Page 43 of The Lady Was Lying
“I’ll tell him you are indisposed,” Belinda conceded. “But not that I will dance with him in your place.” While her self-control had been unusually robust all evening—she’d rebuffed every man who showed even a degree of interest—it would be foolish to test her resolve.
“I appreciate it. Thank you,” Jane whispered and then slipped into the crowd.
With an aggravated sigh, Belinda turned toward her brother and his wife. They’d been whispering to each other for several minutes, paying little attention to anyone else, so they hadn’t even noticed that Jane had appeared and then disappeared.
Some chaperones they were.
Belinda tapped on Sebastian’s shoulder, and he startled as if she’d attacked him.
She snorted. “Seriously? I’ve been standing next to you all this time. Did you forget I was here?”
“What are you blathering about?” he asked, straightening the lapels of his jacket and glancing around as if he’d forgotten he was in the ballroom entirely.
Belinda shook her head and sighed again. “We have a problem. Jane is headed to the ladies retiring room”—she gestured in the direction Jane had gone—“and she is supposed to dance the next set with the duke.”
“She couldn’t wait?” Sebastian asked, mirroring Belinda’s response exactly.
“Oh no. Is she all right?” Emmeline asked, furthering her status as the kindest member of their family.
“She seemed well enough,” Belinda responded.
Emmeline placed her hand against her stomach. “I wish I could take her place, but spinning would be far too much for me today.”
“Or any day,” Sebastian added affectionately.
“Indeed.” Emmeline smiled at him. “I should go check on Jane. Will you stay here and speak with the duke?”
Sebastian nodded and dropped a kiss on Emmeline’s forehead before she went to find Jane.
Feeling rather useless, Belinda frowned as she watched Emmeline go. The only thing she’d managed to do that evening was to keep herself out of trouble. Behaving like a proper lady was absolutely an accomplishment, but it wasn’t enough. How was she going to convince herself to attend another ball if the only thing she was going to do was watch her sister flirt prettily while otherwise remaining entirely unaffected?
Belinda was still frowning when James came to a halt in front of them.
As they swapped greetings, he seemed to be paying her undue attention. Why was he looking at her so closely? Was her gown awry? Was her misery apparent?
“I’m sorry to say that Jane is indisposed at the moment,” Sebastian told the duke. “It appears that she will be unable to dance with you this evening.”
“How unfortunate. Hopefully nothing serious is ailing her.” He glanced at Belinda as he spoke.
“I believe she will be fine,” Sebastian replied.
James nodded, his gaze darting to Belinda again. “Jane is a delightful partner. I shall miss her company.”
Why did he keep looking at her?
“Jane is most distressed about not being able to dance with you,” she interjected, even though her sister hadn’t seemed that distressed. “Perhaps you can save her a dance at a future ball, or you could call on her tomorrow to inquire about her well-being.”
“Absolutely.” James shifted on his feet as if he were uncertain what to say next.
“Perhaps you would be willing to dance together,” Sebastian suggested, wincing as soon as the words left his mouth.
“Not necessary,” James quickly responded. “I don’t mind sitting this one out.”
Belinda would have refused, but the fact that James had dismissed the idea so promptly caused a momentary deficiency in her brain. “It would be my pleasure to dance with the duke.”
James’s eyebrows shot up. “It would?”
“I am more than adept at dancing. You could do worse,” she informed him tartly.
