”
Leopold’s lips flattened but he said nothing. The lady was quite right, itwasusual for gentlemen to make conversation with the lady he danced with when it allowed but thus far, he had said nothing. His attention was being constantly pulled towards Lady Amelia. He saw her laugh at something her companion – the Marquess of Hazelton – said, her hazel eyes alight and that, in turn, made him scowl.A bluestocking, indeed! It is a surprise to me that she has found so prestigious a gentleman to dance with.
“Lord Broughton, if you please, I – ”
Leopold looked back to Lady Gwendoline, only to realize too late that he had stepped well out of line and was now careening into another gentleman and lady. His attention had been so pulled towards Lady Amelia, that he had not even thought about where he was dancing! Lady Gwendoline stumbled, an exclamation breaking from her lips as Leopold fought to hold his balance. She was clinging to him, then, grasping his arm instead of his shoulder. Leopold, losing his balance, fell to the floor with Lady Gwendoline falling with him. Somehow, she was saved from collapsing on top of him by another gentleman and a lady, making her gasp her thanks while Leopold, mortified, scrambled back up from the floor.
He did not know what to do. He, who prided himself on always being the very best of fellows, the most proper, the most refined and correct, had not only shamed himself by not paying attention to the lady he was dancing with as well as the dance himself, but he had now drawn the sharp eye of near everyonein thetonas he had fallen to the floor. The fault was his and his alone – he certainly could not blame Lady Gwendoline for this!
The music had ceased, the other couples on the dance floor all turning to look and, as though fate wanted to add yet more to his shame, Leopold looked straight into the eyes of Lady Amelia.
There was no smile on her face, no twinkle in her eye. Instead, there was only a look of concern and, in fact, she began to make her way towards him.
No, Leopold thought to himself, turning bodily away from her.The last thing I want is to be in company with the bluestocking!
Without so much as a word to Lady Gwendoline, Leopold made his way through the crowd, aware of just how his face burned. Keeping his gaze low, he walked directly through the ballroom and out into the hallway, not quite sure of where he was going but sure that he did not – could not – be in company any longer. Walking blindly, he found another room and opening the door, stepped inside it.
There was no one there, no light save for a single candle on the mantlepiece. Letting out a slow breath, Leopold closed his eyes and leaned back against the door, hating how every single breath in his chest burned like fire.
He had mortified himself by his own foolishness; he had allowed himself to become distracted by a bluestocking when he ought to have been focused solely upon Lady Gwendoline. He had brought all of this upon himself, he knew, darkness closing in around him as he let out a low groan.
What was he going to do now?
5
“Did you see that last evening? I assume that you did, given you were dancing on the floor at the time. Goodness, there was such a commotion!”
Amelia nodded. “I did,” she answered, as she and her bluestocking friends made their way to ‘the Temple of the Muses’, the most extraordinary bookshop in all of London. “I was dancing with Lord Hazelton and heard some great commotion from the other side of the dance floor. I do not know what happened but I must say, I am sorry to hear that Lady Gwendoline’s ankle was twisted.”
“You do not know who she was dancing with?” Lady Rosalyn sounded surprised. “It was Lord Broughton who was dancing with her, did you know that? Evidently, he became distracted and then she stumbled… and he fell to the floor.”
Amelia’s eyebrows lifted. “Lord Broughton? Goodness, I did not realize. I thought I recognized his face but there were a good many other guests on the dance floor so I could not have been certain.”
Lady Rosalyn nodded. “Yes, it was he. Thankfully, Lady Gwendoline was saved from falling over him by two of the otherdancers, who caught her just in time. I know she was relieved to have not fallen flat on her face, for that would have been more than a little mortifying.”
Amelia considered Lord Broughton and all the things he had said during their brief interaction. He had berated his sister for her supposed lack of propriety, though he had then fallen over completely and had nearly everyone in the ballroom looking at him in his shame! “That must have been very embarrassing for Lord Broughton. I am surprised that such a thing happened. Given that he is a gentleman who appears to be so taken up with propriety, I thought he would take the greatest care when it came to dancing.”
