Page 36 of A Chance to Dance with the Duke
He seemed in earnest. Frighteningly so.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Jane asked.
“I am splendid,” Meg said.
Her friends’ expressions seemed to say that ‘splendid’ was perhaps going too far.
“You’re better off than Ann, that’s for certain,” Felicity said.
They all glanced over at the redhead.
Poor Ann looked trapped in a conversation with her parents and…oh no. The Ferguson twins.
“Oh dear, perhaps we should save her,” Jane said.
Meg shifted, ready to bound to her feet.
“It looks like someone beat us to it,” Felicity murmured.
They all watched in alarm as the Marquess of Kalvin joined the Fergusons. Poor Ann looked even more uncomfortable. In her defense, Carver’s tall, surly cousin was nothing if not intimidating.
Even the Fergusons looked wary at the Marquess’s arrival.
But then Rodrick, Ann’s soon-to-be brother-in-law joined the group, and they all saw Ann visibly relax. “There now. Rodrick will help her if need be,” Felicity said with an approving nod.
They’d all been delighted when Rodrick had proposed to Ann’s sister. Franny was as kind as they came, and no one deserved a man so tried and true as Rodrick more than she.
They liked him even more when it became apparent that he was fond of Ann and took pains to make her at ease at moments such as this one.
“Here we are.” Mr. Everson’s voice behind her had Meg turning.
Mr. Everson handed her a lemonade before turning to greet first Felicity, and then… “Ah, Miss Clement,” he said to Jane. “How wonderful to see you here.”
Poor Jane turned scarlet at being singled out in such a way, and she dipped her head as she murmured a response.
The response was inaudible, but that did not seem to deter Mr. Everson. “I must tell Lord Marlin I saw his beautiful fiancée here tonight. He’ll be so sorry to have missed you.”
Meg was certain all three of them bore the same look of wide-eyed shock.
When Mr. Everson turned his next remarks to Felicity, asking after her brothers, Jane leaned in toward Meg. “Was he…in jest?”
Meg shook her head. “I don’t believe he was.”
Jane sighed softly. “Then surely he’s not as good a friend to Marlin as we’d thought.”
Meg wished she could argue, but what was the point in lying? “No. Clearly.”
They shared a sad little smile. There was no point pretending that Marlin took any interest in his bride-to-be. Most were polite enough to ignore the awkward situation entirely.
She watched Mr. Everson’s smile grow as Felicity filled him in on her brothers’ exploits.
Had he been making a joke at Jane’s expense? No. He truly seemed to be a kind man. Perhaps he’d thought it would raise Jane’s spirits to pretend that her fiancé actually cared.
It wasn’t a crime to be nice. In fact, it made her think even higher of this Mr. Everson, really.
“Miss Taylor.” The words were little more than a rumble to her right.
And that was all it took. Two words in that low voice, and all thoughts of Mr. Everson and his interest flew out of her mind as her heart picked up its pace.
