Free The Folly by Irina Shapiro Page B

a glass of champagne.  She was ashamed of herself.   Her behavior was unseemly and unworthy of her.  Jeremy had the right to do as he wished.  He wasn ’ t beholden to her in any way and her petty jealousy was ridiculous.  The ball was for Jeremy and she wanted him to enjoy it, even if it meant watching him flirt with her friend .  Of course, Veronica knew nothing of Elizabeth ’s feelings for Jeremy , and she would no doubt see him as a marriage prospect.  Elizabeth took a sip of champagne to steady her nerves.  Her affection for Jeremy had to be suppressed at all costs, especially in front of all these people , and Elizabeth set down her glass, her eyes scanning the room for her husband.  Appearances had to be maintained.
    Elizabeth joined her next partner on the dance floor after spending a few moments with Henry, h er eyes discreetly searching for Jeremy’s tall form.  He was easy to spot, being one of the tallest men in the room, but he was nowhere in sight.   He must still be outside with Veronica .  Suddenly, E lizabeth wished that the ball would be over and everyone would just go home.  She didn’t want to dance anymore , and her only wish was to go to bed and leave this night behind.  She wanted Jeremy to admire her beauty and social acumen and instead he was outside wooing another woman. 
    “I ’ m sorry, Mr. Faulkner, but I feel a trifle unwell.  Will you excuse me?”  Elizabeth left the unfortunate Mr. Faulkner in the middle of the dance floor , and stepped through the French doors onto the terrace.  She couldn’t see Jeremy and walked slowly down the gravel path away from the house.  She needed a few moments to compose herself , and although she was neglecting her duties as a hostess, a few minutes of respite felt wonderful.   The full moon hung low in the velvety sky , emitting a shimmering light onto the hedges lining the path.  Elizabeth could smell the tang of the sea over the scent of freshly cut grass , and suddenly longed to be at the beach, watching the moonlit waves crashing onto the pebbly shore.  How wonderful it would be just to keep going and leave everything and everyone behind. 
    “Elizabeth, are you all right?”  Jeremy melted out of the shadows, coming to stand beside Elizabeth.
    “Yes, I just needed a breath of air.  Where is Lady Bromley?”  She knew she sounded possessive, but she was curious where Jeremy had been.
    “I believe Lady Bromley is dancing with Mr. Something-or-other , whose name I can’t recall .  Why do you ask?”  Jeremy gave her a smile, knowing exactly why she asked , making Elizabeth fe e l suddenly foolish.
    “No reason.  I must return to the ballroom in time for the next dance.  My partner will be searching for me.”  She turned to leave, but Jeremy grabbed her by the arm. 
    “Wait, please don’t leave.  I don’t know anyone in there and the only person I want to be with right now is you.”  He was looking down at her, his eyes dark and bottomless in the moonlight. 
    “I ’ m sorry, Jeremy.  I must get back.  I will be missed.”  Elizabeth pulled away and ran toward the French windows leaving Jeremy behind.  Her heart was racing and she was suddenly happy again, knowing that he wanted to be with her rather than Lady Bromley.  What a fool you are, Elizabeth , she chided herself as she glided through the French doors and back into the ballroom.
    **
    Jeremy remained outside for another few minutes before forcing himself to re-enter the ballroom.  The ball was in his honor and it would be churlish to disappear , but he longed to take off his coat and cravat and walk down to the shore where it was quiet and cool .  The night was warm and muggy, making the coat of Bath superfine wool feel more like a fur cloak.  He threw a longing look at the dark outline of the folly perched above the lake , and walked back through the French doors.  He was just in time for the next dance .  H e claimed Miss Jakes and led her