Page 9 of The Uncompromising Marquess
That question made Florence laugh. “My dear friend, of course I do not! You know as well as I that the only attention I have garnered comes from my clumsiness or my inelegance. I am quite sure I will never have a gentleman fall in love with me. I will be fortunate indeed if an upstanding fellow thinks me a suitable match – and even that is something I believe to be quite doubtful!”
Helena did not smile. Instead, a frown sent a line between her eyebrows. “I think you are much too critical of yourself, Florence. You may lack a little poise, but that comes from your worry. There is no reason for younotto consider love a prospect.”
In her mind, Florence dismissed the idea, although she thanked Helena for her encouragement. They continued to walk around the room in contemplative silence, only for a gentleman to catch Florence’s attention.
She scowled.
“There is that gentleman from last evening.” She nudged Helena lightly, watching Lord Applegate as he walkedpurposefully into the room. “I confess, I do not think well of Lord Applegate. The way he walked through us when we were speaking together seemed to me to speak of arrogance and impatience.”
“I quite agree.” Helena’s lip curled. “My husband does not think well of him either. He said that Lord Applegate made it quite clear he disagreed with Wickton’s decision to let Prudence decide for herself which gentleman she will marry.” She shook her head. “Besides which, the way that he walked from us all when the dance cards were being signed was very disagreeable indeed. He ought to have asked both you and Lady Prudence to dance, just as Lord Chester and Lord Stirling did.”
“Although I am very glad indeed that I did not have to dance with him,” Florence replied, lowering her voice as the gentleman drew near. “I am quite sure I would have been dreadfully anxious indeed, given his superior look and dismissive manner.”
Lord Applegate, as if he had heard them speak and knew he was being discussed, caught Florence’s gaze, which she dropped quickly. Heat tore into her face as she kept her eyes down low, her head bowed, and her shoulders rounding.
“Whatever is the matter?” Helena grasped Florence’s hand, sounding concerned. “Do you feel unwell?”
Florence shook her head, glancing to her left and seeing Lord Applegate nearby. “I am quite all right.”
“Are you unwell, Lady Florence?”
Much to her embarrassment, Lord Applegate came towards them both, evidently having overheard Helena speak. Her mouth went dry, and she dropped her gaze again, her heart thumping wildly at the gentleman’s approach.
“She is quite all right, Lord Applegate.” Helena spoke for her as Florence tried to nod, feeling her whole body tense at his nearness. She had already embarrassed herself once in front of him and certainly did not want to do the same thing again!
“Yes, I am quite well.” Her voice was a squeak, her throat feeling scratchy and hot. “Thank you for your concern.” Managing to catch his gaze, she tried to smile, but her lips refused to move from their flat position.
“I see. I thought that the injury to your head from last evening might have been causing you some pain.”
Florence closed her eyes and swallowed thickly, wondering why Lord Applegate seemed to think it a wise idea to remind her of her clumsiness the previous evening.
“You are most kind to be so concerned.” Helena cleared her throat lightly and took Florence’s arm again. “We are just about to make our way around the room again, Lord Applegate. I hope you will not think us rude to step away so soon after you have joined our conversation?”
Without giving the gentleman a chance to respond, Helena began to walk forward, and Florence, who had not quite pulled herself out of her own embarrassment, was tugged after her. She stumbled, her feet feeling heavy and weighted, only for Lord Applegate to catch her arm.
Her face aflame, Florence took her arm from Helena’s, aware that she had not only embarrassed herself yet again but would have to now thank Lord Applegate for his aid. How little he must think of her! “My sincere apologies, Lord Applegate,” she said, her voice only a little louder than a whisper, such was her shame. “Thank you for catching my arm as you did. I did not expect Lady Wickton to walk away so quickly.”
The gentleman’s eyes caught hers, a frown putting shadows into his eyes. He said nothing, taking her in, and the weight upon Florence’s shoulders grew so great, she wanted to sink into the floor and disappear from his sight.
“Applegate! There you are!”
An unexpected interruption made her not only catch her breath but step back as a young lady with a warm smile andbrightness in her green eyes rushed across the room towards Lord Applegate. Her eyes turned to the gentleman himself, seeing his eyebrows throw themselves upwards. Clearly, he had been taken aback by this unexpected arrival, whoever she was.
“What… whatever are you doing here?”
The composed, staid, and unsmiling gentleman dissolved into a stammering, unsettled fellow who not only pulled away from the lady but swept one hand over his forehead as he did so, his eyes flared.
“I did not ask you to come,” he continued, speaking with a growing harshness in his voice. “I cannot imagine what –”
“And here I thought you would be pleased to see me! Mydearhusband thought it would be a marvelous idea to come to London for the festive period, and I –”
“Your husband thought?” Lord Applegate’s tone had darkened considerably. “I hardly believe that, Emily. You convinced him, did you not?”
The lady shrugged, and Florence glanced at Helena, thinking that it would be best for them to move away from this discussion. They were not a part of it, and she felt the awkward strain beginning to pull at her heart. Helena, however, was staring in rapt attention at the unfolding conversation, clearly quite unwilling to remove herself from their position.
The lady tilted her head. “You surprise me,” she said, with a softness to her tone that spoke of hurt. “Do you truly think so little of me?”
“I know full well what you are like!” Lord Applegate threw up his hands and, in doing so, struck Florence across the face with the back of his hand, having been standing so near to her. Florence reeled back, her feet stumbling as Helena caught her, her arm going quickly around Florence’s shoulders so that she might steady her. Florence’s eyes were burning, her face stinging as she pressed one hand to her cheek, humiliated by what hadtaken place. She had been at fault, no doubt, by not stepping further away from the gentleman.
