“Chasing the French on a boat at night. Have you ever heard of anything more outlandish and as likely to lead to death?” Valor asked. “To think, a person looks out upon a vast and dark sea and knows the enemy lurks out there somewhere and thinks he ought to raise the sails and go find them?”
“Perhaps he’s not the right gentleman for you, then,” Mrs. Right said. “Anyway, Poppet, such an important decision on how you are to spend the rest of your life does not need to be made in one season. You have all the time in the world.”
“That’s right, I really do. I do not have to rush into anything, no matter who I meet,” Valor said. She had thought the very same more than a few times. Her papa would not mind it if she were to require a second season to be really certain of the gentleman who would suit.
“Well, I find it a shame. When I first saw him, I was certain you would be struck.”
Valor did not answer. The truth was, she had been struck. He was devilishly handsome and she’d enjoyed talking to him quite a bit. Except for the part of the conversation where he revealed himself to be a madman intent on personal destruction.
They had reached Lord Tramondeley’s doorstep all too soon. The butler had clearly been keeping an eye out as the door swung open before they used the knocker. That gentleman was at first at a loss over what to do with Thomas, but he concluded that he would lead him to the ballroom and fetch him some ale while he waited. Thomas appeared enormously agreeable to the plan, as he was not at all used to being led to a ballroom and given ale in the middle of the afternoon.
Valor, Serenity, and Mrs. Right were led into the drawing room tofind Lord Tramondeley and Lord Ledderbey waiting for them.
Lord Tramondeley said, “I fear this has been an imposition, Lady Valor.”
She shook her head no, but she did not have any words in response because itwasvery much an imposition. As she thought that, though, she could not help noticing how well he looked in his morning coat. She suspected he’d look even more spectacular in riding clothes. Most gentlemen looked very well in their riding clothes.
“Now,” Lord Ledderbey said, “as this current imposition has really been all my fault, I have done my very best to inform Lord Tramondeley of some of the basic steps.”
From the expression on Lord Tramondeley’s face, it did not seem as if he had enjoyed the experience of dancing with the older gentleman.
“I showed him as many of the steps as I could recall. I am afraid, though, that I did not make a very convincing lady,” Lord Ledderebey said.
“You are not to fret over it, Lord Ledderbey,” Serenity said. “Dancing is very natural and I’m certain Lord Tramondeley shall take to it in a trice.”
“A trice might be rather too hopeful,” Lord Tramondeley said.
They proceeded to the ballroom to find Thomas sitting on a stool with a half empty glass of ale. He jumped up and set it down on a windowsill.
“We should probably begin with a simple country dance,” Valor said. “Lord Tramondeley, I am sure Lord Ledderbey has already explained that the top couple will dance the steps and then everyone else only need copy them. At Almack’s, I would suggest you put yourself very far down the line. That way, you can see it demonstrated more than once.”
Serenity looked critically at the group. “I wish we had more people. We ought to have thought of it and made all our sisters bring theirhusbands. Why did I not even think of bringing Thorpe? He would have been delighted to assist.”
Valor was not certain of Lord Thorpe’s delight, but he certainly would have done whatever Serenity asked of him. She was not aware of a single time that lord had not indulged his wife. He’d even gone so far as to build a crypt for the dead bees she’d been collecting all her life though he likely did not understand the need for it.
Valor determined that while it would be nice to have more people, they had to work with what they’d got. “Let’s begin with a curtsy and bow, then a righthand star, then a two hand turn to return to our places,” Valor said. She was not certain what she could do with Lord Tramondeley, but at least he was listening closely. He seemed rather intent, actually.
He nodded and Thomas struck up his little violin. She curtsied and Lord Tramondeley bowed. They began the righthand star, both arriving to the opposite side of where they started and then the two hand turn to their original places. It was the first time their hands touched. It might be the first time she’d touched any man’s hand outside of her own father. Valor found herself stupidly flustered over it.
“That was very well done, Lord Tramondeley,” Serenity said.
Outside in the corridor came suddenly a lady’s voice. A very hearty woman’s voice. “I heard he was in Town. Lord Tramondeley was very naughty in not letting us know!”
“He will be delighted to see us, I can assure you,” another lady said.
Lord Tramondeley and Lord Ledderbey stared at each other. Valor thought they appeared almost panicked. “Lady Monroe and Lady Letitia,” Lord Ledderbey whispered.
“Will Malberry let them in?” Lord Tramondeley whispered.
Lord Ledderbey shrugged. “I do not know—I never thought to instruct him.”
“Engaged in the ballroom?” the woman Valor presumed was Lady Letitia shrieked. “Lead us there, we must discover what Lord Tramondeley is up to in that room at this time of day.”
Valor did not know who these two ladies were, but from the expressions of both lords upon hearing their demands to be shown in, she thought both gentlemen could not be eager to encounter either of them. Perhaps they were people from Cornwall who they’d hoped to avoid?
She was not so sure she was eager to encounter them either. They sounded very loud and forceful. Valor glanced at Serenity and found her wide-eyed. Mrs. Right, on the other hand, seemed to find the whole thing amusing. As did Thomas, who had picked up his ale and drained it in the interlude.
Two ladies sailed into the ballroom with a very contrite-looking butler following them. One was a very usual-looking middle-aged matron, the other was something else entirely. She was very tall and decorated from head to toe in all manner of ruffles, bits, and bobs. Her bonnet had more accoutrements than Valor had imagined possible, most startling being a sequined butterfly looking as if it were ready to take flight. Despite one lady being older, it was the younger with the fantastical hat who took the lead.
