The Reluctant Debutante: A Sweet, Regency Romance (Ladies of Mayfair Book 4)

by Wendy May Andrews

  “As I told Alanna, her interfering in the lady’s affairs could have already caused her trouble. If the earl finds out she met with my sister he will not easily believe I was not behind it. Whether she goes by herself or with me, the result could very well be the same. I would rather be there to attempt to control the situation as best I can.”

  The two gentlemen paused in thought for a moment before the duke continued. “I admit to you, my friend, while I still want my revenge on the earl, I cannot see a way to use his niece to do it nor can I bring myself to want to use her in such a way. I am uncomfortable with the thought of my sister being in association with the lady, but I cannot bring myself to deny her this. If Alanna wants to bring out Lady Victoria I will do what I can to help her, even though the earl is my enemy.”

  “I can foresee some interesting dilemmas are in your future.”

  Bryghton looked over at Alanna, as she seemed to be wrapping up her conversation with the baron’s sister. There was a gathering of young men obviously waiting to be introduced to the pretty youngster. Turning back to his friend with a grin, the duke could not resist saying, “You are about to have some dilemmas of your own, my friend.”

  Following his gaze, Alfred felt his face tighten in dismay. “How have you managed to bear up under three Seasons of this?”

  “I leave most of it to the duchess to deal with. She can somehow turn away any unsuitable young men without them even realizing they have been set down. She has remarkable skills in that department. Never fear, your aunt appears to be nearly as skilled as my mother.” Seeing the look on his friend’s face, the duke grinned. “That is exactly the right look to have. Glower away, it will build your reputation as a terrifying older brother and will suppress any of the less determined. But for now, I will put an end to all the puppies’ hopes by claiming her hand for myself.”

  With those words Bryghton cut through the throng of young men surrounding Alanna and Eloise, and bowed over Eloise’s hand. “Miss Eloise, it is a pleasure to see you here this evening.”

  The duke’s attentions caused the young debutante to become all aflutter and, with a stammer, she began to babble nervously. Bryghton had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He had thought his long standing as a friend of the family would have made Eloise much more prepared to greet him with equanimity. Alfred, who had joined them, did not feel the need to resist rolling his own eyes. He glanced at the duke with a grimace of embarrassment and turned to his young sister.

  “Stop making a cake of yourself, Eloise. You have known his lordship most of your life. Just being at your first ball should not make this much of a difference. Pull yourself together.”

  Eloise blushed to the roots of her hair and was shocked into silence. Bryghton took pity on her, feeling he had witnessed his friend kicking a puppy.

  “I was hoping I could ask for your hand in the next dance if you are not already spoken for.”

  The young debutante, who had looked to be on the verge of bursting into tears, now had a wide grin begin to bloom upon her face. “It would be a pleasure, your grace, and no, I am not promised to anyone for the next dance, thank you.”

  She was now flushed with pleasure. Alfred barely stifled his growl of disgust over his sister’s behaviour. Bryghton decided his friend was being a little too toplofty.

  In a low tone that he hoped could not be heard by Miss Eloise, Bryghton admonished the baron. “Mayhap you ought to pull yourself together, my friend. Keep in mind the poor chit was, until recent weeks, still considered a child. She is entitled to her share of squeals until she gets a little ton bronze. Have mercy.”

  Alfred looked at his friend as though he could not recognize him. “But, Duke, she is a Lynster; she should be able to adjust without pain and seamlessly.”

  “Ah yes, of course, forgive me for forgetting.” His eyes were dancing with merriment, with only a faint hint of sarcasm in his tone. He turned his attention back to Eloise.

  “Our dance is about to start. Would you care to walk around the dance floor with me prior to the number commencing, if it is all right with your aunt?”

  Eloise managed to keep quiet, but her eyes shone with excitement as she looked eagerly at her aunt.

  “Of course, my dear, I know you shall come to no harm with his grace. Mind your manners and be sure to return to my side when your dance ends.”

