Page 33 of The Duke's Last Dance
“Did you know that the Duke of Hestina will be in attendance tonight, Catherine?” Her mother questioned as soon as they were out of sight of the manor. “I cannot believe he has taken such an interest in you, and you have yet to be officially debuted to society. Can you imagine where this might go, Catherine?”
“Yes, Mother. I would not be surprised if he would ask to court me soon,” Catherine replied. A smile crossed her face. “I would like it if he were to ask to court me.”
“I am sure your father would have no reason to tell him that the match would not be proper,” her mother continued. “He is all propriety, you know. The way he asked to give his calling card yesterday was pure poise, I know it.”
“Yes, he is all poise and propriety,” Catherine agreed.
They continued to talk like this until they arrived at Almack House. It was a good conversation; her mother highly approved of the Duke of Hestina, perhaps because he was a duke and he would be a good match for her. He would be a better match than Nicolas, even though he too would be a duke once his father passed away.
Though that was a morbid thought, she could not help it. Positions of power were something to consider when courting and becoming engaged, and it was always better to marry someone of your position or higher if possible. The men could marry lower if they wanted, but only to a certain degree.
She had never understood why that was a thing, but it was, and she knew that she could not afford to spend much time thinking about that.
They arrived at Almack House, and Catherine was given another surprise when she received her dance card. It was full for the night.
She wondered who could have asked for her hand all night, as the lines were full, but her father had only written in initials. Perhaps it was to keep an air of mystery around who was asking her to dance because her father thought it would be better that way.
She really did not know, but when she looked up from her dance card, she could not help the crimson blush that came to her cheeks. The dashing Duke of Hestina was walking towards her. She looked back down at the card. The initials “L.B.D.H.” suddenly made more sense. It must have been for Lord Burton.
“May I have the next dance with your daughter, Lord Radcliff?” He bowed softly as he spoke.
“Yes, you may, Lord Burton,” her father replied.
The Duke turned to Lady Catherine and gave her a deep bow. She gave him an elegant curtsy back. He then extended his arm to her. She took it, and he escorted her towards the large space that had been cleared for the dancing couples.
“You look wonderful this evening, Lady Catherine,” he said.
“Thank you, Lord Burton,” she replied, her face still warm. She briefly wondered how red her cheeks were, but she did not have time to ask about it. Not that she would have anyway; it would have been rude for Lord Burton to reply to that question with an answer that would give her any idea of how red her cheeks really were. From how warm they were, she believed they were still a deep crimson color.
The music began, and he started to lead her across the floor in a waltz. It was an elegant song, with harps and violins playing the notes beautifully.
“I am glad to see that you are enjoying yourself, and you have not been here for more than ten minutes, Lady Catherine.” Lord Burton grasped at the conversation, seeming to want to keep it up before it could really die out.
“I have dreamt of my debut at Almack House for many years, Lord Burton. Yes, I am enjoying it already,” she said. Her smile widened, and the heat in her cheeks began to disappear.
The butterflies from the day before had returned. Something about the way the Duke looked at her, spoke to her, gave her a feeling that was unrivaled by anyone else. He made sure she felt good about what was going on, and he made her feel wanted. He gave her attention that no one else had given her since Nicolas…
She immediately stopped that thought. There was no reason for her to be thinking about Lord Lockhart almost did at the gardens right now. She was dancing with the Duke of Hestina, after all. That was where her focus should have been.
She would have liked to be able to put her focus on him again, but she saw something over his shoulder that made it impossible for her to put her attention immediately back on him. Nicolas stood on the dance floor, twirling none other than Miss Alexia Balfour around the floor.
She frowned, something swelling in her stomach. The sight of him dancing with another woman should not have made her feel this way, but she could not help feeling jealous. Nicolas was not anyone else’s. He was her waltz partner. Hers.
“I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at your mother’s tea party,” the Duke said.
This brought her attention back to reality. She looked at him with a smile.
“As I am looking forward to seeing you, Lord Burton,” Catherine replied. There was nothing more she could say to that.
After two sets with Lord Burton, he escorted her back to the edge of the dance floor, and she curtsied to him. It had been a wonderful dance, and she was excited to see him there.
Perhaps he would again be on her dance card, but she did not have any clue. Her father had taken it back after she had been asked to dance, and she was pretty sure that he would not give it back to her unless she had a very good reason for it. Seeing the rest of her partners did not sound like a good enough reason to her.
Catherine found her mother at the refreshments table, and she carefully worked her way towards her mother. She did not want to ruin her dress by bumping someone and causing them to spill a drink or lose their grip on their food. As much as it was a remote possibility, the fact that it was still a possibility concerned Catherine. There was nothing worse on a Pomona green dress than wine or food.
It would be impossible to wash out, and she would get no more wears out of the dress, even at home.
“What a handsome man, the Duke of Hestina,” her mother started when she arrived. “I cannot believe he is paying such attention to you.”
