“Littleton, good evening.” He lifted his hand, and a footman appeared with champagne.
“Good evening to you.” Frits took a glass.
Exeter joined them. “Can I ask both of you to stand up with Miss Chatham again this evening?”
“Of course,” Turley replied.
Frits nodded his agreement. “When do you expect Dursley back?”
“He’ll be here tonight. Not a word to anyone. It’s to be a surprise for Miss Chatham.”
“And Lytton as well, I imagine,” Turley muttered.
Exeter grinned. “A very unwelcome surprise for his lordship.”
“Something tells me this will be a momentous ball.” Frits followed Adeline’s progress down the stairs into the room. Thank God this farce would end tonight. “I’m going to join Lady Adeline and her family. Do you wish to join me?”
Turley shook his head. “I’m waiting for someone to arrive.”
“Very well. I shall see you later.” Frits threaded his way through the crowded room to where Miss Chatham stood and asked her for a set, then made his way to Adeline. As soon as Exeter had made his feelings known to Lady Dorie, Frits intended to ask Adeline to allow him to court her. Mentioning marriage would only scare her. But first, she had to see that her friend was making a much better match than she would have with him. As his mother had pointed out, and he concurred, it was growing increasingly clear that Lady Dorie was as much in love with Exeter as he was with her. After she was settled, perhaps, Adeline would forgive Frits for hurting her friend and allow herself to know him even better. Frits already knew exactly how and in which ways he wanted to better know Adeline. She was temptation personified.
“My lady.” He bowed and, after kissing her fingers, placed her hand on his arm.
“My lord.” She raised one brow. “Are you still hiding from some lady or another?”
Every single one of them except for her. “One can never be too careful.”
The orchestra finished tuning their instruments, and Wivenly stepped over to them. “Adeline, my dance, I believe?”
She grinned. “Yes, it is.”
She placed her hand on his arm, and Frits felt as if he’d lost part of himself. If only events had fallen in line for Exeter to have secured Dorie sooner, so that Frits could have properly courted Adeline, been betrothed to her, and had all her dances.
He glanced around the room. Exeter stood next to Miss Chatham and her mother. Frits should have asked when exactly Dursley was going to present himself. Then again, maybe it was better if Frits didn’t know.
He’d be watching the clock slowly mark the time. Adeline was the only other lady with whom he would dance this evening. Not that he usually stood up with other ladies. It was also growing increasingly difficult to see her go off with other gentlemen. If the Fates were kind, much of that would soon change.
Frits was leading Miss Chatham out for their set when Lady Dorie and Fotheringale strolled through the French doors, followed shortly thereafter by Exeter. There was only one reason Frits could think of for Fotheringale to want to go outside with her. The man was going to propose. Leave it to a dunderhead like that to make a mull of their plans. No wonder Exeter was making haste after them.
They still had not returned by the time the set ended, and Frits was back with Adeline. Fotheringale strode back into the ballroom in a dudgeon.
“What is Lord Fotheringale doing?” Adeline asked.
“It appears as if he is departing.” That was promising.
“Without taking his leave of my mother?” Her brows slanted down into a frown.
Frits grinned. Fotheringale was going to hear about his behavior. “Apparently so.”
“Well.” Adeline had not thought the man could be so rude. He had almost made it to the stairs when she finally caught a glimpse of his face. “He looks angry.”
Littleton continued to grin. “He does, doesn’t he?”
Something was going on. “Do you know what is happening?”
“I think he was planning to propose to Lady Dorie and—”
Exeter and Dorie had entered from the terrace. Adeline held up her hand, silencing him. “What is Dorie doing?”