  Eloise tucked her little hand into the duke’s elbow and skipped along happily at his side. Maintaining her silence, she looked around with wide eyes, basking in the experience of being escorted by such an exalted peer.

  “Pay no heed to your brother, he is just doing his big brotherly duties. He needs to keep you from getting too inflated of an opinion of yourself with all the compliments you are no doubt receiving this evening since you are looking so fine,” Bryghton said kindly.

  Eloise glanced down at her gown, nearly identical to that of all the other young girls making their first curtsy to Society. Wrinkling her nose at the duke, she asked tentatively, “Do you really think so, your grace?”

  “Of course,” he replied valiantly. “You look quite lovely. I can hardly believe you are the same young lady I have seen growing up whenever I have visited Lord Lynster.”

  The delightful young chit let out a surprisingly low chuckle. “Oh, your grace, you are a complete hand. Of course I look better than when I was still in the schoolroom. I was covered in spots and had yet to let down my skirts or put up my hair.”

  “Well, be that as it may, Miss Eloise, you are looking quite fine this evening.”

  “Thank you, your grace,” Eloise said sweetly, a dimple peeking from the edge of her cheek.

  “It is my pleasure, to be sure,” answered the duke.

  “I am not merely thanking you for the compliment, your grace,” she said quietly. “I am thanking you for rescuing me from that crowd. No one had even noticed me until your sister came to talk to me. I was unprepared for the attention of that many young men.”

  “But you can handle the attentions of one duke?” he asked quizzically.

  “You do not count, your grace,” she answered with a sweet smile.

  Intrigued, the duke demanded, “Why not?”

  With a slight roll of her eyes, Eloise answered simply. “You would never be interested in pursuing me. You asked me to dance as a favour to my brother, who happens to be your best friend. Or perhaps because our mothers were friends, or any number of possible reasons. But not out of a desire to strike up a flirtation with me. So you are safe.”

  Bryghton blinked with surprise over the young woman’s observation. His reputation as a bit of a rake was not fully deserved nor cultivated on his part, but he had never been described as “safe” before. He was unsure if he enjoyed such a description, but he understood what she had meant. With a wry tilt to his eyebrows, the duke teased, “You, my dear, are wise beyond your years. But I beg you not to tell anyone else you consider me to be a safe companion. It would leave my reputation in shreds.”

  “I doubt anything I might say could come close to touching your reputation, your grace,” she answered seriously before dimpling and continuing, “but your secret is safe with me.”

  Bryghton had never much enjoyed the company of debutantes, but he found his friend’s sister to be an interesting specimen and was surprised when the dance came to an end. He escorted her back to her aunt and bowed over her hand.

  She whispered, “I take back my description of you as safe. I failed to appreciate that the result of dancing with a duke would be an exponential increase in potential suitors.”

  Bryghton had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud. With a wiggle of his eyebrows he whispered back, “I am glad to be of service.”

  “I am undecided if it is a good thing,” she murmured before stepping back and dismissing him.

  Bryghton turned to Alfred with a grin. “That young miss is going to take the ton by storm,” he declared. “It is difficult to fathom that she is just out of the schoolroom. You do
not need to be overly concerned about her, in my opinion. She truly seems to have her head on her shoulders.”

  Alfred cast the duke a dubious expression. “You are not seriously considering yourself to be one of her admirers, are you?”

  “I am absolutely an admirer,” Bryghton replied. “But most definitely not a suitor. Now tell me what have you done with my sister. Whilst I was engrossed in conversation with yours I took my eyes off my own.”

  Alfred indicated with a tilt of his head where Alanna could be found on the dance floor. “She was invited to dance by your dear friend, the viscount.”

  Bryghton’s face hardened noticeably at the sight of his sister in the arms of Lord Anthony Dalton. Barely containing a growl, he glowered. “That chit is going to be the death of me.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Glancing over the shoulder of her dance partner, Alanna stifled a giggle as she saw her brother glowering in her direction. She turned back to address her dance partner with a serene face. “My lord, I must apologize. I have allowed my mind to wander.”

