Page 35 of Pursued Beyond Treachery
He’d even seen her last evening at the Giles’ soiree. If he’d asked her yesterday, he would not have lost his place to Mr. Wallace. Not that he had anything against the man. Other than his pointed stare at Susannah last evening, he seemed decent enough.
But the dream of partnering Susannah for her first dance of the season had been stolen out from under him, and like a rug suddenly yanked away, he felt unsteady on his feet.
“Lord Newhurst,” Miss Wallace called after him.
He turned.
She wove her way through several people. “I am so delighted to see you here this evening.” She clasped her hands behind her back and did that weird thing with her dark lashes that he’d noticed Susannah do.
John swallowed. He needed to speak, but all he could summon was a nod.
“Do you like to dance, Your Lordship?”
Another nod.
She waited expectantly.
Algenon sidled up to him. “The correct answer is ‘would you like to dance?’” he whispered.
John glared at his amused smile. Al received far too much enjoyment from teasing him.
When he continued on in his silence, Al turned to Miss Wallace. “Good evening, Miss Wallace. You are lookingresplendent in that jonquil dress. Is that stunning lace from Mrs. Barclay’s establishment?”
Leave it to Al to save the situation with one of his flowery compliments.
“Why yes it is, Mr. Roberts. You are quite versed on your shops.”
“I should be. I have enough sisters to empty most of them.”
Miss Wallace giggled.
“Now, if you do not mind, my friend and I would like to ask for your next two sets.”
Her face scrunched up and motioned between them with her hand. “Together?”
John nearly snorted a laugh. While she might be pretty, Miss Wallace was a bit lacking in sense.
“No, Newhurst shall take the first and I shall take the second.”
She flashed them a brilliant smile and leaned in. “Of course. I would be honored to dance with you both.”
“Very good. We shall be sure to find you when the dancing finally begins.”
She pulled out her fan and began fluttering it right below her nose, her lips pursed in such a way to draw attention. Al’s left eyebrow hitched up and he gave a slight shake of his head.
With one arm around Johnathan’s shoulders, he directed him away from her. Dropping his voice he said, “And that is how you procure a dance partner, though one with more sense would have been more preferable.”
Johnathan snorted. “Did it ever occur to you that I may not have wanted to dance with Miss Wallace?”
Al stopped, his mouth hanging open. “Not dance when the chance is right before you? What a travesty. One might assume you do not even like women with how much you avoid them.”
The humor faded from Johnathan’s face and he instinctively found Susannah in the crowd.
“I see.” Al’s lips tipped up at the corners. “You know the same method works in asking other young ladies to dance.”
“Not when they have already procured a partner.”
“Now that is a shame,” Al tutted. “But she cannot be engaged for every dance.”
