Chapter 13 #2
“My dear, you and Jeremy Beaumont looked so lovely dancing together.” She began to tell me about her conversation and exchange of letters with Jeremy the last few days in regard to finding Juliet a companion who could serve as our chaperone.
I was barely listening, as I noticed a young gentleman staring at me from across the room.
I tried not to stare back, so a few moments later, I was surprised to find him coming toward me with one of Mrs. Kendall’s friends, Mrs. March.
“This gentleman wishes to be introduced to Miss Moore,” she said, “and I was very happy to do the honors. Miss Moore, this is Mr. Colin Harper. Mr. Harper, this is Miss Amelia Moore.”
We greeted one another politely and Mrs. March went on. “His family’s estate borders mine in Lincolnshire, and his mother is one of my oldest friends. Mrs. Kendall is also a great friend, and Miss Moore is her niece, visiting from Buckinghamshire.”
Another dance started, but Mr. Harper stood talking with me and Mrs. Kendall.
“It must be very interesting to be a member of Parliament,” Mr. Harper was saying. “I should think you would have very lively discussions about the goings-on in government.”
“Oh, you think so?” Mrs. Kendall laughed.
“Mr. Kendall never speaks to me of his duties in Parliament,” I said truthfully. “But now that you say so, I think I shall ask him some questions about it the next time I see him.”
“And what do you like to do, Miss Moore, when you are home in Buckinghamshire?”
“I am fond of riding, and I have a lot of younger siblings. We go on picnics and . . .” I sighed. “I miss them very much, I’m afraid. I’ve been in London for nearly two months, and it is the longest I’ve ever been away from them.”
Of course, I’d been ridiculed for saying much the same thing at the first ball I’d attended, but I realized, if Mr. Harper was inclined to laugh at me, I may as well find out now.
“You are a breath of fresh air, Miss Moore,” he said. “I don’t have any siblings, and I think I should have liked to have multiple brothers and sisters. I could have had some playmates my own age. You make having many brothers and sisters sound very entertaining.”
I smiled. “They are.”
He smiled back, gazing into my eyes in quite a charming manner.
“Miss Moore, if you are not engaged to dance with someone else, would you do me the honor of dancing the next with me?”
“I would be very pleased to dance with you.”
We talked some more while Mrs. March and Mrs. Kendall were engaged in conversation, waiting until the current dance was over.
Juliet was dancing with a gentleman I didn’t know, and Jeremy was dancing with Miss Snowden, which sent a jolt of displeasure through me, though it shouldn’t matter to me if he chose to dance with a proud, impolite young lady.
Mr. Harper was polite and attentive, though he did glance around the room a bit, apologizing during a slow point in the dance to say, “Forgive me. I was looking for my friend, Mr. Jacobson. Do you know him?”
“No, I don’t believe so.”
“He is attending the dance with me. Our grandfathers were in the shipping business together, importers and exporters.”
“I see.”
“My family settled in Lincolnshire, and Mr. Jacobson’s family settled in Derbyshire, so we don’t see each other as often as we’d like, but it is good to have a friend who is as close as a brother.”
“Yes, that is very fortunate.”
“And you, Miss Moore? Do you have a friend with whom you are that close?”
“Why, yes. Miss Juliet Beaumont. That is, we have not known each other for a very long time as you and your friend have, but I feel she and I are as close as sisters.”
“You seem to be a lady who would have a lot of friends. You have very pleasing manners, and you are intelligent and agreeable.”
“I thank you.” I was amused.
“It is very rare that one finds a lady with such beauty who also has so many other good qualities.”
“You flatter me, but I thank you.”
“Ah, you think I am merely flattering you. But I assure you, I speak the truth. You are that rare lady.”
“You have met many ladies, then?”
“Yes, I have, as a matter of fact.” He raised his brows at me.
“You have met many gentlemen, and I suppose have found them to be less than honest, and you would be wise to think that. The gentlemen of my acquaintance are often dishonest. But I hope you will allow me to be a rare gentleman, just as you are a rare lady.”
The next dance was finally about to begin, so Mr. Harper escorted me to the dance floor.
Juliet joined us with a gentleman whose name I’d forgotten.
But I said Mr. Harper’s name several times in my head so I wouldn’t forget.
I was not very good at remembering names, something I’d learned about myself since coming to London, but I was fairly certain I would want to remember Mr. Harper.
Through the night, I danced with various gentlemen, some who were new acquaintances.
