Chapter Nineteen #2
‘Oh…’ For a moment the older woman looked flustered.
‘I suppose I’m not, although I am not on the whole opposed to the students, as so many of the Cambridge residents are.
’ She lowered her voice and leaned in conspiratorially.
‘In truth I heard you were going to be in attendance and I wanted to introduce you to my daughter. She had her debut this last year and is a most accomplished young woman.’
Mrs Friston looked around her and gave an irritated sigh when she realised her daughter was not close at hand.
‘Let me go and find her for you. I am sure you would find her charming.’
Mrs Friston hurried away and Amelie looked at Will in horror.
‘Is this your life? People pressing any distant connection with you or prior meeting to try to further their own wants?’
‘Very often. It is why some dukes and earls eschew these events altogether or culture a reputation as being surly and unapproachable.’
‘What is your method of defence? Surely you cannot indulge everyone who wishes to steal a little of your time?’
‘I am perfectly polite. I smile and nod and then when they are distracted I slip away. It leads to much less grief and, rarely do I ever have to dance with any of these young women.’
‘Is that what we are going to do now?’
‘It is,’ he replied with a grin. He seemed happy tonight, carefree, and Amelie enjoyed gaining a little insight into his world.
Their peculiar circumstances meant that, although they’d had spent an extraordinary amount of time in one another’s company these last weeks, by necessity it had been mainly in private.
It was enjoyable to see Will outside the little cottage in Grantchester.
Glancing behind them, he took Amelie’s hand and set off weaving through the columns until they were on the other side of the courtyard.
He pulled her back into the shadows, not far enough from the main crowd for it to be scandalous, but deep enough into the darkness that no one would easily be able to identify them.
‘Why do you not just tell people like that to leave you alone?’
‘When I was younger, that was often my approach. I would get overwhelmed at social events by the pure number of people vying for my attention. I tried being abrupt, walking away from people, ignoring them, but it just didn’t work.
Most people were so determined to use their opportunity to talk to me, I could have insulted their entire family and it would have barely registered.
I found the whole thing awfully stressful. ’
‘Is that when you changed your approach?’
‘If you are polite to people, they relax a little, let down their guard. Take Mrs Friston—if I was rude to her, she would have thought that was her only opportunity to speak to me this evening. She would have clung to me until her daughter had been presented if it was the last thing she ever did. As it was, she felt we had a connection, that I remembered her from previously. Now she is free to find her wayward daughter and approach me again later in the evening.’
‘Well, I think you are a saint to put up with it.’
‘Your Grace,’ a voice called out from the crowd. This time it was a man hurrying over to see them, but his use of the form of address meant others stared in his direction, looking interested.
‘Good evening,’ Will said, as the man came to a stop in front of them before bowing deeply.
‘Forgive me for the intrusion, Your Grace, but when I heard you were in attendance tonight I just had to come and introduce myself. I am Mr Merringer. I studied economics at the university, graduating last year. I hope to find a position close to parliament.’
Will shook the man’s hand and then clapped him on the arm.
‘I applaud your dedication to your country, Mr Merringer. I sit in the House of Lords. I only wish there was something I could do for your career, but alas in the Lords we have to remain separate from the day-to-day business of the Commons. Might I suggest you approach someone with connections there.’
He deftly inclined his head to the ambitious young man and swept Amelie away.
‘Do you have an answer for every request?’
‘It is easy to deflect most people. I have been doing this for a long time.’
‘I now understand the appeal of your gentlemen’s clubs. At least there it is a smaller pool trying to get your attention.’
‘That is one of the benefits.’ Will groaned, seeing the determined Mrs Friston heading in their direction dragging a pale young woman behind her.
‘Amelie,’ Will said, quickly turning to Amelie, ‘Would you do me the honour of joining me for the next dance?’
Amelie felt her pulse quicken. She loved to dance.
For years before she’d come of age, she and her mother had attempted all the steps over and over again.
Her mother had summoned the servants to push back all the furniture in the drawing room, creating a huge space for them to practise in.
Then they would spend hours dancing, taking it in turns to step out as the male and female parts.
She had not danced for a long time. Even before they’d lost the house, she had been too busy and too worried about her family’s future to accept the invitations of her friends to join them at the local dances.
‘I would like that very much.’
An area in the middle of the courtyard acted as the dance floor and half a dozen couples stepped up as the musicians took their places.
‘Our next dance will be a waltz,’ a statuesque woman announced from her position near the string quartet.
Waltzes were one of Amelie’s favourite dances.
There was much to be said for the country dances that had a quick beat and required fast footwork, but there was nothing quite like the elegance of a waltz.
She could remember gliding round the drawing room with her mother, feeling like the most elegant swan, neck extended, posture perfect.
Will stepped in close, taking one of her hands in his, adjusting his stance so he held her correctly.
‘I feel like we are being watched,’ he murmured to her, his lips twitching at the corners into a smile. ‘Marvel at my restraint as I hold you properly and do not pull you to me as I want to do.’