A Dash of Scandal(17)

“You know nothing more than that.”

“Then let me put you out of your misery. Viscount Heathecoute and his lady are her sponsors for the Season, and she is staying with Lady Beatrice, who I believe is ill at the moment. They aren’t saying too much more about her except she’s the niece of a friend. They felt she was deserving of a Season in London so they agreed to be her chaperones.”

“And?”

“And that’s about all I know.”

“About all?” Chandler questioned. “So there is more—like her name?”

“Good lord, you don’t miss a thing, do you? I believe you are still capable of obtaining an introduction to a lady, if you are truly interested enough.”

“Then I’ll take it from here.”

“Friendly warning, Dunraven.”

“After fifteen years by your side, do I need one?”

“Perhaps this time you do,” Andrew said. “I’ve never seen you look at a lady quite the way I saw you looking at her tonight. I know fascination when I see it. I have to admit you have me a bit worried.”

Chandler smiled to cover the truth of his friend’s words. “Fascination? You jest. Slow down on the champagne, Andrew, it has gone straight to your head.”

Andrew smirked. “Don’t change the subject. Look all you want, but do not touch.”

“Why the stern warning?”

“No doubt you are just the kind of man she is looking for. Handsome, wealthy, and titled. She’s probably some farm-poor knight’s daughter, and her family is hoping she’s pretty enough to catch some man’s eye and land a titled gentleman and be set for life.”

“You could be right,” Chandler said, considering Andrew’s words.

Would that be so bad if the lady was enchanting?

“Did I hear a long, silent ‘but’ at the end of that sentence?”

Chandler drew in a deep breath and started to say more, but instead he said, “No. You heard the call for the next dance. You don’t want to be tardy.”

“I’ll be off then.” He pointed a finger in Chandler’s direction. “Forewarned.”

His friend walked away, leaving Chandler curious about his own feelings where the mysterious young lady was concerned.

A giggle sounded behind him, and he turned to see Miss Bardwell and Miss Donaldson standing before him. Both young ladies looked hopeful and giddy with big smiles on their faces. Their dresses were cut far too low for their tender age, but it was the fashion.

Chandler smiled more to himself than at the ladies. He used to think the lower cut the neckline of a gown the better, but recently he found their ploys to get attention didn’t intrigue him like they once did. Now he was more interested in a lady who was a little, but not too much, older and more communicative.

“Good evening, ladies.” He bowed, then took both their hands in his and divided one kiss between the two ladies’ hands. He would not fall for the trick of favoring one lady over the other. Long ago he had realized the gossips who circle among the ton see from the backs of their heads.

“Shame on you, Lord Dunraven,” Miss Bardwell said in a provocative tone with a flirtatious smile on her too thin lips. “You’ve been avoiding all the young ladies at the ball this evening. Why attend a party if you don’t mean to dance with at least two of us?”

Miss Bardwell was not coy.

Chandler looked at the pale, blue-eyed beauty. She was fetching and intelligent enough, he supposed, but there was nothing about her that he found appealing enough to encourage her approach. He didn’t even want to pay her an obligatory call.

He looked from Miss Bardwell to the prettier, but quieter, and more reserved Miss Donaldson and said, “May I assume you two young ladies would be willing to see to it that I’m not left a wallflower tonight?”

Miss Bardwell giggled and flapped her fan a couple of times. “You have only to ask.”

Chandler relented and said, “In that case, ladies, I should like a dance with each of you if you haven’t promised them to other gentlemen.”

While he waited for them to produce their cards he turned and searched the room for her.

She was nowhere in sight.

***

“It won’t work, you know.”

Startled, Millicent jumped at the sound of the woman’s voice coming from behind her. Someone had caught her again! Angels above, was there no safe place where a lady could make a few notes?