“Gillian? Oh, she’s fine. She’s been storing up her strength for tonight and will either be dancing with Lord Langley or waiting to dance with him again.” She chuckled, shaking her head again.
“His attentions have been marked. He seems a good sort of man, and Miss Gillian appears to like him.”
“Yes, I think so. Forgive me, your Grace, but I think you said something earlier, which I did not quite understand? On the dance floor? It seemed important.”
Anxiety tightened in William’s chest. He gave a brief smile. “Yes, I believe there was something I wanted to discuss with you.”
“Oh?”
He slipped his hand into his pocket, feeling for the muslin-wrapped parcel. It would be the easiest thing in the world to help her understand. He would take out the locket, unwrap it, and she would be reunited with her precious jewel once again. Reunited with her brother.
It wasn’t there.
William blinked, feeling a bead of sweat make its way down the side of his temple. Whether it was because of anxiety or the heat of the room, he was not sure.
The locket was certainly not in his pocket. Panic surged through his mind, throwing up horrific visions of pickpockets, of accidents, of thieving servants, or even a malicious Miss Bainbridge. He calmed down a little once he recalled taking the parcel out of his pocket and laying it down on the desk in his study.
However, of course, that meant he had a new, pressing problem to solve. Lavinia was looking up at him, mildly curious.
“Are you quite alright?” she asked, tilting her head. “You’ve gone as white as a sheet.”
He laughed awkwardly. “Have I? I’m surprised, as it’s so hot in here it feels like all of the blood had rushed to my head.”
She smiled slightly at his clumsy joke. “Do you need to sit down?”
“I’m not in such needyet.” He removed his hand from his pocket, wondering if he dared try the others. Lavinia would notice at once that he was looking for something, and then he would have to make excuses, or worse, tell a frank lie. Somehow, the truth did not seem possible.
The whole story seemed weak and almost unbelievable, here in the heat and noise of the Assembly Rooms. He would have to shout to be heard, telling her how he had her precious locket and had chosen not to return it. He would have to explain, of course, but not here. Here was not the right place to talk about anything serious, or anything personal, or anything that required straightforward talk and carefully thought-out answers.
“What did you want to say, then?” Lavinia said at last, making William jump.
No, they couldn’t possibly discuss it here. But Lavinia was looking up at him curiously, waiting for a response.
He cleared his throat, avoiding her eye. “Do you know, I truly can’t remember. I’m sure it’ll come to me.”
She smiled wryly. “I’m sure.”
“I… did you want to dance again? The next set is starting soon, I think.”
She smiled gently. “We can’t dance twice in a row, can we? The world will think that we’re betrothed.”
He cleared his throat, shifting his weight awkwardly.
What is wrong with me? I’m acting like a fool!
It was just typical that he would forget to the put the locket in his pocket at the time he wanted it. When had it stopped being so important to him to carry the locket around? It wasn’t his. It never had been his. Could it be that now Lavinia was here, and by seeing her so regularly, it somehow… somehow did not matter?
No, that was ridiculous. Truly ridiculous. It was just a locket.
“No, no, of course not,” he said, smiling nervously. “I beg your pardon. I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight. I would like to speak to you soon, though. Tomorrow, perhaps?”
Her eyes widened. “If you like.”
He nodded abruptly. “We can’t discuss it here.”
“As you wish.”
A silence descended between them, the noise of the Assembly rooms hemming in. Lavinia broke the quiet first.
