Lady Chatterley was now one of the most respected ladies of the ton. Alexandra had little doubt that she would soon be back to throwing balls of her own, once the baby was born. She had to admit she was rather relieved to see lady Chatterley here. It was good to have someone who was somewhat of an ally around. Someone she could converse with that was not directly involved in this quarrelsome courtship.
“Lady Chatterley, what a pleasure to see you here!”
“Likewise, Miss Evans, now what is with the face? Is the Duke giving you a hard time already?”
Alexandra glanced at the Duke who was presently observing the dancefloor while conversing with his fellow lords.
“He can be rather difficult.”
Alexandra turned around to face a lady. “I did not know you were so well acquainted with him.”
She nodded, “I have not conversed much with him, but my husband knows him well. They frequently go hunting together, even though neither of them enjoy it. In fact, the Marquess attempted to set the Duke up with his younger sister, some years ago, I believe. However, he showed little interest. I knew he was under pressure to wed though, which is why I agreed to introduce you to the Duchess, the last time you were here.”
“He is rather reluctant to wed. This is only the second engagement for the two, but they have hardly spoken a word to each other. Poor Lady Frances.”
Lady Chatterley watched the young woman glide across the dancefloor.
“Poor thing indeed. What a quandary. Her father is a very cantankerous man. Although, he is charming when he wants to be, but it is only a cover to achieve his ends. He has a dark core.”
Alexandra was surprised that Lady Chatterley was so eager to share her thoughts with a commoner, but then again, she had always been quite open and forthcoming in their meetings. Lady Chatterley’s family had only recently been elevated to the status of nobility.
If Alexandra remembered correctly, Lady Chatterley’s grandfather, General Brown, had been elevated to Viscount after the Seven Years’ War. Her father had been bestowed with an even grander title and lands. Still, she wasn’t that far removed from being a commoner herself. Perhaps that was why she was willing to converse with someone who was of a lower station than herself.
Suddenly, Lady Chatterley turned to face her.
“I feel almost sorry that I introduced the lot of them to you. I felt at the time I was doing you a favor, but now I am not so sure.”
Alexandra shook her head.
“Do not fret, Lady Chatterley. If I am able to make this match, it will be quite the boon for my business. Besides, it is not the first difficult match I have had to endure. Thus far, my resources have never failed me. Well…” she stopped and pressed her lips together. There was one time when things had gone terribly wrong.
“It is quite alright, Miss Evans. Nobody remembers that dreadful saga with the governess. Well, nobody who matters. Besides, it is not the matchmaker’s fault when one of the parties is not forthright about their situation.”
The music stopped before she could say anything else. The dancers disbursed and the Master of Ceremony stepped forward to announce the next dance. To her great relief, the Duke straightened his overcoat and approached Lady Frances.
“At last,” she muttered. Lady Chatterley gave her a friendly nudge with her elbow.
“You see? It will all work out. We must remain hopeful.”
“Ever hopeful. My mother used to say that.” Well, she’d said it about their clients. It didn’t apply to her private life where hope was something she’d known once, long ago, and had long since abandoned.
“She was a lovely woman, your mother. She arranged a wonderful match for my cousin. So sad your father passed away when you were so young.”
Alexandra shook her head. “I was not yet born when he passed.”
The lady clasped her hand in front of her mouth.
“Faith! How ghastly! And she never remarried?”
Alexandra shook her head. “She did not wish to. Losing my father took away her own will to live. If it were not for me, she would have given up long ago.”
“Is this why you have chosen not to wed yourself?”
Alexandra was surprised at the direct questions the Lady was asking. She was not used to this sort of conversation.
“It is. I do not believe I am made for marriage. I prefer to keep to myself.”
“Oh, but perhaps it is just that you have not yet met the right man. I was quite unsure of marriage myself until you introduced me to this fine example of a man,” she had her eyes fixed on someone to their right. Alexandra squinted to see. Ah. Of course.
Lady Chatterley’s husband, the Marquess, walked up to the pair of them and greeted Alexandra warmly.
“If it is not London’s number one matchmaker!”
“My Lord,” she curtsied.
“I hear you are hard at work. Gatterlen and Lady Frances? An impeccable match if you can make it. And you have the Earl of Somerset and the Lady Eliza engaged in a courtship as well?”
Alexandra raised her eyebrows. “I was not aware your Lordship was so familiar with my clients.”
“Word gets around. Somerset’s father is a friend of mine. Now, if you do not mind, I would like to take my wife for a spin around the dancefloor. That is if you feel well enough, my dear.”
“I am always up for a dance, my dear. Excuse me, Miss Evans.” Lady Chatterley and her husband proceeded to join the other couples on the dancefloor. It was not a common occurrence to have a married couple dance, but the Chatterley’s were not a common couple.
