The second woman nodded slowly, though Martha couldn’t see the expression on her face.
“It’s been years since anyone’s seen her here, though,” she mused.
Martha frowned. Why would everyone be so focused on one woman returning from wherever she had been after her husband died? Why would they be so concerned about one woman at all?
Her thoughts went back to the scandal sheets, and she dipped her head to hide an eye roll. The ton didn’t need a reason to focus on any person. Or couple, for that matter. They would put their nose into the business of whomever they deemed fit, reason or no reason. Martha wondered if Lady Cordelia had been subjected to rumors, as she had. That might explain why she would have moved away, rather than talking with her husband about staying in or near London.
Lady Cordelia was just reaching the floor area around the dance floor when Martha felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned, disappointed to see James Barnes smiling at her.
“Oh,” she said, curtseying. “Good evening, Mr. Barnes.”
The gentleman bowed, still smiling. Martha couldn’t figure out at first why, but his smile didn’t completely put her at ease.
“Good evening, Miss Elwood,” he said. “How are you enjoying the evening?”
Martha glanced back toward where Lady Cordelia and the man Martha believed was her brother had been standing. They had been swallowed by a cluster of people, and Martha dismissed the pair. They were of no consequence to her, after all.
“It’s been very lovely so far,” she said.
Mr. Barnes nodded, glancing over his shoulder.
“That, it has,” he said. “Have you no dance partners as yet?”
Martha looked at him curiously. What business was it of his whether she had any dance partners lined up? She was engaged to his cousin, after all. She immediately scolded herself for her defensive thoughts, even though she hadn’t voiced them. Mr. Barnes was likely just trying to make conversation and get to know her.
Remembering herself, she shook her head and smiled.
“Not yet,” she said. “But it’s all right. I enjoy watching other people dance just as much as I enjoy dancing.”
Mr. Barnes shook his head and offered his hand to her.
“Nonsense,” he said. “If Albert will not dance with you, then I consider it my personal duty, as your future cousin-in-law, to share a dance or two with you.”
Martha looked at him again, unsure of his strange wording. He sounded as though he thought Albert had just abandoned her, and now he was treating Martha as his charity case. But again, she told herself she was being silly. She gave him a small smile just as the first chords of the evening began to play.
“Well, since your timing is so impeccable, I accept your invitation for a dance,” she said.
Mr. Barnes gave her another broad grin, holding tightly when she took his hand.
“Splendid,” he said.
She followed Mr. Barnes out to the dance floor, noticing that the couples were only slowly trickling out to the middle of the ballroom. It seemed that many of them were still enthralled by the arrival of Lady Cordelia. She decided that she would ask her mother if she knew what made her presence such a big deal with everyone. Meanwhile, she ignored the woman, as she didn’t know her at all, and got into position to dance the cotillion with Mr. Barnes.
The music started, and Mr. Barnes began the dance rather suddenly. Martha noticed right away that he knew the steps to the dance, but that he lacked the typical grace that most gentlemen had. It seemed clear to her that he didn’t really enjoy dancing. It made her wonder why he had asked her to dance. Still, she smiled politely, allowing him to continue leading her in the dance.
“I take it that you noticed that Lady Cordelia is back in London,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence between them.
Martha blinked, having nearly forgotten the woman altogether. She gave him a nod and a small smile.
“Yes, I did,” she said.
Mr. Barnes nodded slowly, giving her a strange look.
“How do you feel about that?” he asked.
Martha frowned and shrugged.
“I can’t say,” she said. “I’m afraid I haven’t met her.”
