Page 6 of Lady Theodora’s Christmas Wish

Anyway, this one was barely out of the schoolroom – he had always liked his women rather more sophisticated and experienced than the average young Lady of the ton. He had to admit though, he could no longer hold to his determination not to marry. The Dukedom needed an heir. He pushed the though aside, finished his greetings, and turned, with his hosts, to go into the Ballroom.

~~~~~

Catherine had watched the interaction between Theodora and the Duke with some amusement – she suspected that Theodora was smitten.

Which may well be a good thing, so long as it did not go too far. Theodora was a dreamer, she was a girl made for romance, for activity and adventure, not for sitting quietly by and being bland in the way that was usually expected of the young ladies of the ton.

And Catherine was glad of it, where many mothers might not be. For her own mother had been scandalous in her time, and Catherine and Charles’ marriage had also been rather dramatic and touched with scandal. They were none the worse for it, and she was quite sure that love was worth it. Let Theodora find her own way, so long as she was not trapped into anything she did not want. Catherine would watch, and protect, but she would never try to lock the girl away.

The Duke was a bit of a surprise. She had not seen him for a year or so, since the wedding of James Blackwood, who was now Viscount Weirton, (his great uncle having finally expired of his longstanding illness) when the Duke had still been the Marquess of Travers, and had stood up with Blackwood at the wedding. Then, he had been a confirmed bachelor, with a history of dissolute and rakish behaviour to rival Blackwood’s. It would seem that becoming the Duke had reformed him rather.

Or perhaps it was the effect of seeing Blackwood a changed man, and happy for it? Whatever the cause, he looked fitter, steadier, and more handsome as a result.

~~~~~

Meanwhile Tia was finding herself, now that she had been released from the duty of receiving guests, rather overwhelmed by the flock of gentlemen who vied for her attention.

It seemed that her dance card would be full, but she was having some difficulty in arranging things to ensure that those she did not want to dance with were not deeply offended. It became easier when she realised that there were more gentlemen than dances.

But… he had not joined the throng – how could her dream happen, her wish come true, if he did not dance with her? She had no more time to consider, as the orchestra struck up with the tune for a well-known country dance, and the gentleman who had claimed her swept her away to the floor.

Three dances later, she was beginning to see that dancing so much could be exhausting, but that conversing with some of these gentlemen as she danced was even more so. She fanned herself vigorously, glad of the short break between dances, but beginning to be annoyed with the press of gentlemen.

Tia was, however, rather pleased to see that those young ladies who had most scorned her company in the past were looking most envious now, as the eligible men flocked to her. At least that part of her dream had come true (however poor spirited of her it had been to wish it).

Glancing away, wishing something, anything to look at except Viscount Albemarle’s spotty face, as he rambled on in an insipid attempt to flatter her, she looked past his shoulder, to discover the Duke watching her, from across the room. For a moment, again, their eyes locked, and Viscount Albemarle’s rather grating voice faded away, and it seemed that there was nothing, and no-one, in the room, but her, and the Duke.