She watched as the assorted couples began dancing the Scotch Reel and then walked to a chair in the corner to sit. Her new shoes were hurting her feet.
In short order, she was joined by Lord Hendley, who took the seat beside her.
“Rather a smashing couple, aren’t they?” He pointed with his chin to the Duke and Lady Frances. They did indeed look good as they danced. She was half a head shorter than him, reaching up to his nose. It made her appear dainty, small, and ladylike. Him tall and strong. If she did not know their personalities, she would have thought they’d make a beautiful couple. Personality differences aside, she knew that they would end up together. Seeing them dance gave her an idea of what that might look like. Somehow the thought of them ending up together made her sad. Though it was exactly what she needed to happen for her business.
“They are,” she replied to the young Lord. Then she turned to look at him. “I will find you a match eventually, do not fret.”
He shrugged. “I know my position is difficult. Rest assured, I am working to rebuild my father’s fortune. I have already won a tidy sum at White’s. A lot from Gatterlen, to be sure.” He fell silent for a moment as if contemplating his next comment. “He believes that I do not know he’s letting me win. I often want to tell him that I know but I understand it is his way of helping me without putting me in the position of having to ask.”
“That is kind of him,” Alexandra meant what she said. Rough as the Duke appeared, he did seem to have a good heart beneath it all.
“Kind, yes. He is not close to a great many people, but those he truly cares about, he looks after. Once you are a friend of the Duke, you are a friend for life.” He observed the dancing couple wistfully. “He will look after her, eh wot? He may not fall madly in love with her, but he will do right by her.”
Alexandra sighed. If only that was all it took to be happy in life, to be looked after.
“It is so governed by duty, our life. I envy you sometimes, Miss Evans. You have your freedom; you answer to nobody.”
“I answer to society the same as you, My Lord. More so, for I am not of noble breeding. One misstep and not only am I out of a business, but out of a home.” She did not like to think of these things, but such was her life.
“I sometimes wonder if it is all worth it. Rebuilding my family fortunes. Would it not be easier to put you in charge of finding a husband for Mary, and then selling al
l that’s left? I could start over somewhere else. Buy a small cottage and spend my days walking in nature and playing the pianoforte. Did I ever tell you I secretly wished I could be the next Mozart?”
Alexandra grinned. She had not imagined the former dandy and reluctant Viscount as a musician.
“I know you play. I did not know you had ambitions quite so lofty.”
“Daydreams, my dear Miss Evans. Only daydreams.” He stopped and after a moment smirked at her. “Let us keep this between ourselves. Potential wives need not know.”
She placed a finger in front of her mouth. “Shhh. The secret's safe with me.”
Chapter 16
The music stopped and Maxwell accompanied Lady Frances back to where Miss Evans and Hendley were conversing. He felt a hot pang of jealousy again as he observed his friend talk to her. He wanted to be the one to speak with her, to entertain her.
“It looked like a lot of fun!” Hendley said cheerfully when Maxwell and Lady Frances took their seats next to them.
“Oh, it was. Your Grace is a much better dancer than I would have imagined,” Lady Frances said. She was glowing. Maxwell smiled at her. He was happy she was enjoying herself, though the same could not be said for him. Although he was not keen on the courtship, he did not want the young lady to be miserable, either.
“Gatterlen will have you believe he has two left feet, but really he’s light as a feather when dancing!”
“He is indeed!” Lady Frances said, beaming.
“Perhaps after I take my spin with Miss Evans here, you may do me the honor of a dance? If Your Grace doesn’t mind, of course.” Hendley looked at Maxwell for approval.
The Master of Ceremony stepped onto the dancefloor and announced the next dance, the cotillion. Followed by the quadrille.
“Ah! That is us, Miss Evans,” Hendley stood up. Maxwell couldn’t help but glare at his friend. The look did not escape him. Instantly, his friend’s expression changed, and he grabbed Maxwell be the arm. Leaning in he whispered “Have I offended you, Gatterlen? You look at me as though you wish me dead.”
What is wrong with me? Why am I reacting in such a manner? He is my friend and she the matchmaker. Neither should have been feeling this way.
“You have done nothing, Hendley. Enjoy your dance.” He smiled at the matchmaker. “But do not exhaust her, for the next dance is mine.”
Hendley gave him a curt nod. The suspicious expression remained on his face as he made his way to the dancefloor. Miss Evans meanwhile gave him a furious glare, which only made him smile. Oh, how he looked forward to dancing and having a few moments with her! They wouldn’t be alone, of course. There would be several other couples on the dancefloor, but still.
“I am glad we have discovered a mutual love of dancing, Your Grace,” Lady Frances said. He tore his glance away from the two of them and directed his attention to her.
“Oh, indeed. It is beneficial to have common ground, I agree.”
“Perhaps we will discover more as time goes on.”
