Page 19 of The Truth about the Earl
I am quite able to see her flaws now.A scowl played around his mouth but he forced it away.I just wish I had been able to see her as she truly is before now.It was as if a veil had suddenly been lifted from his eyes and he could now see Lady Maude as she truly was. Yes, he had been a little distracted when she had offered him her waltz but he had managed to overcome that and find Lady Essington instead. In a way, James was rather proud of himself.
“And now you have returned, expecting to havemydance card also?” She sent a sharp look toward the other gentlemen who all laughed as though James were being quite ridiculous.
“I am doing as I said, Lady Maude,” James put in, ignoring the laughter and refusing to respond to it. “If you wish me to depart without being allowed the opportunity to sign your dance card, then I shall go.” This was said without any vehemence or any obvious anger, for James held no frustration nor fury in his heart toward the lady. He waited, seeing Lady Maude turn toward him a little more so that she might study him more closely. Her blue eyes flashed and her confident smile faded away as he looked back at her without flinching. It was as if she had been able to see into his heart and realized now that he did not have the same consideration for her as he had once done – and that evidently displeased her.
“My dance card, Lord Yardley.” She handed it to him with a flourish. “You will see that there are stillsomedances remaining.” Her lip curved upwards again as her chin lifted.
“Ah, I can see that Lord Guthrie is to take your waltz, Lady Maude.”
“Yes, indeed.” Her smile grew but it lacked any warmth. “He wasveryeager to do so and I could not help but grant him.”
James nodded, a new curl of dislike beginning to form in his belly. “That is quite understandable, Lady Maude, and indeed, I am glad that he did so.” Scribbling his name down for the polka, he handed her back the card with a broad smile. Lady Maude’s eyes flashed and her smile flattened.
“You aregladthat he has taken my waltz, Lord Yardley?” she responded, sounding quite disbelieving. “How very gracious of you.” The irony in her voice reached out to slap James across the cheek but he merely smiled.
“Indeed, it is just as well, Lady Maude, for I have already signed Lady Essington’s dance card for the waltz.” Seeing her smile shatter, he bowed low, not wanting to linger in her company any longer. After her behavior this evening, James had seen her in an entirely new light and it was not a light that brought her any favor, not in his eyes. “Good evening.” Stepping away, James let out a long, slow breath but felt his heart lift free of a weight that he had never really known it carried. In turning away from Lady Maude in favor of Lady Essington, he had allowed his heart to see the lady as she truly was. Her beauty had threatened to distract him, threatened to tear him away from what would have been the right and gentlemanly course of action. But thanks to Lord Huntsford’s previous words, James had been able to pursue Lady Essington and, in doing so, had seen Lady Maude’s true character – and it had not been one that pleased him.
In fact, I am rather irritated with myself that I have never seen such a thing before. That I have spent months pursuing a lady whose character is most displeasing.Taking in a deep breath, James set his shoulders. Lady Maude was displeased with him and had thought to set him in his place by giving her waltz to another, but for whatever reason, he had suspected that she would have done such a thing. How glad he was that he had written his name for Lady Essington’s waltz! That, he wascertain, would be a very enjoyable dance indeed and he was already looking forward to stepping out with Lady Essington again.
Chapter Seven
“My lady, you have a caller.”
Norah blinked in surprise, looking up at the butler as he stood framed in the doorway.
“Come in, Clarke, and tell me who has called.” Disliking the way the butler stood in the doorway rather than coming in and closing it behind him, Norah beckoned him in. “It is very early for a caller, is it not?”
The butler nodded. “Yes, my lady. I would say it is.”
“I have only just broken my fast!” Norah exclaimed, shaking her head as she stretched one hand out toward the dining table. “Who has decided to call at this hour?”
Handing her a card, the butler cleared his throat and put his hands behind his back. “She did state that it was urgent, my lady.”
Norah’s smile faded as she looked down at Lady Adlay’s name. “Is that so?” Biting her lip, she set the card down. “Please do show her in.”
“Into the dining room?”
“Yes, Clarke. And send for a fresh pot of tea. I will remove to the other end of the table.”
“As you wish.” The butler hurried from the room and Norah rose quickly, brushing her fingers down her skirts to make certain that there were no lingering crumbs. Wondering why Lady Adlay had decided to call so early and what could possibly be so very urgent, Norah stood by her chair and waited for her friend to enter.
“Lady Essington.” Lady Adlay hurried in, her face a little pale and her eyes wide. She grasped Norah’s hands and looked directly into her eyes. “I do hope that you are quite well.”
“I am very well, Lady Adlay. Why, whatever is the matter?”
Her friend’s eyes rounded all the more, her fingers tightening on Norah’s. “You have not read it, then?”
A wave of anxiety crashed over Norah given the look in her friend’s eyes. “Read what?”
Lady Adlay closed her eyes. “It is only a suggestion and I am certain that thetonwill acknowledge it to be as such but it is still there, regardless.”
A little frustrated that she had no knowledge of what Lady Adlay spoke, Norah took in a deep breath and tried to remain calm in both her heart and her mind despite both wishing desperately to begin to fill themselves with worry. “Let us sit down and you can explain it all to me,” she said softly, trying to smile as Lady Adlay finally released her hands. “I am sure it cannot be anything too severe, else surely I would have heard of it before now.”
“Oh, but it has only just been printed!” Lady Adlay exclaimed, as Norah’s stomach twisted hard. “The society papers had the usual column from Mrs. Fullerton, whoever she may be, but thereafter there was typed a small postscript, as though she had quite forgotten another matter.”
Norah, who had known very well what the article said – it spoke of Lord Butterstone’s penchant for gambling and how he continually refused to pay his debts regardless of how much helost – was a little confused. She had not written any postscript! “And what does this postscript speak of?”
Lady Adlay’s eyes widened. “It speaks of you, Lady Essington!”
