He didn’t look too happy as he walked away, muttering beneath his breath.
“Great turn out, young man, even if I do say so myself.”
Alex longed to take a step back as the man’s rancid breath washed over him. How anyone was able to speak with him for an extended period of time was beyond him.
“Thank you, Mr Palmer. I am just grateful to all who made the time to attend this ball. Now, if you would excuse me, I have a situation that needs my immediate attention.”
“Yes, yes,” replied Mr Palmer. “You be on your way. A man such as you is always busy. Reminds me of my youth.”
Alex could hear a story coming on. “If you would excuse me.”
He quickly walked away, letting out a long breath. The man’s stench seemed to be sticking to his clothing, and Alex longed for the ball to be over. He wanted to find Selina, but he also needed time to think about her hot and cold attitude towards him. Alex had expected surprise once it was revealed who he was, but he had only seen anger in her eyes.
“I am still the same man that she met by the river. Why would she look at me any differently?”
He had been looking forward to seeing her again, but her cold attitude towards him had thrown him off.
“Perhaps she is not the woman that I thought she was.”
Chapter 6
Selina had made up her mind. She was going to return to the ball with her head held high.
“I will not let that man control my actions! He is simply the host, nothing more, nothing less. I shall not need to see him once I have departed from his estate.”
She had also promised herself that she would not venture anywhere near his land. Her aunt and uncle had a large estate that would keep her occupied for the remainder of her stay.
“I shall simply keep to myself until Mama and Papa decide to leave. They will need to understand that finding a husband will not be possible at this stage. I am yet twenty, surely there will be other opportunities to find the match that they desire for me?”
Selina wished that they would forget about this marriage plan and return home, where she could disappear into her father’s study and read great volumes of books while she sipped hot cocoa by the fireside. Or perhaps discussing matters such as gender inequality, Shakespeare’s plays, or the truth behind mythical creatures. Her discussions with her father were greatly varied and never dull, for he had extensive knowledge of nearly every subject known to man. Selina hoped to be as learned as he was, but if she should marry, that dream would cease to be an option.
“No man wants an intelligent woman. Is that not what Mama and Aunt Dorothy always say?” Perhaps I should take up sewing, painting, and writing, or some other equally dull activity. Her mother would certainly be happy if she did so, even though it would not make her happy.
“But at times it is vital to put someone else above yourself. Sacrifice is an act of love, and I love my family enough to give up my hopes, dreams, and plans for my future.”
Time would tell if it would be necessary to give them up, but she was willing to.
“Now I must return and face the consequences of my actions. Everyone must be wondering where I have disappeared to. At least they will know that I am not with a man, sneaking a stolen kiss or a desperate embrace.”
Thank goodness that she was not one of these women ruled by their passions. Selina found that people tended to forget that there were always servants milling about the place. They were the eyes and ears of the home, seeing and hearing all. Many a time she had happened upon a conversation about the latest gossip, emitting a gasp at the shenanigans that the social elite got themselves into.
“Silence may be golden, but it is far too difficult for people to refrain from gossip.”
Not that she had ever willingly been part of any gossip. Selina was not keen to embroil herself in any drama that could land her in hot water.
“Look at what happened to Marie! Did her parents not remove her from the public eye for nearly a year due to her gossiping?”
Marie had been a part of the group of young girls that her mother always tried to push her into. Lavinia had stationed herself as the ringleader of the group, but Marie was her close sidekick. One day she had simply disappeared from the group without so much as an explanation. Of course, Selina had been mildly worried about her, but when it was found out what had happened, she had understood the sudden vanishing act. Marie had come by some gossip, and as was her way, had been spreading it about. The Earl of Kent had apparently been caught in a compromising situation with a Duchess, but who she was, Selina never found out. When the scandal was revealed, the rumour was traced back to Marie. Selina could only imagine how mortified Marie’s parents must have been to find out that their own daughter had caused such turbulent waters amongst the Ton.
“I almost could have felt sorry for her if not for the part she had to play in Lavinia’s torment of me.”
She stood up, determination clear in her squared shoulders and balled fists. She would return to the ball as if nothing remotely humiliating had taken place.
“The baronet is nothing to me. The baronet is nothing to me. The baronet is nothing to me.”
She chanted this under her breath, willing the words to remove any feelings she may have had for Alex.
