“No, he has not apologized and that was not what the duke spoke of. He said I could not be expected to tie myself to a gentleman of so little sense.”
“Tie… you mean he thought Lord Hampton had proposed?”
“Yes. No. I do not know. It was a remarkable thing to say.”
“Indeed it was,” Sybil said thoughtfully. “Though if his father is not entirely mistaken, then perhaps Lord Hampton plans to. What shall you say? Would you consider it?”
“Certainly not,” Cassandra said with perhaps more finality than she actually felt.
“Well, then, I suppose it matters little what the duke thinks or what Lord Hampton plans to do. In any case, I suppose the lord will be too busy opening doors and taking coats to inconvenience you.”
“I do not know how we are to act,” Cassandra said. “Do we ignore them?”
“I plan to,” Sybil said, sticking out her chin, “they are nothing to me.”
Cassandra was inclined to agree with her friend, though she could not claim the gentlemen were nothing to her. Particularly not one of the gentlemen.
The idea that he’d planned to propose! If it were true, it was both thrilling and horrifying. How was she to agree to wed a man who had done such damage to her? If he had truly paid for his misdeed, she might soften somewhat. However, she did not believe acting as a footman for one evening would quite suffice.
And yet, there was that Lord Hampton that had lived so pleasantly in her imagination. What she would not give to marrythatLord Hampton, if only he were real.
No matter, she was at Carlton House at a ball given in her honor. She must do everything she could to get through it creditably and she would simply ignore any footmen milling about.
Now that she had resolved upon a point of view, she turned to look at the room. Lord Burke entered and made his way to her.
“Miss Knightsbridge!” he said, approaching them. “Lady Sybil. Miss Knightsbridge, I could not be happier to see you here and in good spirits.”
Cassandra said, “My aunt and I owe you quite the debt, Lord Burke.”
Seeing he looked confused while glancing at Sybil, she said, “My dear friend knows everything of that awful evening and the great service you provided.”
“Ah, I see. For my part, I have discussed it with nobody but my mother. She is delighted that you are to be honored this evening, and even more delighted that Lady Montague has been run out of town.”
Cassandra could not but help laugh at the notion. Though she had resolved to pity anybody coming under threat from gossip and further decided she would never be the means of spreading it, Lady Montague had been the lynchpin of her near destruction. Cassandra might wish to be good, but she did not aim to be a saint.
“May I?” Lord Burke said, holding his hand out for her card.
As he wrote his name in, he said, “I see you open the ball with the prince. An honor indeed, if your toes survive the experience.”
“I shall remain watchful of heavy feet coming in my direction,” Cassandra said, laughing.
In a lower voice, Lord Burke said, “I have heard the gentlemen who caused you such distress will not be among the prince’s guests this evening.”
Cassandra glanced at Sybil, who pressed her lips tightly together to hide a smile.
“Goodness, Lord Burke, did you not note the footmen lingering out of doors and helping guests from their carriages?” Cassandra asked.
“Footmen?” Lord Burke asked, clearly puzzled.
“Indeed,” Sybil said. “All six of them. There is one, just standing at the door.”
Lord Burked turned and took in Lord Dalton, scowl on his face and dressed in livery.
“Now that is a joke,” he said softly.
The room began to fill with chattering guests and it seemed as if Cassandra were their north star. All began to drift toward her and the next half hour was filled with conversation. Some complimented her dress, some referred obliquely to what had occurred, though they claimed now to have never believed a word of it, others congratulated her on her daring rescue of the dowager.
Cassandra felt as if she were surrounded by friends, though she did not forget how quickly they had once turned from her.
