Page 34 of Project Duchess
“Quite so,” Gwyn put in with a sniff. “And the only reason Thorn doesn’t want to help with the dancing is he has two left feet.”
“I beg your pardon.” Thorn stared her down. “I’ll have you know I can caper as well as any man on the floor.”
Gwyn looked down at her fingernails as if studying their shape. “There’s no question you can caper, dear Brother. The issue is, can you dance? Frankly, I don’t think you have it in you. Not thatI’veever seen, anyway.”
Thornstock stalked up to his twin. “Mother, play something. Let’sseeif I have it in me, damn it.”
Beatrice fought back a smile. Amazing how Gwyn could outmaneuver Thornstock without his even realizing it.
Gwyn lifted an eyebrow as she faced Thornstock. “Mama, why don’t you play a minuet?”
Aunt Lydia looked at her twins warily. “Do you really think we should start with something so intricate?”
“All the better to prove my abilities,” Thornstock said.
“I’m not thinking ofyourabilities, Son. Or even Gwyn’s. She knows the minuet.” Aunt Lydia looked over at Beatrice. “Do you know the steps for that one, Bea?”
Beatrice tensed at the very thought of having to stumble through a new dance. “I’m afraid not, Aunt.”
“We’ll sit it out, Mother.” Grey left the alcove and headed for Beatrice. “She and I will watch, and then she’ll get a feel for it so she’ll be ready when we teach it to her later.”
“Very well then.” Aunt Lydia thumbed through pages of music, searching for a tune suitable for dancing a minuet to. “But I shall choose something more appropriate for the occasion. Something stately and mournful. Your fatherisfresh in the grave, you know.”
That sobered Gwyn. “Mama, perhaps we should wait—”
“No, indeed,” her mother said fiercely, brushing tears from her cheeks. “I want to play. Dance, you two.” As she launched into a dignified piece, the twins began the minuet.
Beatrice looked over to where her aunt was playing determinedly, her eyes still bright with tears. “Is this wise?” Beatrice murmured to Grey, who was now standing next to her.
“Mother handles things better if she feels needed and useful,” he said softly.
Hoping to regain yesterday’s comfortable rapport, she asked Grey, “Is it part of the dance for them to hold their arms out like that? They look like marionettes whose strings are stuck.”
“Sadly, it’s considered graceful,” he replied.
“Anyone who thinks a marionette is graceful has never seen a Punch and Judy show.” She focused on other aspects of the dance. “It’s like a slower jig, isn’t it?”
“Not quite. It’s a different step entirely.” Grey gestured to a settee against the wall opposite where the twins were dancing. “Let’s sit down, Miss Wolfe.” His tone brooked no argument. “You can see their feet better this way.”
It reminded her of yesterday, when he’d commanded her—and thus, the dogs. She glanced at him to see if he remembered, but he gave no indication he did. Instead, his expression showed only a polite disinterest.
She followed him to the settee, then perched on the edge. Grey took a seat beside her, his hand casually drumming the beat on his thigh inches from her own.
Pay attention!she told herself. They all expect you to remember how to do this.
So she focused on observing their feet. Her aunt was right—the stepswereintricate. “I’llnevermaster that,” she murmured, half to herself.
“Of course you will.” Grey raised his voice to be heard over the music. “It merely requires practice. Personally, I dislike the minuet. All that mincing looks silly, even if you do consider the ‘marionette’ look of the arms to be graceful. But alas, every society ball has a minuet or two, so you must learn to dance it.”
“Clearly it requires a certain lightness of foot that I lack.”
He eyed her skeptically. “Somehow I can’t believe that. Any woman who can trip down a hill in skirts without falling, as you did yesterday in pursuit of your dogs, possesses all the lightness of foot necessary to dance a minuet.”
She did not want to remember what happened yesterday. “Well, your brother and sister clearly possess it. They’re doing the steps without even a stumble—and still managing to argue.”
“You must forgive the twins for their rudeness—they barely tolerate each other at the best of times.”
“That surprises me. I would have expected twins to be more easy together. You know, feel more of a connection.”
