AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Under her breath and seemingly unheard by the other ladies, Felicity mumbled, “I wouldn’t mind if a rich old man wanted to sweep me off my feet.”
Perdie turned her head to look at her friend, to include her in the conversation. But the attempt was drowned out by a riotous cheer of, “Dare! Dare!”
By the time the clamor died down, Lady Judith—always the first to encourage a dare—had splayed her hands wide. “What say you to these terms: the new Lord Sherburn can only have one first dance in London, and I say that I will be the woman to claim it.”
“Not likely!” Lady Elizabeth said, giggling. “I’ll take that dare.”
Several of the other ladies echoed her.
Not Lady Charity, whom Perdie doubted would even attend the earl’s ball. “I’ve already taken a dare recently, if you recall.”
Lady Judith’s eyes gleamed. “That you did, but you haven’t told us the results.”
Perdie had never witnessed Lady Charity turn quite that shade of plum. She opened her mouth but couldn’t seem to find the right words.
Perhaps seeking to save her friend from some embarrassment, Lady Prue turned the conversation back to the dare. “I’m afraid I can’t fight for the new earl’s first dance, either. I am already married.”
Lady Charity, latching on to the new topic, teased, “That you are, but if you dance with another earl, perhaps yours will fear losing you.”
Perdie laughed along with the others, but Prue had a more contemplative look to her. She worried her plump lower lip with the tip of her finger.
Lady Judith asked, “And you, Perdie? Will you take part in the dare?”
Prue tapped her chin. “I think this is more a wager. Theo would probably collapse if any of us walked up to this earl and asked him to dance. Because my dears, that is what a dare will encourage us to do!”
Several peals of laughter sounded.
“I believe you are right,” Lady Elizabeth said. “A wager it is then. The first of us to win will receive that pretty lace shawl my father brought for me from Brussels. Let’s all put something in this pot, and the winner will collect it all!”
More caroused yeses from the ladies sounded.
“We shall wear out prettiest dresses, have our maids do up our hair in the latest styles, and we will flirt like the best of them all,” Charity said, laughing. “Are you partaking, Perdie?”
Perdie shook her head. “I don’t care one way or another if this new earl is a miser or an Adonis. I have no wish to dance with him or anyone else for the next season or two.”
The others whistled, though Perdie couldn’t tell if they were meant to be whistles of appreciation or teasing. Lady Elizabeth laughed and nearly tripped over on the floor. Someone ought to take that wineglass away from her, for there was little humor to be found in Perdie’s reply.
“Who will be able to tempt you to the dancefloor and marriage. A king?”
The question was in jest, but Perdie answered it seriously. “No. But I won’t marry any man who doesn’t treat me like an equal. I daresay it might be easier to find a talking cow.”
Lady Charity nodded to her in approval. “Now that’s the most sensible thing I’ve heard all afternoon.”
Perdie smiled, and she thought of the ball. There was an odd restlessness upon her heart, and she doubted a ball would fix the matter.
Or it might just be the very thing I need.