“Perhaps, yes.” He had already found his interested drawn back to the dancefloor again where his friend and his matchmaker made their rounds. She looked like an angel on the dancefloor, gliding rather than dancing over the marble floor. Her dress moved around her, hinting at the outline of her body. How he wished he could embrace her and …
Oh, what a fool I am. There is no denying it. I have fallen for her. I do not know why! It is nothing in particular, and yet, it is everything about her. Her wit, her fire, her sharp mind and tongue. I cannot help but want to be around her. And yet, here beside me is the woman I am meant to court. What am I to do?
It wasn’t until the Lady Frances gently cleared her throat that he realized she’d been talking to him the entire time. Embarrassed, he turned to her.
“What did you say, My Lady? I did not quite hear you over the sound of the music.”
What a liar I am. Surely, she doesn’t believe that?
To his surprise, she appeared to. Or she was too polite to say otherwise.
“I said that perhaps we could visit the menagerie at the Tower. Miss Evans said she is chaperoning the Earl of Somerset and Lady Eliza Rockford there this coming Sunday for their outing. I do love animals, and I hear there are lions as well as tigers.”
Maxwell pursed his lips. He was not very interested in exotic animals, although he liked the idea of seeing Miss Evans again soon.
“Let us tell her we would like to visit. Yes. We could go the following Wednesday, if you would like. As long as she does not mind going to the menagerie twice in one week.”
The young woman beamed. “I hope she will not. I know I would not mind. I would go daily, I should imagine.”
“Very well, I shall inform her directly. Well, once the next dance starts.”
Lady Frances smiled and swayed with the sound of the music, her eyes now on the couples that floated by them as they danced. He was counting the minutes until the music stopped. The quadrille was next, and he would be able to finally be able to speak to Miss Evans again and even dance with her. He now felt foolish for having wasted the time they had together in the supper room merely eating. He should have taken more time to converse with her.
Chapter 17
Alexandra was slightly out of breath when the music stopped. She was not used to dancing. Usually, when she chaperoned a couple to a ball it would be a public affair and formal introductions were required before she was able to dance. As she did not know anyone to be formally introduced, she often ended up simply sitting in a corner, observing. She had to admit, exhausting as it may be, she very much enjoyed it.
She walked back toward her seat with Lord Hendley when the Master of Ceremonies took the floor.
“For the next dance, the quadrille.”
Oh, I promised the Duke this dance.
Alexandra stopped and watched as the Duke came toward her, a smile on his face. From the corner of her eye she saw Lord and Lady Chatterley approach the dancefloor, as well as two other couples she didn’t recognize.
“You look flushed,” the Duke remarked as they got into the proper formation for the dance.
“Commenting on a lady’s appearance is not proper etiquette, Your Grace,” Alexandra fired back. “As you well know.”
“Ah. Etiquette, what would we be without it? Nothing but a collection of brutes without manner or reason.”
Raising her eyebrow at him, Alexandra smoothed her dress in anticipation of the music.
“I see Your Grace fancies himself a comedian.”
“Just an astute observer of my surroundings.” He winked at her. There was some commotion in the corner, where the orchestra was located. Alexandra could not make out what was going on.
“It is the violin, a string broke,” the Marquess of Chatterley informed them. He and Lady Chatterley stood diagonally from Alexandra and were in better view of the situation.
“The Lady Frances has made a request for our next meeting,” the Duke said as they waited for the instrument to be replaced.
“Has she?” Alexandra wanted to feel relieved that the two of them were beginning to take an interest in their courtship, but somehow her heart did not feel altogether elated by it anymore.
“She would like to attend the Royal Menagerie at the Tower. She desires to see the wild animals.”
The menagerie again? I was there this past weekend to chaperone, and I am taking Lord Somerset and Lady Eliza there on Sunday! That will be the third time I will have gone there this month. Why are these aristocrats so enamored with watching animals in cages? I cannot decline, of course.
“Certainly. If Your Graces would like to go, we shall.”
The corners of his lips were twitching as if he had just thought of something hilarious. She braced herself. She was sure something outrageous was about to come out of his mouth. She wasn’t wrong.
“Speaking of wild animals. I trust you have heard what your friends, the Luddites, have done?”
Alexandra t
ook a deep breath at that. Of course, she had. The previous day a large gathering of Luddites had caused quite a lot of damage to a mill in Huddersfield. Of course, the military had made swift business of them.
“I have. I have also heard how the military quickly put a stop to it. Now two of the poor sods are lying dead in the ground.”
She spotted someone rushing across the back of the room with a violin.
“Such is the price for engaging in that sort of behavior.” They spoke quietly, for this was not a topic to be discussed in public. She knew all too well that he was baiting her into yet another sparring match, and she couldn’t help but take it. She had to admit, she rather enjoyed their quick-witted back and forth, despite how enraging as his opinions were.
Perfectly Mismatched With The Duke (Historical Regency Romance) Page 10