He nodded, feeling as if his head were underwater, ears full and head ringing.
“I shall leave the announcement to your discretion,” he said at last, rising unsteadily to his feet.
Engaged. I’m engaged. I have just gotten engaged to Miss Victoria Bainbridge.
He stumbled towards the door, suddenly eager to leave the room at once, keen to get out as soon as possible. He yanked open the door, and found himself face to face with a beautiful, surprised-looking young woman.
No, not any young woman.
Miss Lavinia Brookford. The woman he had met at the party a lifetime ago, the owner of the locket he held in his pocket.
Recognition flashed over her face.
“Your Grace,” she gasped.
What have I done?William thought, fingers tightening on the doorknob.What have Idone?
***
Later, That Day, Shortly Before Suppertime
William’s head was pounding. He wasn’t entirely sure when his headache had arrived, but it was fairly sure it was during his conversation with Miss Bainbridge. William reviewed the conversation he had had with Miss Bainbridge only a few hours ago. He kept thinking of Miss Brookford, too, and hated the way his chest tightened at the thought of her.
I should have reviewed my mother’s guest list, then I would have seen her name. I would have known. I would have been prepared. I fear that I have made a rather serious mistake.
Would he have accepted Miss Bainbridge’s proposal if he had known he would meet Lavinia Brookford at last?
The plain answer was, quite simply, no.
It was too late for a change of heart, though. He was more or less engaged to Miss Bainbridge. While there was only herself and her maid to witness the exchange, no gentleman would go back on his word in such a matter.
William eyed his reflection impassively. His valet was gone, the man’s work done, and the party downstairs was already underway. His mother was in charge of it all, naturally, and dinner would be a truly marvellous event. There would be dancing first, though, to allow people to work up an appetite for the supper.
Or something like that. William did not intend to dance before dinner. Not much, at least. He would be expected to stand up at least once, and the question ofwhohe would dance with would be on everybody’s lips.
Katherine would be a perfect solution – dancing with one’s sister, assuming it wasn’t a waltz or anything improper, was a good way to avoid showing attention to any lady in particular – but she had already mentioned that she would not be dancing tonight.
His mother wouldn’t be dancing – and if she did, not with him – and so that meant that William would have to choose a partner from among the ladies staying at their house.
Who to choose, though?
Miss Bainbridge was here, of course. She’d greeted him with a cool, disinterested smile and glided off with her family earlier on. There were half a dozen or so other young ladies, all pretty and young and looking for husbands, and even the most obtuse man could have read hope in the looks they shot at him.
As he’d known she would, Miss Lavinia Brookford fought her way to the front of his mind. He would have known that she would be here, naturally if he had reviewed the invitations.
And, of course, it was ideal for returning the necklace.
Aware that he was only postponing the moment he had to go downstairs and join his guests, William wandered over to his wardrobe, opening the drawer that held his various jewels. The little muslin-wrapped parcel lay in the corner, and he carefully unfolded it to reveal the glinting silvery locket.
Miss Brookford’s locket.
It would be the easiest thing in the world to return it to her now. He could slip it into his pocket, go downstairs, and find her.
“Here you are, Miss Brookford,”he would say, airily handing her the necklace.“I believe this is yours?”
She would stare at it, surprised, and then glance up at him.
“Oh! Thank you! I feared I had misplaced this treasured item. Pray, might I inquire how you came by it?”
