Cupid's Choice: She's a shy beauty in distress. He's a chivalric gentleman. (18 page)

There was another round of laughter. Miss Beasely seized the auspicious moment to introduce Guin and to suggest gently that Miss Holland was an elegant dancer, with the result that Guin had promises of partners for the evening. The unprecedented acceptance brought warmth to Guin’s face and a sparkle to her eyes. More than one of the young gentlemen gave her a second look, and Lord Holybrooke had the pleasant experience of having his sister described as a “taking little thing.”

The composition of Lady Beasely’s guests tended toward the younger set, which, as her ladyship explained to Mrs. Holland and Colonel Caldar, was a deliberate move on her part. “I wish to foster friendly familiarity among the young people before the Season is well and truly begun,” said Lady Beasely. “I am a firm believer that our younger set, our daughters especially, must benefit from trying their wings in comfortable surroundings. Do you not agree, Mrs. Holland?”

“Oh, of course,” said Mrs. Holland with a nod and lovely smile.

When Lady Beasely remarked that she had several other duties to perform and graciously excused herself to them, Mrs. Holland said to her brother, “I am vastly disappointed, Arnold. This affair is not at all what I expected of Lady Beasely! It is such an undistinguished and small company. I was never more taken in.”

“Were you not listening to her ladyship, Aurelia? This evening is for the younger set. Lady Beasely explained it all to us,” said Colonel Caldar mildly.

“I know what she didn’t say, and that was that she wished her daughter to have ample opportunity to sit in Percy’s pocket,” said Mrs. Holland.

“Really, Aurelia!” began Colonel Caldar, his brows snapping together. Then he saw Mrs. Roman crossing the floor and all desire to remonstrate with his sister died. “Excuse me, Aurelia. I have just seen someone I know.”

Astonished and affronted at being so summarily abandoned, Mrs. Holland watched as her brother left her side. Colonel Caldar made his way purposefully across the ballroom to go sit down beside a tall, elegant woman whom Mrs. Holland had never seen before. “Well!” She gave a little toss of her head and turned away to find her own entertainment.

Guin enjoyed the dances promised her by Lord Holybrooke and the cadre of amiable young gentlemen, after which she unobtrusively went to sit down on a settee against the wall. She watched the rest of the company and thought herself fortunate to have had so much attention paid to her. She was grateful to Miss Beasely for having seen to her enjoyment of the dancing. If she did nothing else all evening, Guin thought, it was quite the nicest time she had ever had.

However, she quickly discovered she had not been abandoned by her new friend. Miss Beasely brought up to her another gentleman who had arrived late and performed the introductions. Mr. Howard Lloyd was a sober middle-aged gentleman with a grave smile, well dressed but sadly inclined already to portliness. Knitted pantaloons and pumps did not become him.

“Mr. Lloyd was most desirous to meet you, Guin. He will take the greatest care of you,” said Miss Beasely, easing herself away with a smile.

“Your obedient servant, Miss Holland.” Mr. Lloyd bowed. There was the unmistakable creak of corsets.

Guin stared up at the gentleman, disconcerted. For once in her life, all thought of her own awkwardness flew completely out of her head. She swallowed a gurgle of laughter and invited Mr. Lloyd to sit down beside her.

Mr. Lloyd was nothing loath. “You are too kind, Miss Holland.” He shook out his handkerchief and absently flicked it across the surface of the beautifully upholstered settee, as though to dust it off before he sat down. As he lowered himself, there was again the disconcerting sound of a creaking corset.

Guin discovered that she was still staring at Mr. Lloyd. She had to tear her eyes away. Mr. Lloyd was the oddest creature of her small acquaintance, she decided. She wondered with real sympathy whether Mr. Lloyd suffered from much the same malady of shyness as she did herself and that was what made him behave with such eccentricity. In addition, the gentleman’s sad dependence upon a corset must assure him of some ridicule, she thought compassionately.

Guin became quickly at her ease with Mr. Lloyd, in part due to her own sympathetic nature toward a fellow being, but in greater part to Mr. Lloyd’s complete lack of self-consciousness. As Mr. Lloyd expounded on the worth of several scientific theories, it became slowly clear to Guin that he was not at all shy. Quite the opposite. Mr. Lloyd was totally absorbed by his intellectual pursuits and had not a particle of brain cell to spare for such mundane matters as social unease.

Guin very quickly became bored, so much so that she could scarcely hide her yawns. She glanced around several times, hoping that someone would come to her rescue, for Mr. Lloyd had dominated her company for an inordinate length of time. However, no one seemed inclined to break up their
tête-à-tête
and since Guin was herself too conversationally inept, she could not think of how to graciously extricate herself from Mr. Lloyd without wounding his sensibilities.

When dinner was announced, Lord Tucker sought her out to fulfill his obligation to squire her in, and Guin sprang up with relief. She held out her hand to Mr. Lloyd. “Th-thank you for your company, Mr. Lloyd.”

