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Jonathan bowed towards the young lady who, he noted, did not smile at him as she rose from her curtsey.
“Good evening, Miss Newfield. I am glad to make your acquaintance.”
“As am I,” she murmured, although that expected smile still did not touch her lips.
“Miss Newfield lives in Scotland, and finds London to be very dreary indeed compared to the wind and the waves that crash along the cliffs near to her father’s estate,” Miss Docherty smiled, her eyes dancing as Jonathan grinned. “But we must try to improve things for her!”
Miss Newfield’s lips turned upwards but only briefly.
“London suits me very well, I thank you.”
“And is your father present in London with you?”
She flinched as though he had struck her.
“My father has lately taken ill,” she answered, her eyes darting to his and then away again. “We are here in the hope that a London doctor will be able to improve his health.” Her vague smile faded entirely. “He insisted that I come out this evening, even though I would much prefer to be by his side.”
“You must not appear ungrateful, however,” Miss Docherty said quickly but Jonathan only shook his head.
“Indeed, I quite understand, Miss Newfield.” The way that she looked at him told him that she was not quite sure if his words could be trusted. “There is a duty required to one’s parents that we feel very deeply, do we not?”
A duty that I have failed in entirely.
“And is that why your mother is present this Season?” Lady Vivian asked, taking Jonathan’s attention away. “And does she have a young lady with her?”
“That is Miss Fullerton,” Jonathan replied, wishing that the lady had not mentioned Miss Fullerton, so that he would not now have to make explanation. He had been attempting to push all thought of Miss Fullerton away, only now to have to now go into yet another explanation. “She has been… residing with my mother these past few years but is now come to London.”
“Oh.” Lady Vivian’s nose crinkled gently as though she did not want to be in any way associated with someone that was so clearly a companion. “Then Miss Fullerton, I am sure, must be very busy indeed making certain that–” Her eyes widened. “Good gracious, is she going to dance?”
Jonathan’s head swiveled around, catching sight of Lord Thornley leading Miss Fullerton out to the middle of the room where a few other couples were waiting, clearly ready and waiting to dance.
“It seems that they are, yes,” he replied, a little astonished himself but refusing to allow such astonishment into his voice. “I am sure Miss Fullerton is an excellent dancer.”
Lady Vivian’s eyes widened still as she looked back at Jonathan.
“But you cannot be contented with a mere companion standing up in such a fashion!” she exclaimed, as Jonathan shook his head. “I am sure that you will be required to speak to the young lady at length later this evening.”
Quite what this matter has to do with you, I am not sure.
Jonathan did not speak such a sentence out loud but instead merely shrugged.
“Miss Fullerton is the daughter of a Viscount and, as such, has every right to dance if she wishes,” he stated, as Lady Vivian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “She is the daughter of Viscount Ingleby and, therefore, quite eligible.”
“I see.” Lady Vivian searched his face as if she were trying to find out an answer that he was refusing to speak to her. “And you say that this lady resides with you at present?”
“With my mother,” Jonathan clarified, wondering why this seemed to matter such a great deal. “I should now take my leave. I –”
“Might you wish to take a turn with me about the room, Lord Havisham?” Lady Vivian’s eyes were now fixed to his, giving him very little option but to agree. “My mother is nearby, but she will not be displeased with such a thing, so long as we stay within this room,” Lady Vivian continued, as Miss Docherty’s cheeks flushed and Miss Newfield looked away, perhaps a little embarrassed by the lady’s forwardness. “I am not inclined towards dancing this evening as yet, but mayhap a short turn would do me very well.”
Jonathan blinked, then cleared his throat in an attempt to remove the surprise from both his expression and his voice.
“But of course.”
With a small inclination of his head, he offered the lady his arm and she accepted it at once. A bright smile was quickly pinned to her lips as she fell into step beside him, although Jonathan did not have any of the same delight. He had been eager to go in search of cards rather than spend time in company – particularly in the company of a young lady whom he found rather forward in both manner and conversation.
“Tell me, Lord Havisham, do you intend to run away to Bath this Season?”
He glanced down at her in surprise.
