Free The Regency Detective by David Lassman Page A

little more than an hour before the official start of the ball, a replacement had been sought. And so it was that a Mr Salter of New King Street was duly summoned and hastened forth to execute his duties. Having been in this situation twice before, however, Mr Salter was not overawed in the slightest and performed his duties admirably.
    By the time Mary and Swann arrived, Mr Salter had announced a good three dozen revellers and after being given his instructions, Mr Salter did loudly, but clearly and without hesitation, announce: ‘My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Miss Mary Gardiner of Bath and Mr Jack Swann of London.’
    Having only this temporary role and not being one to give or receive gossip in his ordinary daily business, the disapproving looks that accompanied his announcement, from several members of the already assembled company towards the newly arrived couple, left Mr Salter believing that any impropriety must reside in their bold statement of attachment, their arms interlinked as one might undertake with a family member or spouse, rather than it being due to their abject display of non-conformity regarding the strict rules of mourning; a convention not actually laid down by Nash himself but one which he would have wholeheartedly agreed.
    Mr Salter may have surmised about the mourning, due to the nature of Miss Gardiner’s clothing, but as he had of late been in the presence of several women who had taken to the wearing of the colour black merely as a fashion statement, rather than as a resigned necessity, he reserved his right as the acting Master of Ceremonies to impart any judgement and he would not, even if asked, be drawn on any conclusion as to the disapproving glances. Therefore, always professional in his outlook and immaculate in his conduct, both in this function and his ordinary day-to-day behaviour, there was no expression of censure on Mr Salter’s face and he bowed courteously as Mary walked by.
    As Mary and her brother entered the main room, a wave of outraged, although hushed, whispering rippled around the periphery of the dance floor, alongside, however, another less powerful though still present, chorus of approval at her stand. As was the way, the disapproval was reserved solely for Mary, with her male companion being pitied for having, no doubt, been forced into such an overt display of social disobedience. Nevertheless, nothing was spoken outright to Mary’s person and a victory, however small, had been won for those people to whom it meant something. Not that anyone present, even those who had voiced approval, would dare to mimic it, but the fact that it had been done, and most publicly seen to be done, was enough. Meanwhile, Swann, whatever his thoughts on the matter might be, merely held his head up high as he walked forward with his sister.
    ‘Thank you for escorting me, Jack,’ said Mary, ‘it means a lot to me.’
    ‘Do not mention it,’ replied Swann. ‘It is not often I have such beauty on my arm and the occasion to escort that beauty in public.’
    Despite the voices of disapproval, the truth regarding the couple’s relationship, that of siblings, and estimates of Swann’s income – which fluctuated anywhere between five thousand and ten thousand pounds a year, depending on who was doing the recounting – soon drowned them out and a host of single women, including one Isabella Thorpe, had their eyes now firmly set on the formerly ‘pitied’ male companion.
    On observing this spectacle of these fawning pairs of eyes, Mary could not resist gently teasing her brother about it, but he did not rise to the bait.
    They now saw Fitzpatrick. He rarely ventured to the ball, but on learning that Mary intended to be there, had gone to offer his support, if required. Fitzpatrick now saw the couple and smiled. Although he was genuinely pleased to see them, he was also only too glad to have the interruption, as a couple of gentlemen, who really should have known better at