“You are not a fool, Selina. If anything, you are a woman before her time. You cannot have your thoughts linger upon a man that embodies everything wrong with the world today.”
Selina suddenly stopped, her hand going to her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes before she had the chance to draw them back. One fat tear rolled down her plump cheek, travelling toward her neck before losing momentum. She angrily wiped her face, lifting the hem of her dress to dry her damp face. There was no one about that she could see who would take her to task for raising her dress in such a manner.
“Why am I crying? What use is there in it? If I were not such a romantic at heart, I would not feel this hurt so acutely.”
Her girlish dreams were to blame. Selina never stood a chance in marrying a stable groom, but that did not mean that she had not imagined her idyllic married life with the man that she had first believed Alex to be. If Alex had just remained the man that she thought he was, Selina would have been quite content just to imagine a future with him.
“That sounds awfully selfish of me. And what if Alex, as a stable groom, had married? Then what would have become of my foolish daydreams?”
There was nothing for it. She needed to put all memory of their meeting from her mind.
“It would be miles easier if I could just erase it from my mind. Or rather, I wish that I had never laid eyes on the man. I would have avoided all of this humiliation and anger.”
For she was angry, more so that she was crying over a man that didn’t deserve a single drop of her tears.
“No,” she denied. “No. I am not crying over him. My tears are for none other than myself. Who but I will suffer the consequences of speaking to a man by the river without a chaperone? Who but I will be called a fool for being taken in by his quick smile? Who but I will be scolded for the laughs and stares my family will receive due to the fact that their eldest daughter mistook the wealthy baronet for a stable groom?”
The weight of their meeting fell solely on her shoulders.
“What did I expect? That he would accept the fact that he had deceived me? The man made a point to reveal to my family the details of our meeting! And then he proceeded to laugh in my face when I revealed who I believed he was. This kind of a man is not one to care for consequences. And why should he? He has no need to be accepted by society! People likely pander to his needs because of his wealth!”
If I was as rich as Croesus, would I need to be worried about society? This was food for thought, a topic that consumed her mind up until she stood before the doors of the ballroom once more. She slipped inside, immediately searching for her sister. If there were anyone who could cheer her up, it would be her sister.
“Where are
you, Phee?”
Selina caught a flash of blonde hair as a pair of dancers whirred before her. But it was not the blonde hair that made her look at the pair, for there were many women who were fair-haired, but the gay laugh of her sister. She glanced at the couple sharply, wanting to know just who her young sister was dancing with. The gentleman’s face was partially obscured as he looked down, seemingly laughing as well.
“I do not recognise him.”
“Simon Willoughby, a good friend of mine.”
Selina stilled as she heard Alex’s voice, her body going rigid from the tension that filled her. Do not make a scene. Be polite, but indifferent.
“Thank you, Sir Russell. If you would excuse me, I must find my family.”
A gentle hand was laid upon her forearm, stopping her retreat.
“Must you go, Selina? I wish to speak to you. There is much that needs explaining.”
And be further humiliated by him? I think not. Selina shook his hand off.
“Perhaps another time, sir. I must find my family.”
The dance had just ended, and before her sister thought to dance with another partner, Selina hurried towards her. She caught the shy smile that her sister gave the young gentleman as he did a bow before her.
“You are wonderfully nimble on your feet, Miss Ophelia,” he said. “Would you grant me another dance later? That is if your dance card is not yet full.”
“If you can find me for the last dance, I will make sure that I am available.”
Selina raised her eyebrows. Ophelia had to quite like the man if she wished to dance with him again. Not only that, but people were sure to notice that they had partnered for another dance. Only those interested in each other did so. It appeared that her sister was having more luck in this department. Selina did not know where her dance card was, having discarded it the very first time she had run from the ballroom. Mama is sure to scold me for this, too. My ears will be ringing tomorrow. Ophelia and Simon parted ways, her sister’s grin so broad that it was useless to hide it behind her hand. When she finally saw Selina, she coloured slightly, her cheeks turning a soft pink.
“I expect that you saw that,” she said.
“Anyone with eyes in their head would have seen that, Phee. You like him.”
She nodded. “Yes, there is no use in denying it. He is a gentle soul, but I hardly know him.”
“That can be easily remedied. You can ask Aunt Dorothy to invite him to the house this week.”
