Page 3 of The Dandy Lyon

“Lady Celinda Grantham?” His hostess smiled broadly. “She is a most popular young lady this Season.”

Marcus shook his head. “While I would be delighted to make Lady Celinda’s acquaintance of course, it is the other young lady of whom I speak. Lady Joanna Longford.”

“Certainly, Mr. Dandridge.” The lady looked at him askance, then nodded. “Come with me.”

His stomach tied in knots, Marcus fell in just behind Lady Hamilton as they threaded their way around the clusters of guests as they traversed the ballroom. He had to constantly remind himself to breathe else he was likely to meet Lady Joanna only to faint dead away in front of her. They reached the lady in question and Marcus had to fight to keep a pleasant but neutral expression on his face. It would not do, in ton Society, for a gentleman to show his emotions.

Not that he was a gentleman.

“Lady Longford, Lady Joanna Longford, and Lady Celinda Grantham,” his hostess smiled perfunctorily at the ladies. “Ladies may I present to you, Mr. Dandridge? Mr. Dandridge is an acquaintance of Lord Hamilton.”

“Ladies, how do you do?” Marcus tried not to sound gruff, but his voice didn’t want to cooperate. “I’m delighted to meet you.” He addressed them all, but his gaze never left Lady Joanna’s face.

“Mr. Dandridge.” Lady Celinda curtsied and cast an admiring glance at him.

“Good evening, Mr. Dandridge.” A slight bow of her head was all Lady Longford deigned to give him, still she didn’t seem to recognize his name. That was encouraging.

“How do you do, Mr. Dandridge?” Lady Joanna’s liquid tones sent a shiver down his spine as she gave a curtsy and smiled at him.

Marcus thought his heart would stop. He had to get himself in hand, however. “I am quite well, my lady. I wished to ask, if you are not engaged for the next dance, if I might claim you as my partner.”

To his total surprise and relief, the lady smiled eagerly. “I am not engaged at present, sir, and would be happy to agree to partner you.”

A bit dazed, Marcus nodded and offered his arm. He’d never expected it to be this easy. Longford, for all his talk, apparently hadn’t warned his sister about his interest in her. Which was strange, if he thought about it. Did he truly think Marcus would forget about Lady Joanna? As if any man could. Still, he mustn’t look any gift horse in the mouth. And he must enjoy this stolen dance to the utmost before Lord Longford returned to the ballroom and put a stop to it.

“I am so looking forward to this first dance, Mr. Dandridge.” Lady Joanna’s lilting voice brought Marcus back from his brooding and focused all his attention on her.

That might not have been the best thing, however. Gazing at the lady, so close to Marcus he could see every lovely line of her body, every beautiful inch of her face, he could scarcely believe he was walking next to her, her small, gloved hand tucked so naturally in the crook of his arm it made Marcus ache all the more with longing. He must find a way to leave a lasting impression of himself upon her in the few minutes of the dance they would share. It was the only way he could ensure the lady would remember him favorably.

“I am as well, my lady.” They had reached the ballroom floor and taken their places with the other couples for a quadrille. Marcus looked at Lady Joanna, trying his best to keep the longing look out of his face. “You have no idea.”

As the music began, they bowed to one another, then to their corners, and when they took hands, the first thing Joanna realized was that Mr. Dandridge was an extremely strong individual. The grip of his fingers on hers almost made her gasp. It wasn’t painful, so much as it was forceful. But that was enough to make her look a second time at the gentleman. She’d looked at him of course when Lady Hamilton had introduced them and thought him a very distinctive man indeed.

His attire was the standard evening dress of all the gentlemen, although on Mr. Dandridge the usual black jacket and trousers looked terribly unusual. It gave him the aura of a wild animal leashed, but awaiting its chance to pounce. His somewhat swarthy complexion gave him the air of a pirate, rather making her think of Byron’s Corsair. His dark good looks, offset by his rugged build was intriguing and more than a little dashing. Never had Joanna seen such a man before. And she was to have him all to herself for the whole of the dance. Wouldn’t Celinda be green with envy when she returned to her?

Smiling broadly at the thought, Joanna took hands with Mr. Dandridge again and they promenaded through and around the second couple. She had to say her partner was light on his feet for such an imposing man. He wasn’t quite as tall as her brother Geoffrey, but he was broad in the shoulders, with a substantial chest. A gentleman to be reckoned with, no doubt. The next sets of couples commenced their turn to exhibit the steps, and she leaned over to tell her partner, “I think the quadrille a marvelous dance, don’t you?”

He smiled sheepishly. “I fear I do not dance it often enough to have an opinion on that, my lady.” His penetrating, dark gaze seemed to go straight through to her soul. “However, I will say that I think this particular quadrille is especially stirring, because we are dancing it together.”

The intensity of feeling in his voice startled Joanna. He truly sounded as though he meant every word. She’d been trained to remain calm when gentlemen spoke to her in a manner that indicated he had some interest in furthering their acquaintance. Mr. Dandridge wasn’t wasting any time making his wishes known. His dark chestnut-colored eyes scarcely left her own, their power almost palpable though they stood at least a foot apart at the moment.

Joanna swallowed hard, trying to summon some moisture to her mouth, but none was forthcoming. It wasn’t like her to act this way, although it was her first official ball. Perhaps, these kinds of nerves were normal. She would have to ask Celinda.

“I would venture to engage you for another dance, my lady.” Mr. Dandridge had her hand in his, the heat from his fingers searing her own. “Although I suspect that will not be possible.”

“Why…why do you say that, sir?” Joanna didn’t quite know what to do. Her entire arm now felt as though it were on fire. “I have not promised any other dances at the moment.” She glanced up into his hungering eyes and the pit of her stomach dropped to her toes. She had to take time to breathe before she could speak again. “If you wish for another dance, you need only ask.”

The moment before they joined the other couples in the intricate steps a look of pure joy flashed over his face, replaced immediately by one of resignation. “I thank you for that, my lady. I will treasure your words for some time to come.”

Joanna cocked her head, entirely puzzled by his response. “I might think, Mr. Dandridge, you would be better off asking for the dance, which you could then treasure instead of the mere words agreeing to it.”

“I assure you, Lady Joanna, if I believed I would be able to partner you again, I would have already asked.” He shot a glance over his shoulder at the doorway into the ballroom. “Unfortunately, I do not think that will be allowed.”

The hectic buzz of conversation in the room was suddenly quelled when a raised voice overcame the din of the other guests. “What the devil is going on here?”

Joanna jerked her head around. She knew that voice all too well.

Her brother Geoffrey, head and shoulders taller than most of the other people in the room, was striding toward the ballroom floor, shouldering people out of his way with the determination of a general leading his troops into battle. As he passed their mother, she snared his arm, pulling him around to face her.