‘Isn’t he rather serious?’ Sophia analysed as she watched the Duke ignoring his dance partner.
‘Does she seem uncomfortable to you?’ queried Nathaniel with concern.
‘How is the evening?’ A voice interrupted their whispers. Sophia and Nathaniel turned to see Lord Albert Dutton who had approached from across the room.
Sophia recognised the gentleman instantly, from her debut season last year. They had locked eyes across various ballrooms and been formally introduced but only once shared a brief conversation.
Sophia stood a little too quickly, disrupting the chair she had been sitting.
‘Lord Dutton!’
Nathaniel shot his cousin a knowing look and smiling wryly, stood, bowing to the newcomer.
‘Lord Dutton, how are you faring?’
‘Quite splendidly, Lord Bryant,’ Albert bowed back.
Turning his attention to Sophia, he took her hand and kissed it, bending very slowly, maintaining eye contact, with a mischievous smile on his face.
‘Lady Camden, thrilling to see you again.’
Sophia regarded him with narrowed eyes and an amused expression ‘Thrilling, Lord Dutton?’
‘Absolutely,’ he straightened up and continued. ‘It is a pleasure to meet with many here this evening – Lord Bryant, for instance; I take pleasure in meeting with him again. We discuss the prominent art galleries in town that we enjoy frequenting. The Duke of Montwood, I spoke with earlier – always a pleasure; friends since Eton, much shared history to discuss. But to meet withyouagain, Lady Camden…’ he paused, loading his sentiment with poignancy ‘is a thrill to me.’
Sophia couldn’t stop the smile that etched its way onto her face, nor the laugh that broke out at his teasing.
‘How fortunate for you, dear cousin. To be thethrillof the ball!’ Nathaniel contributed. Sophia shot him a mocking look of reprimand and the three of them laughed.
Sophia delicately took back her hand, which Albert had continued to hold. The two of them watched as she slipped her palm gently from his. Albert was known for his charm and recklessness. Sophia noted the twinkle in his eye and whilst it caused her pulse to race, she warned herself against it – no good could come from attraction to a rake such as Lord Albert Dutton.
The music changed and they all turned instinctively to the dance floor as the tempo picked up.
Albert turned enthusiastically to Sophia.
‘Would you like to dance, Lady Camden?’
Sophia’s lips fluttered with a smile and she looked reluctantly down at his extended palm, deliberating whether to accept.
‘Cousin, it is an evening for joy – do accept and dance!’ Nathaniel urged.
Sophia cast a look quickly over at her cousin, then back at Albert, whose eyebrows were raised in expectation. It struck her that he had no consideration she might say ‘no.’ Here was a man with unfaltering confidence.
‘I would,’ Sophia quietly nodded, placing her hand in his.
Nathaniel clapped his hands together, watching as the two of them made their way toward the dance floor.
As they took their places, Sophia appraised Albert’s self-assured stance. He stood tall and smiled down at her fondly. Sensing a stirring in the crowd around them, Sophia turned to look at the faces bordering the dance floor.
Several of the ladies, all in the finest gowns and jewellery, were staring openly at Lord Dutton – a few of them watching the couple and sharing gossip behind hands that masked their lips. Eyes betrayed a spark of envy and when Albert followed Sophia’s gaze, a few of the ladies fluttered eyelashes at him or giggled holding a palm to their chest.
They turned back to one another and Sophia raised one eyebrow, silently challenging him to impress her. Roguishly, Albert grinned, accepting the unspoken dare.
They began the jaunty dance and Sophia was instantly pleased she’d accepted. Albert smiled throughout and never took his eyes off her face. He certainly was handsome, with sparkly blue eyes framed by dark lashes. Nathaniel had been right – this was fun.
Albert was a wonderful dancer; much more adept than most of her dance partners throughout her debut season. Their steps of the Quadrille seemed so perfectly in time; they moved together in smooth synchronicity.
‘You are a close friend of the host family, is that correct?’ Albert inquired.
