Page 23 of An Icy Christmas Engagement
“That girl. If only she would listen to me.”
Caroline watched as a gentleman approached Louisa, attempting to strike up a conversation, the moment she arrived at the table. “I do not think she is need of your assistance, Mother,” Caroline commented.
Elizabeth looked over at the table. “Hm. I suppose not.”
Louisa smiled at the gentleman, turned and found Caroline’s eyes from across the room, then put a hand to her neck as if choking herself, moving it away before the gentleman could see. Caroline laughed.
“Or perhaps she does,” Elizabeth murmured, shaking her head. “Anyway, I think I spy Lord Sotheby over by that corner. We should go and introduce ourselves.”
“I think Louisa needs me to—”
“Louisa is doing quite fine on her own,” Elizabeth interjected, seizing Caroline’s arm and pulling her along.
Caroline steeled herself. It felt like her debut year all over again. Being paraded around ballrooms by her mother as she sniffed out eligible bachelors. The fact that Elizabeth had chosen an aged yet wealthy lord who had already been married twice before felt like a betrayal and that feeling was coming over her all over again.
“Lord Sotheby?” Elizabeth called.
The man turned. He was indeed handsome, but in a rather understated manner. The sort of gentleman who was pleasing to look at, but one would have had no reason to look at him at all. He had brown eyes, a smooth, clean-shaven jaw, with brown hair styled away from his face. When he smiled, Caroline thought that he looked rather nice but there was a remarkable lack of spark.
“Ah, Lady York,” he greeted. “It is splendid to see you again.”
“Likewise, my lord,” Elizabeth returned with a broad smile. She put a hand on the small of Caroline’s back to guide her closer to him. “Please meet my daughter, Lady Winterbourne. I was telling you about her the day we met in the park.”
Lord Sotheby turned his attention to Caroline, wearing a polite smile. “It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Lady Winterbourne. Lady York has told me much about you.”
Caroline could only imagine the things her mother had said about her, but she knew better than to ask that question right now. Instead, she sank into a curtsy, “The pleasure is mine, my lord.”
She’d barely straightened before he reached for her gloved hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. Caroline resisted the urge to snatch her hand away. Lord Sotheby lowered her hand as a light blush touched his cheeks.
“May I say that you look absolutely beautiful this evening, my lady?” he said softly. “It would be my utmost pleasure to have your first dance.”
“She would love to!” Elizabeth interjected before Caroline had a chance to respond. “Show him your dance card, Caroline.”
“Mother, please,” Caroline sighed.
“Forgive me, forgive me. I shall give you two your privacy. I think I see Lady Yasmin close by.”
She wiggled her eyebrows at Caroline as she ushered by and Caroline had to keep herself from groaning aloud.
“I’m sorry about her,” Caroline felt the need to say. “She can be a bit overbearing at times.”
Lord Sotheby shook his head. “Believe me, I understand as well. My mother was very much like yours when she was alive.”
“Oh. My condolences, my lord.”
“It was many years past,” he said with a nonchalant shrug. “But I am grateful. I would give anything to have my mother’s watchful presence and concerned attentions once more.”
Guilt pinched her at that. She looked over at her mother who was trying—and failing—to pay attention to what Lady Yasmin was telling her, paying more attention to Caroline and Lord Sotheby instead.
“I did not mean to make you feel bad, my lady,” Lord Sotheby spoke again.
“Oh, you needn’t worry,” she quickly told him. “I know you had the best intentions.”
Silence fell over them. Lord Sotheby clasped his hands behind him, rocking slightly on his heels. Caroline racked her brain for anything to say so that she could escape.
“Your dance card…” he started again.
“Yes, right.” Caroline quickly handed it to him. He flashed her smile as he began writing his name, bending over her wrist as he did so.
