Page 42 of Evie and Louis: The Story so Far

“The school? What on earth would a man like Vane want to know about her charitable school for?” Viv asked, which was a fair question. Vane’s reputation was not one for philanthropy. Indeed, he was something of a devil if half of the stories were to be believed, though after dancing with him, Evie wasn’t certain she did believe them. She’d rather liked him.

“I have a dance with Mr Lane-Fox later,” Evie told Viv. “I shall spend my time telling him how marvellous you are.”

Viv laughed and took her arm. “Thank you, darling. That’s sweet, though I think I shall need more help than that.” She gave her brother a pointed stare. He groaned.

“Very well. I shall go and ingratiate myself,” Ash muttered, and set off to befriend Mr Lane-Fox.

Viv nudged Evie. “I believe your next dance partner approaches.”

Evie turned to see Louis had found her in the crush.

“Are you avoiding me?” he asked, crooking one elegant eyebrow. “Or have you forgotten you gave me the next dance?”

“Of course not!” Evie protested, before spying Mr Godwin at his elbow. He was a nice man, good natured, if rather too talkative. She wondered if he had driven Louis mad yet. “Oh, good evening, Mr Godwin. How lovely to see you.”

“Miss Knight, a pleasure as always. You look in prime twig this evening, if you don’t mind me saying so.” His gaze drifted to Vivien and his colour rose dramatically. “Miss Anson,” he added reverently as he gave a deep bow.

Viv smiled in return, and Godwin looked as if he might pass out. Louis exchanged an amused glance with Evie, who hurried to put the fellow at his ease.

“Are you enjoying the ball, Mr Godwin? Mr Hadley-Smythe mentioned you returned from Brighton especially.”

“Oh, yes, marvellous,” he agreed, returning his attention to Evie with relief. “Good time to make merry and be with friends. Never liked New Year. Makes me gloomy. Don’t know why. Don’t like things ending, I suppose. Seems sad, don’t it? Like saying goodbye to an old friend.”

“Or perhaps greeting a new one,” Evie suggested.

“Oh, I say. Yes, that’s a better way of thinking of it,” he said, brightening.

Louis looked around as the orchestra struck up once more. “My dance,” he said, offering Evie his arm.

Evie smiled and nodded, though she felt rather guilty at leaving poor Mr Godwin with Viv, who obviously intimidated him. With one anxious glance over her shoulder at them, she followed Louis onto the dance floor.

Chapter 20

Just a Little Daring

31st December 1840, Cavendish House, The Strand, London.

Evie laughed as the ballroom erupted and the clock struck midnight.

“Bonne Année, ma petite,” whispered a voice in her ear. She grinned, not needing to turn around to know who spoke to her, his breath fluttering against the back of her neck.

“Happy New Year, Louis,” she replied softly, though she did turn then, to see him smiling at her, his expression warm and pleased.

“I have hardly seen you this evening,” he said, a touch of reproach in his voice. “You have been like quicksilver, always slipping away.”

Evie reached out to take his hand and give it a brief squeeze. Everyone was too busy celebrating to notice them now. “I am sorry, truly. I don’t know where the time has gone. It’s flown past far too quickly, and now it’s next year already!”

His lips curved into a rueful smile and Evie decided she must persuade him to sit for a portrait. Such a man ought to be recorded, supposing anyone could capture his presence, and not simply his beautiful face.

“So it is, and you are well on your way to achieving your New Year's resolution… and eighteen forty-one hardly begun. Though you promised I could help you on your quest to have fun, I might remind you. It is hardly kind of you to leave me out.”

“And you have helped me,” she protested as he moved to shield her from the overexcited jostling of some inebriated young men. Louis sent them a murderous glare and the men lurched away in the opposite direction.

“You only danced with me once,” he said with a heavy sigh, taking her hand and placing it on his arm.

“I did not intend it that way, only everyone was so insistent it was impossible to refuse them,” she said, regretting now that she had not saved him a second dance.

“You found a dance for Vane and Mr Lane-Fox,” he said lightly, though she could feel tension in the flexing muscle beneath her fingers.