Page 6 of One Perfect Dance
They walked out past the butler, who had been standing in the open door listening. Undoubtedly, the story would be all over Town before the day was out.
Chapter Three
Mr. Paddimore thoughtthat Regina looked beautiful. So did Mama and Papa, but Mr. Paddimore was not a member of her family, and so did not have to say such nice things to her.
However, he made several favorable comments about Regina’s appearance. Her favorites were that her lovely gown was almost a fit setting for her own beauty, and a flattering remark about her hair.
“How delightful that you wear my flowers in your hair, Miss Kingsley,” he said. He had sent her flowers, a small bouquet of delicate hothouse orchids, blushed with a pink that almost precisely matched her gown. “I would not have thought of using them to adorn your dark curls,” he said, “but they are a perfect setting for them.”
Was that not a sweet thing to say?
Regina did not know Mr. Paddimore very well since he seldom came to the Kingsley house. He was a handsome man for his age—not as old as Papa, but at least thirty, and probably older. She had not realized how charming he was. Regina was delighted to have him take her into dinner and lead her out in the first dance.
Regina had thought that the dinner party would drag, given how excited she was about the ball, and how eager for the dancing to begin. Mr. Paddimore, however, proved to be an entertaining dinner companion. He told Regina several stories about funny things that happened at balls he attended and assured her he was happy to fight off any suitors she would prefer not to entertain.
Before she knew it, dinner was over, and Mama was saying it was time to form the receiving line. That, too, was exciting. All of these people had come to celebrate Regina!
She received many compliments. Mama and Papa, too, for having such a beautiful and charming daughter. Even so, she was glad when the stream of new arrivals dwindled to a trickle, and Mama announced it was time for the first dance.
Her one disappointment was that Elijah had not arrived. She had gone to such trouble, too. Yesterday afternoon, at the dancing class that one of Mama’s friends had got up for young ladies and young gentlemen who were new to the Season, Regina had managed to speak to several of the young men to whom mother had given one of her dances.
One of them—a youth she had known from the cradle—was more than happy to forego his dance with her in return for an introduction to another of the debutantes who had caught his eye.
If Elijah arrived, she would be able to dance with him. She had always wanted to, since she had seen him dancing with his mother at a village festival more than six years ago.
However, if he could not be bothered to come to her ball, she was certainly not going to spare him another thought. She smiled at Mr. Paddimore and allowed him to lead her out onto the dance floor. He was a very graceful dancer. She supposed that, at his age, he had had a lot of practice.
She enjoyed every minute of the next two hours. She did not enjoy some of her partners, especially the clumsy ones who trod on her feet or tried to lead her the wrong way. Then there were gentlemen who talked the entire time, yet never had a single interesting thing to say. Worst of all were those who served ridiculous and overblown flattery with a helping of questions about how rich her father really was.
But Regina loved to dance, and was happy to imagine the clumsy, boring, or calculating partner of the moment replaced with the perfect gentleman of her imagination. The perfect gentleman who would partner her in one perfect dance.
It was for that imaginary person she danced gracefully to the music, smiling, and glowing with pleasure.
At supper, her partner was tongue-tied, so she carried on with her daydream, imagining that her perfect gentleman had selected morsels to tempt her appetite from the best of the dishes set out for the guests.
Her escort managed to break his silence long enough to stammer, “Are you enjoying the evening, Miss Kingsley?”
Regina heard the question in her perfect gentleman’s thrilling tones, and it was to him that she answered, “I am having such a wonderful time. Everything is so exciting, so beautiful, and the people have been so kind.”
The enthusiastic response loosened her escort’s tongue a little. “It is very easy to be kind to one as lovely as you, Miss Kingsley.”
He might not be her perfect gentleman, but he was a very nice person.
As they left the supper room, the butler announced two late arrivals. “Lord Arthur Versey. Mr. Elijah Ashby.”
Elijah had come! Her mother was hurrying to greet the new guests. Or, rather, Lord Arthur. Regina examined the man who was receiving all of her mother’s attention. She had been well-enough schooled in the peerage to know Versey was the family name of the Dukes of Dellborough, so Lord Arthur must be the younger son who had hired Elijah to travel with him. Lord Arthur had not been invited, but duke’s sons could expect to be welcomed whether invited or not.
He was now introducing his companion. They were both tall men, though—unlike Elijah—Lord Arthur had not yet put on width to match his height. He was a long, thin string of a youth, immaculately dressed for the evening. Elijah was also beautifully dressed, though without the extravagant embroidery and extra touches of lace. The well-fitting black coat stretched over broad shoulders, and his fawn breeches clung to muscular thighs.
He was in time for their dance, and Regina needed to let him know he had been so favored.
“I enjoyed our supper,” she told her escort. “I am returning to my mother now. I do hope you enjoy the rest of the evening.”
The boy said something about calling on her tomorrow, and Regina managed a polite bob of a curtsy before hurrying away.
Her mother’s eyes lit up as Regina approached. “There you are, dear. There is someone I want you to meet.” She grabbed Regina by the arm, as if afraid her daughter might escape.
Regina smiled at Elijah. “I am already acquainted with Mr. Ashby, Mama.”
