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“Jonathon isn’t infatuated with me.”
“So it was Jonathon was it? Traitor.”
I smiled as he followed me out of the smoking room. I was a good detective. I may have fallen into his trap and inadvertently told him who’d broken his confidence, but he’d fallen into my trap too. He hadn’t denied it when I suggested he was meeting Dutch tonight after the ball.
It only remained to be seen if Harry was going with him again.
The Heathertons’ballroom wasn’t as large as the Bunburys’, so there were fewer guests. I couldn’t have hidden from Lady Treloar for long so it was fortunate that Harry had taken the bull by the horns and told her I’d be here. We nodded at one another as we passed at the edge of the dance floor, but her gaze quickly flicked to Flossy on one side of me and my aunt on the other. If she recognized them, she gave no indication and glided by without acknowledging them.
Despite being under the influence of her tonic, Aunt Lilian noticed our exchange. When it came to socializing and gossip, she was the most observant person I knew. “How do you know Lady Treloar?”
“I’ve been in her gallery.”
“Why?”
“I like art.”
Fortunately, a friend approached and drew her away, otherwise she would have persisted with her interrogation.
Flossy and I continued with our circuit of the room to gauge the mood of the guests. While greeting acquaintances and writing names on my dance card, I kept an eye on Lady Treloar. She was all smiles and easy countenance with her friends, but I caught her watching me more than once.
Harry must be right. She’d guessed we’d returned to her gallery to gather evidence against her, and that’s why she’d been keen to prove her innocence with the railway ticket. I must be careful not to let on that we suspected it was fake. I must also be sure not to be alone with her tonight.
“Have I left it too late?”
The voice behind me made me jump. “Jonathon! Don’t sneak up on a lady like that.”
“I didn’t sneak. You were a miles away.” He opened my dance card, dangling from my wrist. “I see I’m not too late, after all.”
Flossy peered at my card. “That is a surprise. Why so many free dances, Cleo?”
“I think it has something to do with my education.”
She rolled her eyes.
Jonathon wrote his name down twice. “Some men are intimidated by women with big brains. Not me. I find smart women interesting. Well. One in particular.” He bestowed a sweet smile on me.
I scanned the room, searching for an escape. “Excuse me, but Miss Hessing is signaling to me.” I strode away. I didn’t turn back to see Jonathon’s face. I didn’t want to know if I’d hurt his feelings. Part of me wanted to quip that he had no depth of feeling, but that wasn’t fair. It was quite possible that he truly cared for me. I just didn’t care for him in the same way. Extricating myself from an exchange that could turn embarrassing was kinder to us both.
Miss Hessing looked relieved to see me. She drew me away from her mother and the ladies she spoke with, but not before some peered down their noses at me. I suggested we take a turn around the room. It was mostly an excuse to go in search of Lady Treloar. She’d disappeared while I was speaking to Jonathon.
I found her moments later, chatting to another guest.
“They’re still gossiping about that Livingstone girl,” Miss Hessing said to me as we continued past Lady Treloar. “The poor thing may never live down her humiliation.”
“I suspect she’ll be fine. She’s the sort who’ll rise above it out of sheer force of will. Trust me on that, Miss Hessing. I’ve met her. She’ll look down on the likes of you and me for the rest of her life because we don’t have as many God-given virtues as her.”
She sighed. “She isn’t the only one. My card is quite empty.” She showed it to me. One name had been written three times, but it was otherwise blank. I recognized him as the fellow who’d danced with her at the last two balls.
I showed her my card. “Mine is looking like a wasteland too.”
She huffed a breath. “Hardly a wasteland, Miss Fox. A little emptier than usual, perhaps. Never fear. I see Mr. Hartly has put his name down. I’m surprised it’s only twice, though.”
“Twice is enough, thank you.”
She laughed, thinking I was joking.
We spent much of the night together, talking and occasionally dancing with partners brave enough to take us on, or perhaps desperate. We were emerging from the refreshments room a little after eleven, when two gentlemen passed us. I’d danced with both at the Bunburys’ ball, so was obliged to greet them and introduce them to my companion. It would be good for Miss Hessing to meet some gentlemen while her mother wasn’t nearby.
