Page 2 of The Duke's Last Dance
The song had ended some time ago, even though they had only done an imitation of the waltz. Lord Lockhart held his hand out to her.
“I must escort you back to where I picked you up, Lady Catherine. To do anything else would be improper.” His smile widened as she took his hand.
She let him walk her back to the middle of the room.
“Thank you for the dance, Nicolas. I quite enjoyed it.” She could not help but smile. Something about the promise lit her heart aflutter, and she was not going to stop him from fulfilling that promise.
Chapter One
The window of the carriage had given much over the course of the journey. It had shown her the beauty of the countryside, with its sprawling trees and leafy canopies. The various kinds of flowers that had littered the walkways on her way into the countryside now were covered by the snowfall that had happened with Christmastime. That had been a month ago.
Now that they were driving into Town, Lady Catherine Radcliff wondered what this Season in London would bring her. For the last few years, she had wondered this same thing with the same drab results. She would be consigned to the nursery while her parents hosted parties or while they were away at social gatherings. Sometimes, she would be able to see her friend Lord Lockhart, but oftentimes, that was reserved for the nights when the Duke and Duchess of Ashwood invited them to dinner, or when her parents extended an invitation for the Ashwood family to come.
Arriving in Town also meant that the green expanses of summer and the white wonderland of a country winter had gone for the moment. Now, her days would be filled with sights of dazzling homes, chandeliers, beautiful dresses, long gloves, and men as handsome as she thought them.
For this Season was the most important one in a young girl’s life. Lady Catherine had officially become eligible for marriage, and she would make her debut in society. Her mother, of course, was more excited than even Catherine.
The chance for a good marriage was greater the higher up on the social ladder one’s family was, and with her father being The Earl of Camberton, she knew that she would have many potential suitors awaiting her in Town.
Camberton… it had been only a few months since they had left the Camberton Manor for the countryside, but Camberton would now be where she resided. Her family always came into Town for the Season, and she saw no reason for that to stop.
“Catherine?” Her mother’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Catherine!”
“Huh?” She looked over from the window to find her mother frowning at her. “My apologies, Mother. I must have started thinking about the Season instead of listening.”
“Well, now that I have your attention,” her mother stopped. Then, with a smile, she continued, “We will be starting dress fittings for the Season tomorrow. You must look your best with this being your debut into society, you know.”
“Yes, Mother. I know.” Catherine looked down from her mother’s gaze. “Not only are my looks important, but so are my manners and my abilities. When will I be learning the dances?”
“Oh, you and your dancing,” her mother huffed. “If you must insist on learning the dances first, then we can arrange for your tutor to come earlier, but he is currently coming in two days’ time. Long before the first event of the Season, Catherine, and I hope that is sufficient for you. You will not learn the quadrille and the waltz in one Session, nor will you master it in one Session.”
“I wish to learn the waltz only. Must I learn the quadrille?” Catherine could not help but curl her lips in disgust as she spoke of the second dance. She thought it a dance for older men that had nothing better to do than show off their older wives to other couples of the same age. It was nothing compared to the waltz, even though some variations had waltz-like steps to them.
“Yes, you must learn the quadrille. I know you detest the way it looks and feels, but you will be expected to dance the quadrille with men at the events this Season. If you were to dance a set with a young gentleman that included a quadrille, and you could not dance it, you would mark yourself an object of ridicule, Catherine.” Her mother gave her a stern look. “You will be made known as a woman who only knows half of what she ought to about dancing, so what would you know about being a mother?”
“I do not believe it would be so, Mother,” Catherine attempted to argue.
Her mother stopped her from doing so.
“You will learn the quadrille, and that’s final. Have I made myself understood, Catherine?” Her mother did not let up on the stern glare that had come onto her face.
Catherine let out a quiet sigh.
“Yes, Mother. You have made yourself quite clear. I will learn both the quadrille and the waltz.” She knew that it was not worth continuing the argument at this point.
If her mother made any more of a scene, she would have been too embarrassed to continue arguing anyway. After all, her mother felt the same way she did about the quadrille, but she had learned how to dance it. Catherine honestly believed no one looked good doing the quadrille; much of the time, at least half of the dancers were still and doing nothing but standing there.
It was an odd look for a room of dancers, half of them doing nothing but standing still! Whatever kind of a man had thought up the quadrille had meant to give them time to socialize, surely, but it never worked out that way. At least, not from what Catherine had seen and experienced.
“I am glad to hear it, Catherine.” Her mother sat back against the carriage’s seat. “Are you excited for your debut?”
Catherine hesitated. She was not as excited as her mother was, but she was excited to see what this Season would bring. It would bring so many new experiences that she wanted to have, but it would also mean she had to step up and become a woman.
“I am, but I am not at the same time.” She took in a deep breath. “I suppose I am also hesitant to grow up.”
“We all are, Catherine. We all are.” Her mother nodded slowly as she spoke. “There is nothing more interesting than the way we are able to handle it all when we believe that there is nothing to gain and everything to lose, but even more so when we believe there is everything to gain and nothing to lose. You must know where you stand on that when the Season begins, Catherine. There will be men here that will make you believe you have everything to lose if you don’t marry them. You do not want to be with one of those men.”
Her mother’s eyes flickered down.
