Page 31 of An Unlikely Debutante

‘How lovely to see you again,’ he said. ‘Are these your daughters? I do not think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting them.’

‘Oh, no, you wouldn’t have met them. This is Miss Annabelle Potton, my eldest. And then there is Olivia and Amelia.’

‘Miss Potton.’ Alex inclined his head in the direction of the eldest. ‘Miss Olivia, Miss Amelia.’

Lina wasn’t certain which of the younger two was which, but it was clear Annabelle was the focus of their mother’s attention today so it didn’t much matter.

‘Annabelle loves to dance,’ Mrs Potton prompted.

‘Indeed?’

‘Do you dance, Lord Whitemore?’

Not the most subtle of enquiries, but Lina supposed with three daughters of marriageable age Mrs Potton had long since lost any qualms about being so direct.

‘Alas, I am not blessed as one of the world’s great dancers,’ Alex said. ‘If you would excuse me, Mrs Potton, Miss Potton, I think I have spotted my sister and it would be most remiss of me if I failed to greet her.’

Quickly he pulled Lina away.

‘Not one of the world’s great dancers?’ Lina asked as they wove through the crowd.

Alex grinned at her. ‘Well, the Miss Pottons don’t need to know I’m better at waltzing than the celebrated Monsieur LeBon.’

‘You could have asked one of them to dance.’

‘You are sounding more like Georgina every day.’ He shook his head. ‘It starts with a dance, then they suggest a little air or a glass of lemonade together and before you know it they’re expecting to be wooed with flowers and poetry.’

‘You write poetry?’

‘I’ve never tried, but I can’t imagine it would be too difficult.’ He paused for a second. ‘Her hair was as soft as the finest silk, her skin as pale as a bucket of milk. Her eyes were as dark as a burning coal, her legs as long as a newborn foal.’

‘That’s truly terrible.’

‘I’m sure Miss Potton would swoon if I recited it to her. Would you care to dance?’

Lina felt her heart soar as Alex led her to the dance floor. Already the music was starting as the couples took their places and Lina was infused with the familiar rush of energy as her body started swaying to the beat.

‘Follow my lead,’ Alex whispered as he positioned her a few paces away from him, in the middle of a line of women. With her eyes locked on his, Lina’s pulse began to quicken. There was something sensual about dancing, even when standing a few feet apart amidst a crowd of people. It almost felt as though it were only she and Alex in the room and she wanted to reach out and pull him closer to her.

The dance began and although Lina had never learnt the steps it was a basic country dance and she picked it up quickly, moving in the same direction as the women on either side of her. As they came together with their partners, Lina felt Alex’s strong hands take hers and guide her towards the top of the line, before they came together for their dance through the middle of the couples to the bottom. The music was lively, the pace fast and soon Lina was laughing as the musicians got faster and faster with every couple that came together.

‘I never imagined it would be this fun,’ she panted as the music finished and Alex took her hand to escort her from the dance floor.

‘That was fun,’ Alex said, although he seemed a little surprised by his comment.

‘Do my ears deceive me?’ Georgina asked as she hurried over. ‘My brother is actually enjoying a social function?’

‘I merely commented that the last dance was pleasurable,’ Alex grumbled.

‘Wonderful.’ Georgina clapped her hands. ‘Who have you asked to dance next?’

There was a prolonged silence as Alex regarded his sister with raised eyebrows.

‘You haven’t won the wager yet. I can still pair you off with eligible young ladies for the next few weeks at least.’

‘My sister is under the misguided impression that she can influence who I ask to dance tonight,’ Alex said to Lina.

‘I don’t see why you wouldn’t dance every single dance.’