Page 43 of Just a Little Daring

Before Viv could match him with another stinging retort, they were among their friends again.

“Evening, Villen and I recognise you, don’t I?” Jules said thoughtfully, staring at the man beside Louis César. “No, don’t tell me. Never forget a face. Geoffrey? Godfrey? No, Godwin, that’s it. You’re a pal of Mr Lane-Fox.”

“Pal might be overstating things, rather, but you’re spot on, by Jove,” Godwin said, looking exceedingly pleased at being remembered by the Marquess of Blackstone.

Jules nodded. “Blackstone, pleased to make your acquaintance. Who else is here? I’ve not had time to look about yet. Miss Anson nabbed me for a dance the moment I arrived.”

“I did no such thing, you beastly man,” Vivien protested. “Nani Maa gave you your orders, so don’t go blaming me for it.”

“True,” Jules conceded. “And that is an order I would not dare refuse.”

“I believe Lady Aisling is here, as is Mr Sylvester Cootes, Mr Lane-Fox. I think I saw Ashburton somewhere, but he was being elusive as ever,” Louis César replied, his eyes on the dance floor.

“Miss Knight is here, dancing with Lord Vane,” Godwin said, gesturing to where the two were dancing an energetic polka. Viv turned to watch her friend and smiled. Evie’s face was flushed, and she was laughing, making her quite the prettiest young lady on the dancefloor compared to all the others who were far more sedate and seemed taking it rather too seriously.

“How lovely she looks,” Vivien said. “She is so full of life.”

“She ought to watch herself with Vane,” Jules muttered, scowling.

“Miss Knight is no fool,” Louis César said, his voice cool.

“No. True enough, and anyone with half a brain ought to know there would be hell to pay if anyone upset Evie,” Jules replied with a small laugh. “Universally adored is not something you can say of many people, but I think perhaps she might manage it.”

Godwin nodded. “I agree. Do you know, she spent a full hour listening to my Aunt Ada drone on at some musicale we both attended the other night? I mean, Ada’s a sweet old lady, but even her family can’t manage that long when she starts off on one of her rambling stories. But it made Ada’s night and she gets little company. She even promised to call on her to take tea, and she will. Heart of gold.”

“That sounds like Evie,” Viv said with a smile.

Turning back to her friends, Vivien’s smile froze on her face as she saw August join their group. Everyone greeted him warmly and Viv gave him a polite nod but did not know what to say, how to act with him. She knew seeing Blackstone flirting and intimating his interest in her had shocked him, perhaps hurt him, and she was mostly horribly guilty for causing him even a moment of unhappiness. But there was a small, uncharitable part of her that hoped he’d felt as utterly wretched as she had felt upon seeing Miss Thrussell gaze up at him with such obvious warmth. Papa had told her what he’d said the day he’d got him out of that gaol cell, and had given his opinion that he only needed a little time to realise what it was he must do. But what if he continued to believe she ought to marry Blackstone? Would he leave her to her fate because he thought it for the best?

“Miss Anson.”

Vivien looked up, her heart thrashing about like a wild thing caught in a snare as she realised he was speaking to her.

“I don’t suppose by some miracle you have a dance free for me?” he asked, his voice soft.

Viv stared down at the dance card in her hand, though she already knew it was full. She had not expected to see him here tonight. She had assumed he would have left by now, would have gone back to town, or perhaps home. The pretty card with the hotel’s initials embossed in gold upon it seemed to blur, and Vivien blinked hard.

“I am sorry, Mr Lane-Fox. I do not,” she managed, though it took considerable effort.

“Ah well. Idiotic of me to have thought it possible.”

He went to turn away, but Vivien reached out, touching his sleeve. “If I’d known you’d be here—”

He smiled at that, and the sight made her stomach do an odd little somersault.

“That eases my disappointment. Thank you.”

Vivien frowned, fiddling with the dance card and betraying her agitation too obviously. “I thought you would be gone by now. But I suppose Miss Thrussell is temptation enough to keep you in the vicinity. She’s lovely, and everyone says how nice she is, what pretty manners.”

“She is all of those things,” August replied, the words like a shaft of ice, spearing her heart. “And yet I don’t have the slightest desire to see her again. I thought she was what I wanted, or at least I wanted what she represented. I’ve been a fool, Viv.”

He whispered this last, and Vivien looked up, staring at him, the ice melting abruptly, replaced by a surge of warmth and hope.

“Truly?”

August nodded, glancing about in frustration, as there was not the slightest chance of a private conversation. “Tomorrow? Ireland’s Pleasure Gardens. Will you come?”

“When?” Vivien demanded.