Mr. Lloyd got ponderously to his feet and ceremoniously bowed over her fingers. “It has been delightful, Miss Holland. I shall see you again, if I may?”

Guin retrieved her hand hurriedly. “Yes, of course. I am certain we shall meet again,” she said brightly, while unobtrusively pinching Lord Tucker’s arm through his coat.

“Here, I say!” exclaimed Lord Tucker, greatly astonished. He met her eyes and recognized the pleading expression in them. At once and with instant presence of mind, his lordship took leave of Mr. Lloyd and swept her away.

“Thank you, my lord! You cannot conceive how eagerly I looked forward to your company,” said Guin in all sincerity, with a backward glance. Mr. Lloyd was watching her, met her astonished gaze, and bowed. Guin hurriedly looked away again.

Lord Tucker cracked a laugh, his eyes dancing as he looked at her. “I shall take that, not in the spirit it was offered, but as a compliment, Miss Holland. Was Lloyd too prosy?”

“Dreadfully so,” said Guin, smiling. She realized, when Lord Tucker laughed again, that she had actually managed an intelligible and amusing interchange. It was with a light step that she allowed Lord Tucker to escort her into the dining room. She didn’t know why the evening was going so well, but she intended to make the most of it. She could not recall ever enjoying herself more, except perhaps when she had danced and driven with Sir Frederick Hawkesworth.

Guin’s happiness dimmed slightly. She had been disappointed to discover that Sir Frederick was not among the guests. However, she had already realized that Lady Beasely’s party was not designed for the
haul ton,
and so she was able to shake off the change of mood easily enough. She would undoubtedly see Sir Frederick again at some other function.

After an excellent two-course dinner, there was more dancing. Guin stood up several times. There was no need for Miss Beasely to again make certain that Guin’s hand was solicited. All of the gentlemen who had danced with her earlier in the evening had discovered in her an undemanding and graceful partner.

Since the breaking of the ice between them before dinner, she and Lord Tucker had made excellent inroads into understanding one another, and his lordship danced with her twice. There were Lord Holybrooke’s other cronies, Lord Holybrooke himself, and, of course, her dear uncle Colonel Caldar. Mr. Lloyd was not behind in his attentions, either, also standing up with Guin twice.

Guin did not know where to look when the creaking of Mr. Lloyd’s corset made itself heard every time he bowed, and everyone around them turned to stare. However, since Mr. Lloyd seemed completely unconscious of the figure he was cutting, Guin pretended that she did not notice.

Seeing that Miss Holland was being steadily escorted onto the dance floor, a few other gentlemen also approached her. Guin was bewildered by the sudden wave of popularity.

“You’ve become quite the belle,” commented Lord Holybrooke in passing.

Guin blushed and gave a quick smile to her brother. “It—it is all very strange to me, Percy.”

He squeezed her fingers. “Didn’t I tell you that all you needed was a little time? The fellows are all saying how pretty you are. You’re going along famously, Guin!”

“I hope Mama will think so,” said Guin. As always, her mother’s approval was never far from her thoughts. “Where is she, Percy? I haven’t seen her hardly at all, and she hasn’t spoken to me above three or four times all evening.”

“Lady Beasely set up a card room. Mama discovered an old rival, and they are playing loo for penny points,” said Lord Holybrooke.

Guin looked at him, wide-eyed. “Mama is playing cards? At a party?”

Lord Holybrooke laughed, mischief dancing in his eyes. “It is a desperate contest, Guin. I wish you might see it. Mama and the other lady are determined to squash each other. I doubt we will be able to drag her away from the table until she has won.”

“I am glad Mama is being entertained. I feared it was not just the sort of gathering she preferred,” said Guin.

Lord Holybrooke grinned. “You’re right, Guin. It may not be in Mama’s style, but I am enjoying myself. I’m glad I came.”

“Are you, Percy? Even if Lady Beasely thinks you are a marital prize?” asked Guin with a quizzing look.

Lord Holybrooke shrugged and said philosophically, “Oh, well, I suppose one can’t escape that sort of thing. At least I was wrong about Miss Beasely. She hasn’t dogged me at all when I half expected her to.”

“Yes, Margaret has been very busy,” said Guin, nodding. She looked across the room toward her friend, who was standing amid a small group of guests and laughing. “She has been very good to me, even making certain that I had a partner for dinner. Lord Tucker and I got along famously.”

Lord Holybrooke’s eyes followed his sister’s gaze. There was a warm look of approval on his face as he watched Miss Beasely. “Yes, I must thank her for that. She is quite nice, really. I am glad you have become friends with her, Guin.”

Guin glanced swiftly at her brother in surprise, then thoughtfully returned her attention to Miss Beasely as Lord Holybrooke sauntered away from her and toward the group that surrounded the vivacious lady.

