Turley slapped Frits’s back, reminding him to walk forward. Yet as he greeted her and asked her to dance, he wondered briefly if he would have been better served by not asking one of Lady Dorie’s friends to stand up with him. Neither Lady Adeline’s gaze nor her manner had been more than merely polite. In fact, her eyes reminded him of scudding gray clouds before a storm. He was certain that if she could have refused to dance with him, she would have. It might have been unfair of him to ask the lady, but ever since they’d met, he’d wanted to stand up with her. He wanted to touch her even if it was only escorting her to and from the dance floor.
Still, getting to know her was going to be even harder than he’d originally believed. And he had not thought it would be easy in the first place. When he’d mentioned meeting her to his mother, she had pointed out that Lady Adeline might hold his behavior with Lady Dorie against him. He could understand loyalty. It was even possible he might feel the same about a lady who had hurt one of his friends. But how long could Lady Adeline’s coolness last? Perhaps the better question was, how long was Frits willing to wait?
During the set, she was all that was well-mannered, but when she looked at him, her smile didn’t reach her eyes, and, for the most part, her conversation did not rise above the mundane. He expected that from many young ladies, but not from her. Her intelligence had shone in her eyes before she had shuttered them to him, and he wanted to see it again. Lady Adeline was definitely a challenge, and he did like a good challenge.
Damnation. Was he doing it again? Deciding on a lady before he actually got to know her and what she wanted from life?
Yet he was drawn to her, more than he’d been to Lady Dorie. There was something about Lady Adeline that seemed quieter.
No, that wasn’t it. He couldn’t think of a word to describe her, but she was different. Yet, until he worked out what she wanted, the only thing he could do was take care that neither of them formed an attachment before he knew if they would suit.
Last year, he’d been dazzled by Lady Dorie’s beauty and intelligence and had not thought beyond that. This year, he had to look deeper and move more slowly. The problem was, he did not like being dismissed out of hand. He was too used to not having to work for a lady’s attention. Even if his initial thoughts about Lady Adeline were in error, he was determined that she would see him as something other than an object to be ignored.
Frits shook off his wounded pride and went back to reviewing their conversation. When he’d asked about the theater, he’d been happy with her response. He wished he could have spoken to her more, but the damned dance kept taking her away from him. The next time he asked her to dance it would be for a waltz. Perhaps he should have followed his mother’s advice and petitioned Lady Jersey to allow him to waltz with Lady Adeline, but he’d done that with Lady Dorie last Season.
Bloody hellhounds.
Was he going to have to try not to repeat anything he’d done last year? That would be impossible. Yet there were only so many options for a gentleman courting a lady . . . Except that now he had his mother in Town. Ergo, getting up a party for the theater would not be difficult, nor would a party to do anything else. He could even ask her to give a ball and a dinner party. As he escorted Lady Adeline back to her brother and sister-in-law, Frits’s good mood expanded as he saw his opportunities of contact with her increase. He’d have to speak with his mother about his plans soon.
He bowed to her again. “Thank you for the dance.”
“It was my pleasure.” Her tone was polite, but again her eyes gave her discontentment away. She really had not wanted to stand up with him. But her hand felt so right on his arm. As if it belonged there.
As soon as he returned her to her family, Frits found Turley. They were strolling back to where Frits’s mother was sitting when Mrs. Drummond-Burrell passed by on the arm of a gentleman he’d never seen before. And they were headed toward Lady Adeline.
“Who is that?” Frits scowled at the back of the man.
“Name’s Anglesey.” Turley had stopped strolling. “I met him last autumn when I visited m’sister in Paris.”
“Normanby’s eldest?” Frits tried to remember if he knew anything about the man and came up with nothing. He didn’t even think he’d seen him in Town before.
Turley nodded. “He’s a few years younger than we are. I understand he was schooled at home and then had a Grand Tour.”
There was nothing unusual in that for heirs. Frits had been happy he’d been sent to school. He had many more friends and acquaintances than he’d otherwise have. Yet, he did not like the look of that fellow. Although it could very well be because he was now bowing to Lady Adeline and she was smiling at him as if he was a gift from Heaven.
Turley chuckled softly. “It appears you have some competition.”
They’d see about that. Frits glanced at the other man again. “Do you know anything else about him?”
“No.” Turley slowly shook his head. “He was only at one event I attended at the embassy. M’sister might know more.” Brows drawn slightly together, his friend glanced at him. “You’re doing it again. You jumped into cold water with Lady Dorie prior to considering the ramifications, and you’re going to make the same mistake with Lady Adeline. This time you might not be lucky enough to avoid an unwanted marriage.”
Frits reached up to rub the back of his neck, but remembered where he was. “I thought about that. I promise to move more slowly, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find out more about my competition.” Or the lady.
Turley blew out a breath. “I’ll write to Elizabeth to tell her to expect a letter from you.”
“Thank you.” He really was the best of friends.
“Well”—Turley grinned—“she does owe you a favor for helping bring Harrington around.”
“It wasn’t that hard to do.” Frits had had a good time getting under Harrington’s skin. Frits was happy the couple were still madly in love. He only hoped he could find the same happiness.
He kept his frown to himself as Anglesey escorted Lady Adeline to the floor as the prelude for a waltz was beginning. At first she merely had a polite smile on her lips, and Anglesey was doing all the talking. The only thing Lady Adeline contributed to the conversation was a nod here and there.
Well, that answered Frits’s question. Turley had said the fribble had just returned from the Continent. Like many young men who had a Grand Tour, he was probably attempting to impress her with all he’d seen and done. Someone should give the man a hint, but it wouldn’t be Frits. As far as he was concerned, his wet-behind-the-ears lordship could bore her to tears while he encouraged her to talk about herself. The more he knew about her, the easier it would be to get her to stop trying to ignore him. But midway through the set, something changed, and soon she was smiling and chatting with the man as if she’d known him all her life.
Hell and damnation!
This was going to be even harder than he’d thought.
