Page 37 of One Perfect Dance
She spoke of Gideon’s offer of a cordial marriage—a partnership that offered her his name and protection.
She did not say what she contributed to the deal. Her dowry? As far as Ash knew, Gideon Paddimore had been a rich man before he married. Certainly, Regina was now a wealthy widow, or Dilly would not be so eager to lay claim to her. The hope of an heir, perhaps? Gideon had Geoffrey, but perhaps he wanted a son of his own blood?
They turned back into the main ride.
“Enough of that,” Regina said. “Ash, I wanted to personally invite you to my ball on our birthday. I have sent invitations to you and to Lord and Lady Arthur.”
“I cannot speak for Rex and Rithya,” he told her. “But I would be glad to come. May I presume on an old promise and claim a dance?”
“I would be disappointed if you did not.”
*
Chapter Fourteen
Regina was oneof a score of ladies invited to Lady Barker’s At Home to meet Lady Arthur Versey over tea and cake. The travelers had been back in England for two and a half weeks, but Lady Arthur had been recovering from the birth of her son and months of travel. This would be her first public appearance.
Since Regina was not well-acquainted with her hostess, she assumed she had been included because Elijah had suggested her. After all, in the eyes of many, she had lost her status as the daughter of a peer when she married a commoner, and one in trade, at that. One, furthermore, who could buy and sell most of his so-called betters.
Most of the ladies present had far more illustrious connections. However, her three particular friends were there, so perhaps she owed her invitation to Cordelia, Arial, and Margaret.
Lady Barker presented her to the guest of honor. “Dear sister, may I make known to you Mrs. Paddimore?”
Society had been buzzing with speculation about Lady Arthur. She was as fashionably dressed and coiffed as any other lady in the room. Regina had already guessed her identity, as the warm brown tones of her skin set her apart in the sea of pale faces.
She was a princess of a principality in India, that much seemed to be accepted beyond a doubt. The circumstances of her marriage to Lord Arthur changed according to the storyteller. Regina’s favorite was the tale that Lord Arthur had seen her on the back of an elephant in a procession, peeking out from behind the curtains of herhowdah. He had fallen in love and wooed her with poetry smuggled into the harem by a eunuch guard.
“Mrs. Paddimore, I am very pleased to make the acquaintance of the dear friend of our Mr. Ashby,” said the lady of the hour, putting paid to the rumor that she spoke no English. She spoke it well, though with a slight intonation that hinted of distant lands.
“And I, my lady, to meet you.” Elijah had written about Lady Arthur a number of times.
“I must thank you for your invitation to your ball,” Lady Arthur said. “My husband and I are looking forward to it.”
Today’s news made her fret that the ball might not go ahead, but that was nonsense. Of course, she could solve the problem. She smiled at Lady Arthur. “I am so delighted you can come. May I ask after the children, Lady Arthur?”
Lady Arthur’s dark eyes lit with pleasure. “Ash has spoken to you of Caroline and Gareth? They are well, Mrs. Paddimore. Gareth is gaining weight at long last.”
“He was born early,” Regina commented. “Mr. Ashby mentioned that. It must have been a worry for you.”
Lady Arthur nodded, decisively, and said to Lady Barker, “See, Elaine? I knew that, if Ash liked her, we would be friends. Mrs. Paddimore, I must allow my sister to make me known to other guests, but I would like to speak further with you. Would you care to call tomorrow afternoon? I shall ask Ash to bring you if you are available.”
“It would be my pleasure, Lady Arthur,” Regina agreed. Elijah had already arranged to take her driving, so they would merely be changing the destination.
She would enjoy knowing the lady better for Lady Arthur’s own sake. She would not consider that a closer acquaintance with Lady Arthur might be beneficial to her future.
It was too early to decide her future belonged with Lord Arthur’s best friend. She had seen Elijah every day since he made his first afternoon call, most days more than once. They had been driving twice, the second time stopping at Gunter’s for an ice. They had taken Geoffrey to Astley’s and to a balloon ascension.
They had been to the British Museum, conducted on a personal tour by one of the curators. The man would have shown them every exhibit donated by the famous travelers, but they manage only seven, for every item Elijah and Rex had collected prompted half a dozen anecdotes about the land of origin, the friends’ adventures in that country, and all the lovely things they had left behind.
The curator began surreptitiously checking his pocket watch after two hours, and Elijah promised to bring Regina back another time.
Elijah had also called, with flowers, during her visiting hours. Dilly Deffew, arriving yesterday at the same time, spend the next thirty minutes glowering at his stepbrother. Regina was going to have to do more to depress Mr. Deffew’s aspirations.
Even if Elijah was merely amusing himself, Deffew would never do, and it was unfair of her to allow him to continue to believe she favored him, and that her refusals had just been female coyness. Although she had told him she would never marry him, so how much more forceful could she be?
Was Elijah serious? He had not spoken of his intentions nor made any attempt to as much as steal a kiss. Not steal. Steal was the wrong word, since she would give a kiss freely if she thought it would be valued.
It would be easy to find the opportunity. Mary had come down with a cold, and had gone to Three Gables to convalesce, and Geoffrey was out more than he was at home. All she needed to do was manufacture a reason to be alone in a room with Elijah, and let things happen.
