Lord Dashlend laughed. “A most interesting game,” he said.
“Will we see Lady Margaret?” Felicity asked.
This seemed to give Lord Dashlend pause. Then he said, “You would be hard-pressed to miss her, I think. Lord Harraby brings her.” At the mention of those two people, Grace saw the lord’s eyes widen as he looked past her. Softly, he said, “It is more astonishing than my imagination could conjure.”
Grace peeked over her shoulder. There indeed was Lady Margaret. Lord Harraby escorted her forward as she left a line of stunned patronesses in her wake. The lady had seemed to reach very far back into her wardrobe and retrieved a yellow striped damask gown with a short train that was lifted on either side to give the lady the appearance of her hips being four times their usual width.
“Here we go,” the duke said, chuckling. “She’s gone for panniers.”
Lord Harraby looked exceedingly proud to lead Lady Margaret through the throng, making way for her. It was well he did, as the lady did need room to get through.
“Here we all are,” Lady Margaret said. “Goodness, it is rather wonderful to have so many friends these days. My social calendar has really filled up.”
Grace could not help but be charmed by the lady, regardless of what interesting fashion she chose to wear.
“When I set eyes on Lady Margaret this evening,” Lord Harraby said, “I was transported back to my youth.”
Lady Margaret fanned herself. “Lord Harraby is most considerate of me. He has hired a giant of a fellow to carry me in and out of his carriage.”
“The lady deserves nothing less!” Lord Harraby said.
Grace thought that was a very sensible idea, as she did not see how Lord Harraby would accomplish the operation on his own. Especially not with the oversized dimensions of her dress.
“Lord Dashlend,” Lady Margaret said, “I wonder if you would retrieve a card for me.”
Lord Dashlend looked taken aback. “Ah, I see, you will dance?”
“Only the first with Lord Harraby,” Lady Margaret said. “He was quite insistent, you see. Look, I brought my dance fan.”
Lady Margaret unfurled a fan that had perhaps seen better days. It was covered in tiny writing, each fold outlining the dance steps for… dances that had been popular long ago.
“We’ve poured over it,” Lord Harraby said, jerking a thumb toward the fan, “it all came back to us as if it were yesterday.”
“I feel quite up to tossing aside my cane and taking to the floor, but perhaps I ought to save my steps,” Lady Margaret said.
“I’m saving my steps too,” Lord Harraby noted, no doubt the reason why somebody else must retrieve the lady’s card. “Your Grace, if you might carry those two chairs over there into the ballroom, we will sit until it is time for us to go forward in the endeavor.”
With that, the couple toddled off toward the ballroom.
Her father snorted and motioned to Mr. Stratton. They picked up two chairs that sat against the wall and followed the couple.
Lord Dashlend held out his arms to Grace and Felicity. “Shall we follow this circus?”
Grace laughed. “I feel we ought to ensure we are in Lady Margaret’s vicinity, in case she or Lord Harraby require assistance of some sort. I am rather afraid they will not know the steps.”
“Indeed, or have the stamina they are hoping for. Lady Margaret is my relation and living in my house, I must be certain she comes out of this unscathed. Let us keep the couple nearby the chairs Lord Harraby very boldly ordered the duke to carry in, lest they require them at some point.”
“I do so like interesting people,” Felicity said.
Lord Dashlend laughed and they followed their party into the ballroom.
The duke and Mr. Stratton had already situated Lady Margaret and Lord Harraby in their chairs. Lord Harraby looked longingly in Lady Margaret’s direction as he seemed to be sitting further away from her than he would like. However, her panniers demanded their own space.
The musicians were already tuning and the ball would soon begin.
“Lady Grace, Lord Dashlend, Your Grace,” Lady Lavender said, approaching them.
“Lady Lavender, well met,” Lord Dashlend said. “Do you know Mr. Stratton and Lady Felicity?”
