Further, it had begun to dawn on him that perhaps it was not a bad thing that he would take her into supper. Perhaps there was a way to plant the seeds of retreat in her mind. Perhaps ifshethought the ladies ought to exit from the SSLE, she might plant that seed in the other ladies’ minds.
After all, they had indicated amongst themselves that they were bored at the literary society meeting they had already attended. At least, according to Mr. Haventops’ recounting of it to Makepeace. Certainly there might be a way to provide a graceful and face-saving slipping out of the door.
Why should she wish to go on with it anyway? It was not as if her Corinthian would be found in his salon.
He approached Lady Cordelia, who was fairly surrounded by gentlemen lamenting that they had not secured a dance and pestering her to vow that she would allow them on her card at the next ball in which they encountered one another.
The usual dramatics arisen from the minds of foolish fops.
Of course, he would not say so aloud, as some of them were from his own club. He got along famously with Darden and some others, but there were those members who were a little too happy and carefree for his tastes.
“Lady Cordelia,” he said. “If I may?”
He held his arm out, gently nudging one of the fops to the side. With much sighing, they allowed her to pass and he led her to the floor.
As they waited for the music to strike up, he said, “I understand your father’s estate is in Somerset?”
It was the sort of vague conversation he could use to pass the time before he found his opportunity to hint at an exit from the SSLE.
“Yes, Westmont House is just west of Taunton,” Lady Cordelia said.
“That is not too bad a journey to Town, I trust it was pleasant?”
“It was most pleasant,” Lady Cordelia said. “We encountered several travelers who were genial, and then dear Lord Darling wassogenial that we’ve taken him into the house. Never was there a creature more aptly named—he reallyisa darling.”
Who was Lord Darling? He’d never heard of the gentleman. And then how had this Lord Darling managed to insert himself into the household?
Percival began to see how it might be so. Certainly, he was some crony of the earl’s.
“I suppose he’s very old then?” he said. “A friend of your father’s?”
“Lord Darling old? Goodness no,” Lady Cordelia said. “He’s young and full of fun. As for my father, he is so good-humored that he tolerates Lord Darling, but it is I and my sister who are smitten with him.”
Good Lord. What was going on in that house?
“Miss Mayton does not mind?” Percival asked, working to keep the incredulousness out of his tone.
“Why should Miss Mayton mind?” Lady Cordelia asked. “Lord Darling is hardly the first we have met upon the road and taken in.” She paused and then said, “Though he really is the most darling. Now, I will not say a word against Chester, but he does have the habit of screaming quite a bit.”
Chester? Who were these men? What was Chester screaming about? Why did the earl allow it?
Percival was silent, attempting to make sense of what he’d just heard. One would have thought, if such scandalous things were going on, that a person would not speak publicly about it!
Of course, there had always been talk of some sort regarding the Benningtons. The eldest sister had collected a whole pile of gentlemen mooning about her drawing room, then chucked them all out and married her country neighbor.
The second sister had allegedly arranged her own kidnapping so Conbatten might rescue her, though since the queen had expressed her displeasure over the story nobody talked about it publicly.
Then the third sister had come along and managed to get Baderston engaged for three duels on the same morning; somehow they didn’t come off, and then the whole family eloped to Gretna Green in some sort of mass migration.
Did any of these husbands now married to a Bennington know about Chester? Or the more recently arrived Lord Darling? They must do, one could not exactly hide a houseguest. Especially not a screaming one.
Their turn came and Percival led Lady Cordelia through the steps. She was very graceful on the floor, as all the Bennington ladies seemed to be. He could not say the same for himself. He felt rather…discombobulated.
Finally, the dancers had all completed their steps and the people in the ballroom turned as if they were a tide and headed toward the dining room. Percival never could understand why there was such a hurry to get there, as there would be nothing good found upon arrival.
They passed two of the gentlemen who had surrounded Lady Cordelia when he’d gone to collect her for the dance.
They both bowed low. One rose and said, “Until we meet again.”
