When the four women joined in the center for their circle, Beth’s expression was one of suppressed humor, her eyes glistening with tears of merriment. Rose merely nodded at her. The other two couples in their round tried to stare only at each other, carefully avoiding looking at their opposing dancers except when necessary. But it was hard not to stare at Rose’s innovations to the standard quadrille steps or hear her mutterings every time she took her place with Broxley.
The performance continued until Thomas realized that everyone in their circle was watching Rose almost constantly—even Broxley.My God, she’s brilliant!By drawing the attention to herself and making it appear Beth’s partner was a truly horrific dancer, the interaction between Beth and him became almost nonexistent. Everyone in their circle began to look askance at Broxley and even the other two women held their distance.
As the dance ended, Broxley circled Beth next to Thomas. “Your partner is a menace, Newbury,” he hissed.
Thomas stepped between Rose and the man. “And yours is my sister, in case you have forgotten.”
Broxley froze a moment, then sneered. “Are you going to thrash me with your cane?”
Thomas leaned a bit closer. “If necessary.”
“Are you threatening me?”
Thomas shook his head. “It’s just a reminder that I take care of what’s mine.”
Robert appeared at Thomas’s side. “Broxley. Is there a problem?”
The man drew himself to his full height. “You both should go back to Campion’s hell where you belong. You have no place in Polite Society.”
Rose stepped from behind Thomas, her voice clear and even. “As the heir to a powerful dukedom, I believe he has as much right to be here as you do, probably more.” Her gaze traveled over Broxley, head to toe, with a look of pure disdain. “Your father is a disgraced duke who is at the point of penury. If you do not reproduce and find income, the estate will revert to the crown at your death, if not before, given the lack of revenue. You are here merely at the gracious nature of our hosts and their fondness for what used to be. They might be interested to know exactly how much you owe the aforementioned Mr. Campion. How close you are, yourself, to despondency. Evidence that you are plotting to ruin the daughter of a duke in order to save yourself would, in fact, complete your descent.”
Broxley stared at her. “You are a liar and a fool.”
Rose shrugged. “Fool, most certainly. But I do not lie about something for which I have evidence.”
Broxley scoffed at her, his voice low. “You cannot.”
Robert closed the circle a little tighter. “You want to risk it, Broxley? Do you want to test how close we all are to Bill Campion?”
The first notes of the next dance began to float around them and Beth edged her way between Thomas and Rose. “Can you move? People are staring. And the next dance is starting. My new partner approaches.”
Thomas continued to stare flatly at Broxley. “I think we are finished here.”
“Indeed,” snarled Broxley, who spun and headed for the terrace with long determined strides.
“Revolting man,” Beth whispered. She turned, delivering a broad smile to the young man who approached her from the edge of the floor.
Thomas nodded at him as they passed, then whispered to Rose. “What about him?”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, he’s good. A little high in the instep but completely honorable. The most danger he is to Beth is that he will bore her to tears.”
As they reached the edge of the dance floor and stepped back up on the tier, Robert circled around them and grabbed Rose’s hands. “You are glorious! I had completely forgotten how much fun you can be!”
Startled, Rose reared back, bumping into Thomas, who steadied her with a hand on her upper arm. He frowned at his brother with a pointed glance at his clutches on Rose’s hands. “Robert...”
Robert released her hands, but his enthusiasm continued. “You had the entire ballroom convinced Broxley was the most incompetent dancer who ever lived.”
Her cheeks pinked as she fought a grin for a moment, then gave up with a polite, “Thank you, Lord Robert. I have discovered the hard way that people believe what they think they see.”
Thomas understood with another flash of admiration for this woman who was so much more than she appeared. “You enticed the worst of his behavior forward for the world to witness.”
“I’ve been out for a long time, Lord Newbury. Most of the people here know who I am. They feel pity for me. Poor, unattractive Rose, so long on the shelf, so plain next to her sisters. But they still know I amLadyRose, the daughter of an earl. For him to treat me such did not look bad forme.”
“Even though you lured it out of him.”
She shrugged, then grinned. “They see what they want to see.”
Robert looked at Thomas. “You underestimate this one at your own peril.”
