Chapter 20 #2
William watched as Welton escorted Miss Robbins back onto the dance floor only moments after their first dance was over. So was this how it was? Was she now allowing the entire room to think she’d accepted some kind of proposal from Welton?
From the look on her face, she was oblivious to the implications of dancing two dances with Mr. Welton, one immediately after the other.
It showed the gentleman’s obvious preference for her, and it showed that she accepted his preference and that it was mutual.
Surely she knew that it was nearly the same as an engagement.
What had he done in giving her this fortune? In trying to secure her happiness—and also his own—had he destroyed everything?
Did she truly prefer Welton over him?
But she probably didn’t know. She couldn’t know. She was completely new to the machinations of society and the ridiculous social rules that most young ladies were taught from the cradle to the ballroom.
This was his fault. He should have been quicker to ask her to dance at his ball, should have chased that damnable Welton away, should have made him to know that he would live to regret getting too close to Miss Robbins.
She was too good for him, too good for .
. . anyone in this room, himself included. She was innocent and kind and . . .
How could he be so foolish as to not protect her from a blackguard like Welton?
The heat was rising into his neck, creeping into his forehead. The room was suddenly too hot and stuffy. But he wouldn’t go out to get some air. He would stay here and see if he would be needed to assist Miss Robbins.
When the dance was over, Mr. Welton escorted me to where Mrs. Drake was sitting with her friend, and she’d been joined by Mrs. Welton. The two women were smiling out of all proportion, it seemed to me.
“I shall fetch you and your friends some lemonade,” Mr. Welton was saying, “and I may also go and see some friends. But I shall return shortly. I shall count the minutes until I see you again.” He looked into my eyes, an excitement in his that wasn’t usually there. Then he strode away.
Mrs. Drake was still smiling at me, which was not her normal expression, so I asked, “What is the matter?”
“Why, nothing at all. All is well, my dear.”
But there was something she wasn’t telling me.
Hattie was in conversation with a gentleman—I believe it was someone Lord Brookhaven had introduced her to—and Millicent was already returning to the dance floor. Her partner was Lord Markeley, so I was sure she was very happy.
Until now, I’d had gentlemen practically bumping into one another to ask me to dance, but suddenly there was no one asking me, and I stood alone, watching as the dance commenced.
I tried not to think too much about it. I couldn’t expect to be asked to dance every dance.
After all, there were more young ladies in want of a partner than there were gentlemen.
Such a thing was not at all unusual. But I knew that something had changed, and I was almost willing to ask Mrs. Drake what it was.
Mr. Merritt was walking toward me. “Miss Robbins, am I to wish you joy?”
“Whatever do you mean?”
He looked slightly uncomfortable as he hesitated to speak.
“I know there is something amiss, but I cannot make out what it is. Will you please tell me?”
“Ah. I suppose you would be ignorant about such things. Well . . . how shall I say this?”
I was feeling quite annoyed by now, so I said, “Just tell me.”
“When a young lady dances more than once with a certain gentleman, especially one consecutive dance after the other at a public assembly, it generally signifies that they are engaged to be married—or at least, it’s a public declaration that they prefer each other over anyone else.”
I covered my mouth with my hand. “Oh, but I am not engaged to Mr. Welton, nor to anyone. Is that what everyone thinks? It is not true. Oh dear.” I felt my face burning and started fanning myself with the little fan that hung from my wrist.
Mr. Merritt looked as if he was stifling a laugh.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me. It is not amusing. You must help me. You must tell everyone that I am not engaged to Mr. Welton.”
“If I were to spread such information, it might have just the opposite effect. People might believe it all the more for the protestation.”
He was right. Oh, this was very bad. And Mr. Welton knew what people would think, the scoundrel. Lord Brookhaven was right about him. Did he think he could trick me into marrying him?
“Let me think.” Mr. Merritt looked serious, thankfully. A moment later, his eyes widened. “I have it. Dance with me again. Then you should also dance a second time with Lord Brookhaven—I’ll arrange it with him—and since you can’t be engaged to three men . . .” He raised his brows at me.
“Do you think it will work?”
“Yes. Come. The dance is starting.”
We joined the dancers on the floor. People were looking, whispering behind their hands again. But I supposed that was good, since I needed them to notice that I was dancing with Mr. Merritt for the second time.