  Alanna was fascinated by the viscount’s attempt to control his amusement. She found his usually rather imposing features to be quite attractive when lightened with mirth.

  “I would think I am the one who owes you an apology for not doing a better job of engaging your interest, my lady,” he said gravely.

  Now Alanna could not contain her gurgle of laughter. “You, my lord, are a complete hand. It makes me wonder why you are not friends with my brother. I would think the two of you should well enjoy each other’s company.”

  The viscount’s face returned to its usual impassivity, much to Alanna’s disappointment. “Why would you think that, my lady?” he asked politely.

  “You put me in mind of him, my lord, and I think the two of you would have much in common,” she answered simply.

  “We have not had cause to be much in each other’s company."

  “Why, then, is he glaring in our direction?”

  Dalton again allowed his amusement to display itself but forbore to comment, as the dance was coming to an end. “Thank you, my lady, for your charming company. Do I have your leave to call on you sometime?”

  “I dare say you are a brave man if you wish to risk the duke’s ire,” Alanna replied without answering his question.

  The viscount recognized her sidestep and bowed his acknowledgement. “No doubt we shall see one another about over the coming weeks.”

  “No doubt.” Alanna dimpled at the viscount before turning to the next gentleman waiting to escort her on the dance floor.

  Seeing how the duke was glaring as his sister danced with the viscount, Alfred made an attempt to distract his friend and keep him from making a scene. “You never did tell me what you are doing here. You rarely attend ton parties unless the duchess is hosting them, or there is something political to be gained by it. And do not tell me that fustian about needing to keep an eye on your sister. You did not bother during her first Season, so I strongly doubt you would need to now.”

  Despite his irritation with his sister and the viscount, Bryghton grinned at Alfred’s words. “You did not buy that story?”

  “Not for a second.”

  “It was Alanna’s brilliant idea. She has the notion of bringing Lady Victoria about in Society, and has demanded my assistance in her schemes. I agreed. But in order to keep the tongues from wagging at my sudden appearance at the ladies’ side, we realized that I need to make an appearance before Lady Victoria does. As Alanna put it, I wish to be a fixture, not a novelty.”

  “In theory it is a sound idea, however, unless the ladies wait some time before Lady Victoria makes her curtsy you still run the risk of setting tongues wagging,” the baron cautioned.

  “Mayhap, but as uncomfortable as it was being the centre of so many staring eyes when I first arrived this evening, I am glad I got it over with before I have to also worry about Lady Victoria’s reception.”

  “Why would you take it upon yourself to worry about her, Alcott? Even if she cannot be an instrument for your revenge, she is not anyone for you to be concerned with.”

  “Of course, my friend,” the duke answered noncommittally before turning the subject. “Now, I do believe I have spent sufficient time in the ballroom. Shall we see if they have any tables set up for cards elsewhere, or do you wish to depart and check out some of the clubs?”

  Looking aghast, Alfred answered, “I cannot leave my sister. This is her first grand event.” Realizing he might be sounding a trifle dotty, he grinned before continuing, “Besides, if you are serious about wanting to make yourself a fixture, you really ought to dance with several more of the debutantes. Then the gossips can declare that you have finally decided to get leg shackled, and all the matrons can smack their lips over the delightful idea of getting their claws into you.”

  Bryghton chuckled. “I do not wish to raise the hopes of the matchmaking mamas, but you may be right about needing to spend a bit more time in the ballroom. Perhaps I should set my own matchmaking mama’s heart aflutter and ask her to introduce me to some eligible ladies.”

  Alfred chuckled, and warned, “That might be an act of cruelty, Alcott.”

  “The duchess can handle it, have no fear.” On those words, the two friends parted on very different errands, the baron, to stand guard over his little sister, and the duke, to make himself more visible.

