Page 39 of When a Marquis Chooses a Bride
Thea tilted her head, regarding him for a moment. “Yes.”
“Thank you.” He kissed her fingers again. “I should see about my mother.”
Over the heads of the other guests, he met Worthington’s gaze and grinned. Even he couldn’t stop Thea from standing up with Dom. Although to avoid any awkwardness for her, Dom made his way to the other side of the room to wait. When a footman came by with champagne, he snagged a glass.
Before he could take a sip, a lady said, “Good evening, Lord Merton.”
Shutting his eyes briefly, he turned, smiled politely, and gave a shallow bow. “Good evening, Miss Turley.”
She sank into a curtsey. Strange, how he never before had noticed that she was not as graceful as Thea.
Miss Turley said nothing, obviously waiting to be asked to dance. He didn’t want to, but if not her, his hostess would find another young lady in need of a partner. “Will you stand up with me for the first country dance?”
She inclined her head, a small smile on her lips. “My pleasure, my lord.”
“Thank you.” Not knowing what else to say and reluctant to get into another conversation where she agreed with everything he said, he bowed again. “If you will excuse me? There is someone I must see.”
She curtseyed once more, and he made his escape. Not for the first time, the idea of marrying her, or anyone else on his list, turned his stomach sour.
* * *
Miss Elizabeth Turley let out a sigh as Lord Merton strode away. “That did not go as I had planned.”
“No.” Lavvie gazed after his lordship. “I was sure he would ask you to waltz.”
“As was I.” Elizabeth sighed. “On the other hand, he has not made any attempt to visit me. Before last week, I had hopes he would invite me out driving. I was so sure he was close to a proposal. Papa said the betting at White’s was narrowing.”
“Elizabeth!” Lavvie hissed in shocked tones, “Your father ought not to discuss such things with you.”
That wasn’t the only thing he discussed with Elizabeth. “You are right, of course, but it would be equally wrong for me to chastise him.” She searched for Merton. Fortunately, his height and golden blond hair made him easy to find. “I wonder who he will waltz with.”
“Perhaps no one. Or maybe he only asked the lady to dance because you were not yet here.”
“Well, I couldn’t have very well got here any sooner.” Elizabeth was unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. “We didn’t know where he would be this evening until a half an hour ago.”
Lavvie slowly waved her plumed fan. “It was a very good idea your father had of getting one of the parlor maids to make friends with that stable-boy of Merton’s.”
“I just wish the information would be a little more timely.” Elizabeth was careful to keep her countenance from showing her frustration. “Merton has not been acting like himself lately. My father said he is almost never at White’s these days.”
“I heard he and Fotherby had a slight falling-out.” Lavvie tapped Elizabeth’s shoulder with her fan. “I am sure it is nothing.”
The violins started the prelude to a waltz, and Elizabeth watched to see who would partner with Merton. “It’s Miss Stern. He waltzed with her the other evening as well.”
“I thought he only danced with her due to his relations with Worthington.”
“Apparently not,” Elizabeth snapped. He was slipping through her fingers, and she did not know how to get him back.
Lavvie’s eyes grew wide. “Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry.” The throbbing in Elizabeth’s temple that had begun earlier in the evening grew worse. She rubbed the side of her head. It is just that this marriage is so important to my family. Have you come up with any way to . . .”
She could not even finish the sentence. The idea of resorting to trickery appalled her, but if Lord Merton had lost interest in her, there did not seem to be much choice in the matter.
“Not yet. But something is bound to come to me.” Lavvie lowered her voice. “Here comes Viscount Wivenly to ask you to dance. He would make a good match as well.”
“Except it will be years before he inherits, and I doubt his father would agree to my father’s terms. Papa is sure he can talk Merton around.”
A few minutes later, Elizabeth was twirling down the floor with Viscount Wivenly. She tried and failed to get a good look at Miss Stern and Lord Merton. If they were falling in love it would make what she had to do that much worse. Could she even live with herself if she destroyed a love match? Would he ever forgive her?