Were people’s lives so dull that they actually paid attention to how many times each lady danced with each gentleman?
“Thank you for this,” I said to Mr. Merritt. “I hope it doesn’t make trouble for you, dancing with me twice.”
“Heaven forbid.” He winked.
“I do appreciate you coming to my rescue.”
“Well, it will help if Brookhaven joins in our scheme. I shall speak to him as soon as the dance ends.”
“Thank you.” I felt embarrassed at the thought of enlisting Lord Brookhaven’s help. I hadn’t minded letting Mr. Merritt help me, and I didn’t have time to think why it was different.
Perhaps I should have been aware that to dance with a gentleman twice consecutively was nearly the same as acknowledging that you were engaged, but I honestly hadn’t known.
There were so many rules. How could I keep up with them all, especially when I hadn’t lived among fashionable society my entire life?
The dance ended, and I made sure to smile at Mr. Merritt, who smiled back, then led me once again to where my chaperone was seated. “I shall return in a moment, or I’ll send Lord Brookhaven.”
I watched him go. He went straight to Lord Brookhaven and turned him aside, and they spoke for a few moments. Lord Brookhaven scowled.
My heart beat faster. Did Lord Brookhaven think less of me for having got myself in this predicament? Did he even believe what Mr. Merritt was saying?
Finally, Lord Brookhaven began making his way to me.
“Miss Robbins, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?” His manner of speaking was stilted.
“It would be my pleasure,” I said, almost losing my voice entirely.
How mortifying to see how much Lord Brookhaven did not wish to dance with me. Did he think I’d manipulated him into dancing with me again? Did he blame me? Was he thinking “I told you so”? My cheeks were positively burning. Several people were staring, although I tried not to notice.
He led me onto the dance floor. We made it just as the music started.
If only I’d never come to this assembly. If only I’d stayed home and enjoyed a quiet evening with my two friends.
If only I’d never met Mr. Anthony Welton.
When the dance was over, before he could escort me off the floor, I said, “Thank you for dancing with me. It was Mr. Merritt’s idea, so that people wouldn’t think something about me that wasn’t true.
But I am truly sorry if it has caused you any embarrassment.
I am terribly embarrassed myself, but I didn’t know—”
“Miss Robbins, please say no more. I was glad to help. But you will remember that I did warn you about Mr. Welton.”
Could he not see that I was mortified? His words could not have stung me more if he’d said, I warned you Welton was only after your money, and yet you were foolish and thought he might care for you.
I pressed my lips together and said nothing as he led me toward Mrs. Drake.
But I was thinking, perhaps Mr. Welton did care for me.
Perhaps he was trying to gather the courage, even at this moment, to ask me to marry him.
At least he’d wanted everyone to think he was engaged to me.
That was certainly more than I could say for Lord Brookhaven.
He bowed to me and left.
Suddenly, a young lady swooned in her chair on the other side of the ballroom.
It was fortunate for me, since everyone was too busy watching the spectacle, as she had to be assisted out of the heated room and to the balcony to get some air.
Everyone seemed too busy speculating about her to remember that I’d danced two times with three different gentlemen in one evening.
Millicent caught hold of my arm. “Did you see me dancing with Lord Markeley?” She was smiling quite broadly.
“I did indeed.”
“He even stood talking with me through the next dance and hasn’t danced with anyone else since,” she whispered near my ear.
“That is very promising,” I whispered back, happy to see her so happy.
Hattie was sitting beside Mrs. Drake, so Millicent and I went to ask if anything was the matter.
“Oh, no, I am well,” Hattie said, but she looked a bit pale as she fanned herself.
“I saw you dancing with Lord Brookhaven,” I said. “Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Yes, he was very kind.”
I sat next to Hattie, hoping it would encourage her to tell me what was making her look slightly frightened. “He was kind?” I asked.
“Oh, Charlotte,” she said quietly, leaning toward me, “I never imagined I’d dance with so many gentlemen and certainly never with an earl.” She seemed to lose her breath and closed her eyes and swallowed hard.
“Dear Hattie, he is only a man. You mustn’t be overcome by his station in society. He is only a man,” I repeated quietly for her ears alone.