And Mr. Colin Harper would come and speak with me, and we’d talk through one dance before he would say with a smile, “I should leave you so that all the gentlemen who are glancing this way can have a chance to ask you to dance.”
Near the end of the evening, he returned to ask me for “one more dance. Will you honor me, Miss Moore?”
“Of course.” I placed my hand on his arm and couldn’t help smiling. He was very charming and flattering, yes, but that did not necessarily mean he wasn’t sincere, did it?
And he was handsome, with blond hair and blue eyes, lips that were usually smiling, and a deep voice that was very pleasing. I could see by the way ladies gazed at him that they found him handsome as well. And he seemed to be deliberately singling me out.
Once I caught Lord Gotthurst staring at us. My heart squeezed with pain, but I refused to mourn him. I could not have been in love with him, I told myself, as I barely knew him. But I did like to think that he very much regretted he had to give me up due to his mother’s disapproval.
Mr. Harper had said that his grandfather had been in the shipping business, so he would not have been so proud as a baron or other peer of the realm.
His family could not care as much that I was not so wealthy as some.
My father was a gentleman, with tenants and a good income.
That would, hopefully, be enough for a gentleman like Mr. Harper.
And he didn’t seem to mind my country manners.
In fact, he had said my manners were pleasing.
On the way home from the ball, I noticed Mr. Beaumont staring at me and frowning. What had I done now? But Juliet looked happy.
“Mr. Shelley danced with me two times. And he said he would call on us tomorrow. And he also said he wishes to invite us to his country house for a fortnight. What do you think, Jeremy?”
“He said the same to me. Shelley is a good sort of fellow.”
“What do you think his intentions are?” Juliet seemed almost unsure of herself, something she rarely, if ever, was.
“I have always known Shelley to be forthright and honest, a good man. I believe his intentions are to discover whether or not you and he are compatible, and if he decides you are, then he will ask you to marry him.”
Juliet had a trembly smile as she let out a long sigh.
Juliet’s smile grew as she said, “And Amelia has made quite a conquest tonight, it seems. Mr. Colin Harper danced with me once, and all he could talk about was Miss Moore, how beautiful she was, her kind and sweet disposition. He asked me, ‘Is she truly as good as she seems?’ To which I replied that she was quite as kind and wonderful as he could imagine.”
I ducked my head and tried to stifle a giddy laugh. I cleared my throat and said, “I liked Mr. Harper. He is very charming.”
“Like? Charming? I should think you would like him! And he is very handsome to go along with charming, and he is to inherit his family’s fortune. He knew that you were staying with us, so he asked if he might call on us tomorrow. Quite the conquest.”
“I would not call him a conquest. I dislike that term. But I did enjoy talking with him.” And dancing with him.
“Yes, I could see that.” Juliet smirked. “And I daresay men use the word conquest about women far more often than we use it about a gentleman.”
“Be careful with that one,” Jeremy said. “He is charming, but I don’t trust him.”
“Excuse me?” I felt the heat rise to my head. “What right have you to judge him?” Was he trying to put doubts in my head about the man? After his interference concerning Lord Gotthurst, he could hardly have the right to say anything.
“I am not judging him. I—”
“Jeremy, why would you say such a thing?” Juliet said. “I’m beginning to think you don’t like anyone who dares to show an interest in Amelia.”
Even in the dim light of the carriage, I could see Jeremy glare at his sister. “That is unnecessarily incendiary, Juliet.” There was a warning tone in his voice. “I just wanted to put Miss Moore on her guard. There have been rumors about Mr. Harper, and he—”
“Rumors?” I sat up straighter. “That is gossip.”
“Jeremy, how unkind of you to spread gossip.”
“It isn’t gossip that I have seen him myself at the gaming tables, and . . . I do not wish to speak ill of anyone. Perhaps he has changed.” He turned his face to the window.
I was furious. Did he want me to be unhappy?
I’d thought perhaps he had changed when he intercepted Lord Gotthurst at the ball and kept him from saying anything further that would make me cry and embarrass myself, but he was deliberately putting unfavorable thoughts in my head about a polite and charming young gentleman who had paid me proper and particular attention.
We all rode in silence the rest of the way home.
I wanted to say something about how people do change, or that rumors usually don’t convey the whole truth.
It was annoying that now Jeremy had planted a seed of doubt about Mr. Harper’s integrity.
I wanted to enjoy his attentions, to believe he was a good man.
And I decided I would do just that, unless otherwise proven.