Page 32 of An Unlikely Debutante

‘If it was just about the dancing, then I agree it is an enjoyable way to spend the evening, but the romantic politics of asking a young lady to dance discourages many men from doing so.’

‘How do you mean?’ Lina asked.

‘Well, I can ask you to dance without needing to worry about your expectations from me. You are aware my invitation to dance has no romantic undercurrent, but imagine if I danced with just one other young lady tonight.’

‘I can’t see there would be a problem.’

‘People would ask why I had chosen her, was I interested in a courtship? The young lady might come to expect something more than just a dance and then when it didn’t materialise she would be disappointed.’

‘Then dance with lots of young ladies. No one will expect anything from you if you share out your attentions,’ Lina suggested.

‘That’s what I always tell him,’ Georgina added.

‘If I suddenly start attending lots of social functions and dancing with all these unattached young ladies, then it will be assumed I am searching for a wife.’

‘What is so bad about that?’ Lina asked. ‘It is only an assumption. You don’t actually have to marry anyone.’

Alex shuddered. ‘When the word is put out an eligible bachelor is looking to settle down he is besieged by ambitious mothers and dull daughters. I value my peace and my privacy too much.’

‘I think you’re overthinking this too much,’ Lina declared after a moment’s consideration.

‘Too clever for his own good,’ Pentworthy agreed as he wove through the crowds and joined their little group, giving Georgina a kiss on the cheek. ‘How lovely you look tonight, Lina. May I have the pleasure of the next dance?’

Although he was rarely at Whitemore House, Lina had warmed to Georgina’s husband on the few occasions he had returned from London to spend the evening with them. He was an intelligent man and successful from what Lina had learned from the snippets of conversation she had overheard, but he was very likeable and kind. He wasn’t as good a dancer as Alex, but he laughed at himself every time he got a step wrong and kept up a stream of conversation throughout the two dances they danced together.

As they stepped off the dance floor, another man approached, introduced himself and asked Lina to dance. With her confidence growing by the second, Lina agreed. In the dances that followed, she was aware that she would crane her neck every few steps to see if she could catch sight of Alex anywhere in the hall, wishing it was he spinning her around, even while knowing she should be content with the partners she had.

‘You seem a little distracted,’ her latest partner commented as he escorted her to the edge of the dance floor.

‘I’m sorry,’ Lina said, turning to look at him properly for the first time. He’d introduced himself as Mr Gillingham, but she didn’t know any more about him than his name. She’d been less than the perfect dance partner—although she’d executed the steps with precision she hadn’t engaged Mr Gillingham in any small talk and now she felt a little guilty about the neglect. ‘I haven’t been to many dances before. I suppose I’m a little nervous.’

‘Let me get you a drink, then maybe you would like to step outside for some air?’

The suggestion was a welcome one. After nearly an hour of dancing and making small talk, Lina’s throat was parched and her head starting to spin. She hesitated for only a second; Alex had warned her about avoiding any situation where she was left alone with a gentleman—it was another way to be the subject of a scandal, but Mr Gillingham seemed friendly and decent and not at all like he was thinking of taking her outside to compromise her. Besides, the doors to the hall had been left open and people were wandering outside all the time.

‘That would be lovely.’

They picked up two glasses of lemonade and headed for the door. Outside the air seemed wonderfully cool compared to the stuffiness of the hall and Lina felt immediately revived.

‘From your earlier comment, am I to assume this will be your first London Season?’ Mr Gillingham asked.

‘It will. Al—’ Lina caught herself just in time. ‘Lord Whitemore and Lady Georgina Pentworthy have been kind enough to sponsor me for the Season.’

‘You are a friend of the family?’

‘Exactly.’

They strolled arm in arm as they talked, never straying too far from the other couples and groups of people emerging from the hall for a few minutes of air. Lina began to relax as she realised no one was going to expose her as a fraud and allowed herself to enjoy this experience. After these six weeks were up she would be back to her normal life. It would be foolish not to treasure every moment, even if she wished it were Alex by her side instead of Mr Gillingham.

* * *

‘Please excuse me,’ Alex said, flashing the four young women gathered around him a sunny smile. ‘It has been a pleasure to meet you all.’

Before any of the women could protest Alex strode away, parting the crowds with his determined expression and quick pace. The evening hadn’t been terrible, but the last hour hadn’t been fun, either. He’d been abandoned first by Lina and then by Georgina and her husband, left to the mercy of the ladies of Pottersdown. Not that he couldn’t protect himself from the gaggles of young women—he’d had plenty of practice at balls and dinner parties over the years—but it was a little tedious all the same.

Glancing around the hall as he reached the area that had been allocated to be the dance floor, Alex frowned. The past hour, throughout the conversations and introductions, he had managed to keep one eye fixed on Lina. As he’d predicted, she’d been asked to dance by a procession of young men and seemed to be having a great time. He’d known she wouldn’t struggle to fill her dance card—Lina was attractive and vivacious, and men were drawn to her confidence and her beguiling smile—but she had followed his rules and not danced more than twice with the same man. Last time he had glanced her way she had been smiling at a smartly dressed young man as he led her from the dance floor, then they had disappeared.

With a growl of frustration Alex spun around slowly and searched the hall. There were swarms of people, mostly organised in little groups, but he had the advantage of being at least a head taller than most of them so could peruse the room quite easily. After a minute Alex was certain Lina wasn’t there, which meant she had stepped outside with her latest dance partner.