Page 38 of An Honorable Arrangement
"But you will anger them."
He threaded her hand through his elbow and walked her into the ballroom. "Since when do you care about such things? Have you never angered any of the people whose charge you were under?"
She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up. "I do not think there has been one whom I haven't angered, and that includes Mrs. Pratt on many occasions."
"Ah, then you should not trouble yourself over the Viscount and Viscountess of Thornbury. They will live with the disappointment, and you and I will be happy." He rounded a large group of people, stopped, and said, "I would like for you to meet, my fiancée, Miss Sarah Sommers."
The people stared in shocked silence for an instant before several cheered and raised their glasses. A few whispered, and one portly gentleman slapped Montgomery on the back.
Once the effect of his introduction subsided, he bowed and led her farther into the ornate ballroom.
Sarah’s cheeks were on fire, and she imagined she was red as a ripe cherry. Part of her wanted to laugh while the rest thought of running from the ballroom and hiding until Montgomery came to his senses.
Guests were dressed in every color of the rainbow. Gilded plaster surrounded tall glass doors and opulent frescoed ceilings. Sarah had never seen anything like it before. "Where are you taking me?"
"The minuet is about to start." He shrugged and found two more people he had to tell about their engagement. However, he did seem to know these two.
Sarah was so overwhelmed, she forgot the relation as soon as they stepped away.
Other couples formed groups on the dance floor in anticipation of the music. Lord and Lady Stapleton stood at the edge of the dancers but didn’t join. Lady Stapleton gave Sarah a warm smile.
A few feet away, Montgomery's parents frowned with narrowed glares.
Leaning in, he whispered, "I suggest you ignore them and focus all your glorious attention on me."
He was positively overflowing with joy. Sarah couldn't help how good it made her feel. She took his advice, and as the music began, she reveled in the dance and each time, it brought her to the man she would call husband.
Soon, his parents’ glares distracted her.
Monty smiled and spoke louder than was strictly necessary. "Do you wish for a very large wedding?"
"You are wicked," she whispered.
"If you do not answer, I will speak louder." His wide grin didn’t hide his playful warning.
On the next pass, she took his hand. "I hadn't thought about it. I never really expected to marry."
"Think about it now." He waggled his brows.
"Right now?"
He gave her a nod as the dance took him away.
When they came back together, she said, "I think something small would be nice. I would like to meet some of your friends and family. We might invite Captain Phillips and my father."
The minuet ended, and he bowed.
She curtsied, and when the waltz began, she stepped into his arms.
"Have you heard from the good captain?" Montgomery whirled her around in three-step time.
She looked for signs of jealousy as he'd displayed during their travel but saw none. "You are no longer jealous of the captain?"
Shaking his head, he smiled. "No. You are mine by choice, and I trust you would not have agreed to marry me were your feelings for Phillips of an amorous nature."
"That is very sensible. I did hear from Captain Phillips two days ago. He asked if I was well and also after you. It was kind of him to enquire. He also said he had stopped in to see my father and found him rather tame." Sarah watched for some indication of understanding, but Montgomery just nodded. "Do you know what he might have meant by the last?"
He tightened his grip to pull her out of the path of an overzealous couple. "It means he wasn't falling down or losing consciousness. Perhaps our last visit has made some impact. I hope your father will be well enough to be at our wedding, for your sake, Sarah."