She still looked frightened as she met my gaze. After a few moments, she said, “Yes, you are right. Of course. For God himself is no respecter of persons.” She took a deep breath, and the color began to come back into her cheeks.
“Yes, exactly. Very true indeed. And I suspect that Lord Brookhaven himself would not wish you to be in awe of him, even though he is an earl.”
“He was very gracious and kind.”
“Yes. Now come over here with Millicent and me where the gentlemen can see you and ask you to dance again. You are up to dancing again, are you not?”
“I believe I am.” She managed a small smile.
“Good.” I squeezed her arm to show my approval. “Come.”
We stood together, each of us facing the crowd in order to look the more inviting.
Truly, these fashionable soirees were hardly any different from the two dances I’d attended in Milford at the White Swan Inn.
There were more ladies than gentlemen at those dances—not very different from tonight’s dance—but just as we did now, we all stood against the wall and watched the other dancers and hoped to be asked for the next dance.
No one asked me to dance the next one, but Mr. Merritt introduced to me to one of his acquaintances, who then asked me.
And so it went the rest of the night. I was asked to dance most of the dances, Millicent danced with several gentlemen, and Hattie three more times.
And at the end of the evening, for the very last dance, Mr. Welton returned to me looking flushed and smelling of brandy, his hair slightly out of place.
“Miss Robbins, there you are,” he said, smiling.
“And here you are, Mr. Welton.” I frowned and refrained from saying that he’d promised to return to me soon, and that had been almost two hours ago. I also didn’t mention that I now understood what his dancing with me two times in succession had meant.
A gentleman, someone Lord Markeley had introduced to me earlier, was walking toward me, but his step faltered when he saw Mr. Welton talking with me. So I stepped toward him, leaving Mr. Welton with his mouth hanging open.
“Miss Robbins, would you honor me with the last dance of the evening?” the gentleman asked.
“I will.” I led him to the dance floor. I could not remember his name, but it hardly mattered. He was an agreeable partner who didn’t step on my feet, and he’d got me away from Mr. Welton.
When the dance was over, my partner thanked me and led me to Mrs. Drake. Mr. Welton was standing just beside her, an almost pouty look on his face.
When my dance partner had gone, Mr. Welton said, “Miss Robbins, I thought you knew I wanted to dance the last dance with you.” The look on his face was so manipulative I nearly laughed out loud.
“You must have also known, Mr. Welton, that there were other gentlemen who wished to dance with me.”
It was a bold thing to say, I know. Lord Brookhaven had been walking past us at that very moment, and I was fairly certain he heard me, for he cut his eyes our way. Perhaps I should have added that he wasn’t the only gentleman after my fortune. But that would have sounded even more brazen.
“Lord Brookhaven!” I turned to him just as Mr. Welton narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak. “I have so enjoyed attending this assembly and seeing you and Lady Derringer again. Do you know where I might find your aunt?”
“I believe she is just over by the door.” He nodded in that direction, a very sober look on his face. Without even acknowledging Mr. Welton, he lent me his arm, and we headed that way.
I said my farewells to Lady Derringer, and she promised to call on me soon, and I told them I’d come soon to see the children and perhaps bring Joshua and Sarah.
“Oh yes, that is a wonderful idea,” Lady Derringer said.
Lord Brookhaven gazed into my eyes as we bid each other a good night. “Until tomorrow,” he said. Just then, he bent over my hand and kissed it.
A little wave of feeling went through me—relief that he wasn’t angry with me, desire to get closer to him—but then he was gone.
As I feigned to ignore Mr. Welton, the look on his face became more and more disgruntled. But I pretended not to notice and instead chatted with Hattie and Millicent as we gathered our things and waited for Mrs. Drake to accompany us.
“Miss Robbins, may I call I on you tomorrow?” Mr. Welton said, stepping quite close.
“I am not sure I shall be home.”
He looked confused, then disgruntled. “Well . . . I shall call on you very soon.”
I said nothing and he sauntered away, stumbling slightly, proving how much he had been drinking.
As soon as he’d gone, Mr. Merritt appeared at my side. “I want to wish you a good evening, Miss Robbins. May I call on you tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
While we waited for our carriage, one or two other gentlemen approached with the same question. Oh dear. Well, if they must all come, I suppose they might as well all come at once.