Chapter 2
“I am truly sorry. Someone pushed into me, and I lost my balance.” Lady Shrewsbury seemed eager to make her apologies, repeatedly looking down at Annie’s dress to check the gown was not spoiled.
“Please, do not worry,” Annie said as she too looked down. To her amazement, she had escaped the worst of the damage. There were a few specks of white wine that had fallen from the champagne glasses onto her skirt, but her own claret had fallen away from her, leaving her largely unstained.
“Jemima, someone pushed into you, and that is all you can say?” A deep voice made Annie look beside Lady Shrewsbury, to see who had spoken. The voice belonged to Lord Yeatman, who appeared to be scoffing and shaking his head, staring after two ladies who were making a hasty retreat across the room. “Yes, that was an accident. In the same way that I could declare a fox ending up dead on a hunt would be an accident.”
“Luke, please, enough dry humour.” Lady Shrewsbury waved a hand in his direction and gestured to Annie.
Annie exchanged a look with Peggy, trying to gauge her thoughts. Seeing the way Peggy’s eyes were narrowed, she clearly suspected the same thing she did. Some rather cruel ladies of thetonhad bumped into Lady Shrewsbury on purpose, disliking her for her reputation.
“If you would excuse us,” Annie said hurriedly. She wasn’t desirous of staying in Lady Shrewsbury’s and Lord Yeatman’s company, not that she would have done anything like what the other ladies had done.
“Please, before you go, do ascertain if there is any damage to the gown,” Lady Shrewsbury said eagerly. “I would hate to be responsible for it. You must at least allow me to pay for a new gown.”
“Again, Sister, you would not be responsible for it.” Lord Yeatman spoke drily as he shifted his focus away from the retreating ladies. When his eyes lifted to meet Annie’s, she felt a jolt in her stomach. He smiled at her in such a way that the jolt only became worse.
Good lord, no wonder the man is a rake.
She felt infinitely ashamed for her thoughts a second later and glanced at Peggy, praying they could make their escape soon. She knew very well what her mother would think to see the two of them in the company of such a pairing.
Never keep company with those talked of in the scandal sheets. That is rule number one!
“I am Lady Shrewsbury,” the lady hastened to introduce herself. “This is my brother, Lord Yeatman.” He bowed at his own introduction.
When Annie grew aware that, like her, Peggy was staring quite openly at the handsome man before them, Annie realised she would have to be the one to do the introductions.
“I am Miss Anne Storey, daughter of the late Viscount Maybury, and this is my friend, Miss Peggy Grove.” As Annie gestured to Peggy, she subtly stood on her foot, trying to bring awareness to her behaviour. Peggy flinched and curtsied along with Annie.
“I do apologise again, Miss Storey,” Lady Shrewsbury said in a rush.
“You’re embarrassing Miss Storey, Sister,” Lord Yeatman said with a smile. “Apologise much more, and all and sundry here will hear you.”
“I am hardly that bad,” Lady Shrewsburysaid, glancing at her brother, though her smile showed she was abundantly used to her brother’s jests.
Annie stared at Lord Yeatman for a minute, rather startled by his sense of humour. It was unusual for this circle. She had always been told by her mother that these affairs were property events, concerned with propriety.
Lord Yeatman didn’t seem to care a thing for it, as he kept glaring after the two ladies that had caused the ‘accident’, and his wit was so dry that it pulled at Annie’s lips more than once, tempting her to smile. Realising how close she had been to smiling, she knew she had to extricate them both from this event.
What will Mama say to this introduction!
“We should be moving along—” Annie tried once again to step away, but Lady Shrewsbury was clearly not prepared to leave it at that.
“Is the gown stained at all, Miss Storey?”
“No, it is fine, and I thank you for your concern,” Annie said hastily, moving back to the table with her empty glass. “The situation is easily remedied.” She looked about with disappointment, realising that the claret carafe was empty thanks to other guests. “Ah….”
“Here, I have not yet drunk from mine.” Lord Yeatman’s voice was followed by him exchanging his glass for her own.
“I could not, my lord.”
“Why not? It is no bother.” He placed her empty glass behind him on the table again. Annie flicked her eyes to Peggy, seeing she was shaking her head a little in suspicion. She knew well enough what Peggy was thinking.
This man is a known seducer and destroyer of reputations. What kind of message would it send to accept a glass of wine from him?
“I am not sure I am thirsty after all,” Annie said, struggling to replace the glass on the table, though she now found Lord Yeatman to be in the way. “I shall drink later.” His lips quirked into a smile, and he folded his arms, blocking her way to the table entirely, so that she fell still.
“Would you have been thirsty had another man given you the drink?” His words were so plainly spoken that Annie felt herself stand taller, and a blush of embarrassment began to creep into her cheeks. This was not what she was used to! People put up appearances and kept their thoughts hidden. She was unused to gentlemen who would speak their minds so openly.