Free The Regency by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles Page A

was very — affable,' she said uneasily, glancing at Héloïse for help. From above the sounds of music revealed that the band had warmed up and were ready to play; glanc ing up, Héloïse saw a flash of white behind the balustrade, which she assumed was Fanny watching the arrivals. James and Edward were chatting to the older people and chaperones who had accompanied the girls.
    ‘ I think perhaps we might go up,' she said loudly, to catch everyone's attention. 'I think it is time to begin.’
    Hawker bowed to Mathilde and said, 'Might I have the inestimable honour of your hand for the first dance, Miss Nordubois?’
    He pronounced her name perfectly, which pleased and con fused her. 'Oh, thank you — I should — but I am engaged already, to Mr Skelwith.’
    John Skelwith, who had drifted up to them, nodded gravely at Hawker, and offered his arm to Mathilde. Hawker gave a charming, rueful smile.
    ‘ I am bested,' he said, and as they walked away, he turned to Héloïse. 'In that case, ma'am, may I solicit the even higher honour of your hand? Voulez-vous danser avec moi, madame la comtesse?’
    Héloïse raised her eyebrows at him. 'You speak French with a French accent, Mr Hawker,' she observed. 'And how did you know my title?'
    ‘I have lived abroad a great deal, ma'am,' he replied. 'And as to your title, it would be simple of me to accept an invita tion and not discover by whom I had been invited. So then, may I?' He crooked his arm insistently for her.
    Héloïse couldn't help smiling, though she tried to speak sternly. 'This is a dance for the young people, Mr Hawker. I do not dance. You must apply to one of the young ladies. That,' she added pointedly, 'is what you are here for.’
    He still held his arm for her. 'I am rebuked. But may I escort you upstairs to the saloon? Grant me that, at least.’
    Everyone was following Mathilde and John Skelwith up the stairs, and Hawker's nonsense would leave a young woman without a partner, if they all paired off before they reached the saloon. Héloïse gave a distracted glance about her; but Hawker was smiling down at her, and met her eyes with a mixture of such admiration, amusement, intelligence, and conspiracy that she could not prevent herself from placing her hand on his arm and allowing him to lead her to the stairs. This is a dangerous man, she thought, and determined that she would keep an eye on him, and make sure he did his duty and danced every dance, even if it were with the youngest Miss Grey.

    *
    Mathilde, at the head of the set for the first dance, eyed John Skelwith obliquely. Apart from the two lieutenants, who were frankly terrifying, John Skelwith was the oldest of the young men present, and his gravity and air of maturity made her feel nervous and rather shy. She had been pleased that he had asked her for the ,first dance; she felt it a distinction; and as the rest of the set formed below them, she decided that despite his lack of dash and nonsense, she had much the best partner. His necktie and hairstyle might be sober and unad venturous, but his breadth of shoulder and strength of calf needed no help from buckram padding, like Ned Mickle thwaite's; and if he did not speak much, at least he did not require constant admiration, like Tom Keating.
    Finding that he was looking at her, she met his eyes hesit antly, and he smiled so pleasantly that she forgot that she had known him such a little time. It was a confident, friendly, unchallenging smile, such as, for instance, Mr Edward Morland might give her, and she smiled back unaffectedly.
    ‘How pleasant this is,' he said. 'I think we shall have a delightful evening, don't you?'
    ‘ Oh yes,' she said. 'And private balls are so much pleasanter than public ones, aren't they?'
    ‘ I'm sorry to say I have been to so few of either, I can hardly have an opinion,' he replied.
    ‘Oh,' she said, disappointed. 'Don't you like to dance?’
    He laughed. 'Whenever I have had the chance, I have liked it very much.