She curtseyed. “It is, my lord.”
They stepped onto the dance floor and took their places in the set. Yet, Theo could not concentrate. Fortunately, she knew the dance well enough that she did not need to mind her steps. Lady Giselle joined the set with a gentleman Theo did not know. At least it was not Lord Ashford. Lady Giselle would have had to have planned to meet Chandos sometime after the dance. Theo kept an eye on Lady Giselle, who glanced around the room regularly looking for someone. Then Theo saw it. The footman. Of course it was. How else would she have known the note had been delivered? The first part of the set had ended, and she left the dance floor. Theo glanced to where her family was gathered. Sarah had a smug smile on her face. From the corner of her eye, Theo saw Lord Ashford leave the room. Her only regret was that she would not be there to see whatever happened.
“Lady Theo, are you all right?” Bolingbroke sounded concerned.
“Perfectly.” She smiled at him as the music began again. “Are you standing up with Miss Cunningham?”
“I am.” The corners of his lips rose. “She has agreed to dance the supper set with me.”
“Excellent.”
A few minutes later there were loud gasps and exclamations. The music stopped. A footman went to Lady Giselle’s mother, and the lady left the room. The servant then went to the Duchess of Shrewsbury, and she followed Lady Giselle’s mother.
“Something’s going on,” Bolingbroke said. “Allow me to return you to your family.”
Oh, thank God. Theo did not think she could have continued to stand here with all the commotion and not give in to the temptation to follow. “Thank you. What are you going to do?”
He gave her a slightly guilty look. “I’m going to see what happened.”
She could not think of anything to say, other than she would like to go as well but could not. So, she nodded. By the time she returned, Chandos was there with Sarah and Marrow.
“Where is Bolingbroke going?” Marrow asked.
“To see what the fuss is about.”
“I wonder how they will handle it,” Sarah said, staring in the direction that several of the guests were walking.
“I suppose we will find out soon.” Theo could not look away either.
Not many minutes later, Lord Ashford, his mother, and Lady Giselle, and her mother reentered the ballroom. Lady Giselle had a shawl tied around her shoulders.
“Good Lord!” Sarah gasped. “Did she actually rip her bodice?”
“It appears like it,” Chandos, who had been silent, commented drily. “Stupid chit.”
Lady Smythe and Mrs. Smythe reentered the room, both wearing happy smiles. They went to the couple and their mothers. The room fell silent as the ladies clapped their hands. “We have some excellent news, Lord Ashford and Lady Giselle Darnel are to be wed.”
Footmen came around with champagne. Leo took two glasses, handing one to Theo. “I suppose we must toast to the happy couple.” He gazed across the room to where they were standing and raised his glass to them. He didn’t care that they knew he was happy they’d failed.
“That was exciting,” Kenilworth said. He stared directly at Theo. “How did you manage it?”
Leo resisted a laugh as she opened her eyes wide and gave her brother-by-marriage an innocent look. “Manage what?”
Kenilworth fixed her with a firm look. “Do not try to bamboozle me, my girl. I’ve known you much too long.”
“We were all in on it.” Leo indicated Theo, Sarah, and Marrow. “We had a feeling Lady Giselle and Ashford were up to something.”
“We did.” Sarah smiled. “When the footman came looking for Chandos, I directed him to Lord Ashford.”
Kenilworth glanced at Theo again. “You, I take it, came up with the plan.”
She had the grace to look at least slightly guilty. “Mary and I, but only the outline. Everyone had a hand in working out the details.”
“But truly,” Sarah said, “Theo and I were not sure it would work.”
Theo nodded. “I do not understand how they did not figure out what our response would be.”
Leo wanted to take her in his arms. “It was as Miss Pettigrew said, Lady Giselle believes everyone is like her. And she does not have the intelligence to realize that someone would plan against her.” He glanced down at Theo. “It was a good scheme.”