Throughout the evening Guin had watched how Miss Beasely helped Lady Beasely by acting the hostess, pairing couples for dinner, finding partners for those who were not dancing, and mingling with the guests. Guin did not see that Miss Beasely had spent an inordinate amount of time with her brother. In fact, Miss Beasely seemed to treat Lord Holybrooke with the same impartial friendliness as she did the rest of the guests.

Guin had wondered whether Miss Beasely had changed her mind about Lord Holybrooke. However, now observing how her brother was making himself attentive toward Miss Beasely, Guin began to perceive that Miss Beasely was going about her business in a very subtle way. She was not chasing Lord Holybrooke, but was causing the earl to chase her. Guin could not help chuckling over her brother’s naiveté and, indeed, her own.

When they left the Beasely town house, it was well on midnight. Lord Holybrooke pronounced it to have been a jolly party. Guin agreed. “I have never spent a more pleasant evening,” she added on a happy sigh. Not once had she disgraced herself, and she had been able to hold sensible conversations with scarcely a stammer with all manner of persons.

“For my part, I thought it insipid,” said Mrs. Holland flatly. “I was forced to spend the entire evening with Maria Clyborne playing at loo for penny points. I have scarcely spent a more boring time in all my life.”

Guin and Lord Holybrooke looked at one another. Guin’s expression was questioning, and Lord Holybrooke mouthed silently that their mother had lost. Guin gave a small understanding nod. That would go far in explaining her mother’s petulant mood.

“I must disagree with you, Aurelia. It was just the sort of entertainment I like best, being somewhat informal and intimate,” said Colonel Caldar. He covered a contented yawn with a large square hand. “In any event, I for one would not think twice about accepting another invitation from Lady Beasely.”

“Nor I,” said Lord Holybrooke quickly. A reminiscent smile touched his face.

“Well! It seems I am outvoted,” said Mrs. Holland with a pettish shrug. She turned her face to the window, where the passing lights cast her discontented expression into relief.

“I noticed that Mr. Lloyd seemed rather taken with you, Guin,” remarked Colonel Caldar casually. “He certainly monopolized you for some little time.”

“Indeed, Uncle,” said Guin with a small grimace and shake of her head. “I was glad when Lord Tucker claimed me for dinner.”

Mrs. Holland turned back, her interest instantly engaged. “What is this? Mr. Lloyd, did you say? I knew that I should not have remained in the card room! Tell me everything, Guin.”

“Why, Mr. Lloyd is very pleasant, Mama,” said Guin hesitantly. “But I found him to be rather—rather—”

“The gentleman is a dead bore, Mama,” said Lord Holybrooke roundly. “When I met him, he began giving me his opinion of some theory in which I had not a particle of interest. Is that what he did with you, Guin?”

Guin smiled gratefully at her brother. “Well, yes, he did. I assure you, I know more now than I have ever wanted to about all sorts of scientific questions.”

“A poor figure of a man, too. He’ll run completely to fat before many more years, and he can’t be a day above forty,” said Colonel Caldar. He shook his head. “One can only pity the gentleman.”

“Nonsense! I am certain that he is a very sensible gentleman. I met him very briefly, and I was instantly struck by his stable demeanor,” said Mrs. Holland. “Lady Beasely told me something of his circumstances. Mr. Lloyd possesses a handsome fortune, and he is the Marquis of Ford’s heir! Mr. Lloyd is quite a feather in your cap, Guin.”

Mrs. Holland’s congratulatory tone was obvious. Guin and her brother exchanged quick, dismayed glances.

“That sobersides on cat-stick legs? All he could find to talk about to a pretty girl was scientific theory! Percy is right. He is a dead bore, poor fellow,” said Colonel Caldar.

Lord Holybrooke cracked a laugh, while Guin giggled. “He was rather tedious,” she agreed. “And he wears a corset, besides.”

“No!” exclaimed Lord Holybrooke, revolted.

“Nonetheless, Guin, you must be certain to encourage Mr. Lloyd. He is just the sort of gentleman to suit you,” said Mrs. Holland.

Guin’s mouth dropped open, and she regarded her mother in complete consternation. Surely her mother could not be serious. Why, Mr. Lloyd was nothing near her embodiment of the perfect gentleman. He was far too old and he creaked, besides. “But, Mama—!”

Lord Holybrooke at once took up the cudgels on her behalf. “Mama, Guin would be bored to tears within a week of Mr. Lloyd’s company,” he said with a touch of impatience.

“I have yet to observe any marked degree of liveliness in your sister, Percy,” said Mrs. Holland with a reproving glance at her son. “When Guin becomes better acquainted with Mr. Lloyd, I am persuaded that she will come to appreciate all of his excellent qualities. They shall deal excessively well together.”

Lord Holybrooke looked ready to argue the point, when Colonel Caldar intervened, saying hurriedly, “We needn’t decide the future tonight.” He greeted with relief the stopping of the carriage. He thrust open the door. “Here we are! Aurelia, allow me to give you an arm. Have I told you how vastly becoming that gown is to you?”