  Striding through the throng of brightly dressed high Society, the duke made his way to his mother’s side. “Are you enjoying yourself, my lady?” he asked solicitously.

  “Immensely, my dear, and how are you faring this evening? This is not your usual milieu—are you managing all right?”

  Smiling, the duke saw the opening and took it. “I am managing, but perhaps you could use your expertise and introduce me to some likely dance partners.”

  Bryghton nearly winced under his mother’s sharp glance. “Is there something you wish to tell your mother, your grace?” she asked.

  “Yes, your grace—I am without a dance partner at the moment.” He grinned at her dubious expression. “Now that I think on it, you would be the perfect dance partner for this next number. Would you do me the honour?”

  The duchess knew her son was up to something, but she decided to watch and wait, as she could not resist the allure of the dance floor. She followed him into the dance, glad that this particular number would allow them to have some conversation. When the dance brought them together she asked mildly, “What sort of dance partner would you like to meet? Someone to amuse you, or debutantes to set the gossips aflutter?”

  Once again surprised at his mother’s perception, Bryghton smiled and answered, “How about a few of each?”

  Amused, the duchess inclined her head in acknowledgement. “I shall have a lovely list compiled in my mind as soon as this song is done.”

  And so it went. Bryghton spent the rest of the night dancing with whomever his mother introduced to him. He was impressed with the variety of partners she brought him. It was the perfect combination to make him visible without raising too many hopes. And so it was—he could feel the eyes of the ton watching him, discretely, behind fans or through lowered eyelashes. The gathered throngs had clearly taken note of his presence amongst them. He was grateful that his mother’s choices of dance partners were so varied that it was not obvious to anyone if he was searching for a wife, some other sort of companion, or merely amusing himself for an evening.

  He found himself grinning like a simpleton, which caused his current dance partner to blink in surprise from the sudden but appealing sight of the Duke of Wychwood’s mirth. His smile was swiftly wiped away as the debutante—whose name he could not for the life of him remember—simpered and batted her eyelashes at him, putting him in mind of a matronly bovine he had been fond of as a boy. He quickly schooled his features and prompted her into acceptable conversation.

  “Are you enjoying the Season thus far?” Racking his brain, he could not recall if he should be
referring to her as “Miss” or “my lady,” so he hoped fervently she did not remark upon his lapse.

  “Oh your grace, it is perfectly lovely. Everyone has been exceedingly kind and I am finding absolutely everything to be highly diverting.”

  “Everything, you say,” Bryghton mused, trying to keep the sarcasm from his voice. “What in particular has been a favourite, if I might ask?”

  “I do believe it has all been my favourite, your grace,” she said in such a tone of seriousness that Bryghton could not allow himself to laugh.

  She must have caught the wry tightening of his lips, as she herself burst into giggles. “That statement no doubt made me sound like a simpleton, did it not, your grace? My apologies. You must realize that dancing with you has brought on a case of the nervous fidgets so severe that it would appear that any sense I might have possessed has gone clear out of my head.”

  The young woman’s frankness was unexpectedly charming, but Bryghton had very little appreciation for such silliness.

  She sobered and continued with more aplomb, redeeming herself somewhat. “To answer your previous question, your grace, I would have to say meeting so many interesting people has been the best part of coming for my first Season. I was even presented at court, which was a truly spectacular experience.”

  “You enjoyed court?” he asked with surprise.

  The young woman blushed. “Well, no, your grace. If you recall I said it was spectacular. Does anyone actually enjoy court?” Bryghton was glad that the question appeared to be rhetorical, as she continued talking. “I found it to be so much work for the five minutes I was actually in the queen’s presence. And the clothes one must wear for such an event! Clothes that you can never wear again unless you wish to pursue a career at court, which I have no intention of doing. Thus, while I found it sparkling and diverting, and there were any number of highly interesting people, I would not exactly say that I enjoyed the experience—although I am grateful that my aunt took me to introduce me. Do you enjoy court, your grace?”