Ophelia narrowed her eyes at Selina, pursing her lips.
“Why do you seem so ready to encourage a meeting with Simon? I thought that you abhorred such matchmaking.”
She did, but Selina had come to realise that what she hated and what was right were two different things altogether.
“I would not want to come in between your happiness, Phee. That is all.”
They left the dance floor before the next song started, taking a seat in one of the corners.
“So,” Ophelia began. “What of the baronet? Aunt Dorothy was most embarrassed about the introduction, especially as you had not made any indication of knowing Sir Russell before.”
“I did not know that he was a baronet until this evening! He is the one that deceived me, but of course, I will be the one to receive the scolding.”
Ophelia laid a hand on hers. “Oh, Selina. I really do feel terrible for you. I cannot think of how you must be feeling. However, in all truth, I do not believe that he deceived you purposefully.”
Selina glanced sharply at her sister. “And how did you come to this conclusion?”
Ophelia was undeterred by the bite in her words, squeezing Selina’s hand instead.
“Selina, do not become angry, I beg of you. I only speak of that which I have observed. He is a caring man; I am sure of it. There must have been a misunderstanding between you two.”
A misunderstanding? Was Ophelia trying to rub his guilt away?
“He made a fool of me, Phee. What kind of a misunderstanding can there possibly be?”
Ophelia sighed. “Very well, we shall speak of this no more. I can see that it torments you so. Oh, no.”
“Oh no, what?”
“Both Mama and Aunt Dorothy are coming this way. They look none too happy.”
Selina groaned and sank lower into her chair. It was an unladylike gesture, but she was not remotely worried about that right at that moment. She was about to hear an earful, but perhaps with the crowd surrounding them, it would not be severe.
“You had better sit up, young lady,” her aunt scolded. “Take this.”
Selina straightened in her seat, taking the card from her.
“We have filled your card with dancing partners,” her mother explained. “You are to dance the next set.”
Selina scanned her dance card, wondering how they had managed to find it. They must have salvaged it off the floor. I hope he is not on this list. She looked all the way to the bottom but did not find his name. Selina could not stop a part of her feeling disappointed. Oh, stop that Selina! Put that man out of your head! She nodded at the two women, not trusting herself to speak.
“You will behave like the gentlewoman that my dear sister raised you to be,” Aunt Dorothy said. “Do you hear me, Selina?”
“Yes, Aunt Dorothy,” she replied meekly.
“No talk of useless things. Better yet, do not speak unless spoken to. Do not let those men see the wheels turning behind your head–it will scare them off.”
Selina merely nodded to all that her aunt had to say, knowing that her silence was best in this situation.
“Lastly, Selina, do not speak to Sir Russell. Do not even look in his direction. You have caused enough drama to last this family a lifetime.”
She had caused the drama? What did I expect? Did I not tell myself this very thing when I was still outside?
“Yes, Aunt.”
Satisfied, her aunt nodded her head, sitting in a chair close to them. Her mother followed suit. It seemed that they were going to keep watch over her until the evening ended. Her time to dance came sooner than she expected, and sure enough, a young man approached her. Aunt Dorothy stood up.
“Selina, this is Bartholomew Massey. He is your first dance partner.”
“Please, call me Barty,” he said and bowed.
Selina could do nothing but stand up and take his outstretched hand, dutifully curtsying.
“Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Barty.”
“Shall we?” he prompted.
Selina looked back at her mother, who nodded her head. Go, she mouthed. Selina turned back to her first partner, smiling.
“Of course.”
Jealousy erupted within him as he saw Selina being led to the floor. Alex had hoped that he would be the first to dance with her, but that opportunity had been snatched from him. But would she have danced with him?
“Perhaps if I said that as the host I am required to dance with all my female guests.”
It would be a lie, but one that would have been worth it had he actually danced with her. Alex had seen her the moment she had entered the ballroom again. His whole body had been tuned into locating her, hoping to speak with her. He had believed that Providence was smiling down on him when she had stopped to watch her sister dancing, but no sooner had he gone to her that she had brushed him off quickly. What would she think of me throwing her over my shoulder and striding from the room? She’d probably hate me. The gossip that would ensue straight after would likely affect her more than it would him.
A Charming Lady for the Intriguing Baronet: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 10