Page 23 of The Uncompromising Marquess
“Are you quite all right?”
The low, quiet way Lady Lanark spoke told Florence that she knew precisely the sort of gentlemen that Florence had been speaking with.
“I think I am going to faint,” Florence whispered, honestly. “My mother has just informed those gentlemenandLady Abernyte that I am able to play the pianoforte beautifully when, in truth, I can only play a little and very poorly indeed! I do not know what I shall do, for now they will all expect me to entertain them and I will shame myself all over again!” She turned and looked into Lady Lanark’s face, her chest heaving, panic taking over her frame entirely. “I am to make a mockery of myself, and there is nothing I can do to prevent it!”
11
Joseph frowned, seeing his sister march across the room and interrupt a conversation. He had not intended to join the soiree this evening, but given that he had been quite unable to take Lady Florence out of his head the last few days, he had decided to come along in the hope it would distract him. Upon entering, he had seen his sister walking arm in arm with her husband, but had chosen not to go to greet her. Now, however, he had to admit a little interest, wondering what it was she could be doing. It was quite rude of her to break into a group in that way, more than a little disagreeable, he had to say, but she clearly had her purposes in doing so.
Lady Florence!
His heart slammed into his chest as he caught his breath, wondering what it was his sister was doing with Lady Florence. They had spoken, yes, and he knew that there was a connection there, but it was not as though they were friends, was it? His eyes widened as his sister took Lady Florence away from the small group she had been in, catching the way her mother, Lady Grangemouth, twisted her lips in annoyance.
Usually, Joseph realized, he would be silently determined to speak to his sister about what she had done, would want her to know that her behavior would be considered by many to be improper. Now, however, he had nothing whatsoever to say in that regard. His sole interest was in Lady Florence and in what it was his sister had been saying to her.
“Good evening, Applegate.”
Joseph glanced to his left, then pulled his gaze directly back towards Emily. “Good evening.”
“You are wondering what your sister is doing with Lady Florence, I think.” Lord Lanark grinned at him as Joseph shot him a sharp look. “Either that or you are thinking about what it is you will criticize this evening. I am sure that our host will be on tenterhooks, waiting to hear what he has done improperly.”
This made Joseph blink in surprise, wondering why his brother-in-law was speaking in such a tone. Looking back at him, he caught the glass of whisky in Lord Lanark’s hand and frowned. “Mayhap you have indulged in a little too much liquor this evening, Lord Lanark.”
Lord Lanark chuckled. “I hardly think so. Liquor has always loosened my tongue a little, but I am most certainlynotin my cups. You are aware, however, that thetondoes think of you in such terms?”
Joseph, who had been told this many a time already, was surprised at the sting of pain that hit his heart. “Lanark, there is no need for you to share such a thing with me. I am already aware that I have high expectations and that I have not been quiet about them. Please, you need not say more.”
“Everyone is waiting for you to say something about Lady Florence.”
Shock ran over him like cold water. “What do you mean by that?”
Lord Lanark shrugged. “Simply that. She ended the waltz before its time, ran from you when you stood at the mistletoe bough, and knocked into a few other dancers as she went! Most inappropriate and quite frankly, a little ridiculous. I have heard many a person wondering what it is you will say abouther,given that she will, of course, have quite ruined your expectations of what a waltz ought to have been.”
Those words did not bring Joseph any sort of relief or happiness. Instead, it felt as if each one were being shot straight through him, sending arrows of pain into his body. “I have no intention of speaking poorly of her.”
“No?” Lord Lanark’s eyebrows almost reached his hairline. “I am surprised, as will many of thetonbe. Why would you not criticize her when she has clearly failed in a good many ways?”
“Because I do not want to,” Joseph snapped, his defensiveness rising in a way it had not done before. “I intend to say nothing about the matter, and I do not want to speak of it again.” Without hesitating, he strode away from Lord Lanark, anger and upset twisting through him. His brother-in-law was not wrong in what he had said, Joseph knew, and it was that which upset him the most. He had always accepted that thetonthought of him as a critical gentleman, but he had disregarded their concerns and told himself he was quite justified in all that he did and said. Now, however, he felt such shame that it nearly drowned him. He wanted to lower his head, to hide away in the shadows if not run away from the soiree completely.
“I am sure we can do something.”
Joseph ran one hand over his eyes, hearing his sister’s voice and realizing that he had walked directly towards her and Lady Florence.
“I do not think there is anythingtobe done,” Lady Florence wept, making Joseph’s heart leap in concern, seeing tears on her cheeks. “Why did my mother say such a thing when she alreadyknows that I struggle to keep myself composed in any social situation?”
“Is there something the matter?”
Lady Florence snatched in a breath as she spun around, eyes wide but tears still staining her cheeks. Joseph’s stomach flipped over at the sight of her, feeling the need to step forward and to clasp her in his arms so he might calm her upset.
He did not act upon that desire.
“It is nothing,” she said, hoarsely. “Please, forgive me for drawing your attention. It was not my intention.”
“You did not,” Joseph replied, giving his sister a quick smile. “I saw Emily and thought to come to join you both.”
Emily was frowning hard. “Lady Grangemouth has told some of the other guests that Lady Florence will play the pianoforte this evening. They were not exactly excellent gentlemen – Lord Cheswick spoke most inappropriately, from what I heard – but Lady Abernyte was there also to hear Lady Grangemouth’s promise. You may not be acquainted with her, Applegate, but Lady Abernyte is one of the harshest gossips in society at present. She has even more criticisms than you!”
“And I cannot play at all well,” Lady Florence broke in, her voice catching as she dropped her gaze. “I shall shame myself all over again.”
