“A small upset,” Robert replied quickly, glancing down at whatever it was he held in his hand, before folding it up quickly and placing it in his pocket. “Lady Charlotte was just saying the same.” Turning to face the lady in question, he smiled and inclined his head just a little. “I am grateful for your concern, but I am much recovered now.”
The Duchess gestured to her daughter.
“Lady Charlotte has been looking forward to seeing you again, Lord Crampton, so that she might express the depths of her gratitude for your assistance last Season,” she said, as Lady Charlotte dropped her gaze to the floor demurely. “It was so much of a shock and ordeal that it took my daughter some time away from London before she was able to recover her senses fully again.”
“I quite understand, and I had no expectation of thanks being given,” Robert replied, hurriedly, not wanting Lady Charlotte to be at all obliged. “I must hope that you have a much improved Season this year, Lady Charlotte. I am certain that every gentleman in London will be eager for your company.” Hesitating, he took in a long breath and then forced a smile, speaking quickly due to his sudden nervousness. “In fact, Lady Charlotte, are you to dance this evening? I should very much like to ask for your dance card if that is your intention.”
But what of Miss Gregory?
The quiet voice of his conscience suddenly had Robert stopped dead, his hand outstretched towards Lady Charlotte and a coldness going over his frame which had him shivering for a moment. What had he done? He had been talking to Miss Gregory and her aunt and, the very next moment, had found himself conversing with the Duke and Duchess of Strathaven and their daughter! Had he truly just left her standing there, watching him depart with Lady Charlotte? It had not been a conscious departing, but that in itself was a very great mistake! Was not this evening of the very greatest importance? Why had he allowed himself to become so distracted by promise of being reintroduced to the Duke of Strathaven that he had forgotten all about what he had promised to her?
“Lord Crampton?”
Blinking, Robert looked down to see Lady Charlotte attempting to place her dance card in his hand, but that he was not accepting it from her.
“Oh, of-of course,” he stammered, feeling utterly ridiculous. “Thank you, Lady Charlotte.”
His vision seemed to blur as he looked down at the dance card, finding the words difficult to make out as his chest rose and fell with quickened breaths. More than anything, he wanted to step away, to go in search of Miss Gregory and to give her the apology he knew that she deserved – but of course, he could not. Not when he was in company with such an esteemed family as this. They would take such a departure very badly indeed and would think most ill of him. Suddenly, the thought of dancing with Lady Charlotte seemed to be incredibly sour, his eagerness to be in company with the Duke again sending burning guilt and mortification through his heart.
“The polka?” he asked, handing back Lady Charlotte’s card. “I have not danced that in some time, but I do very much enjoy it.”
Lady Charlotte frowned.
“I am surprised that you have only taken one dance, Lord Crampton,” she said, suggesting to him by her words that she would have been contented with him taking more. “And the polka, indeed!” Her gaze softened and she lifted one eyebrow enquiringly. “I would have thought you might have wished for the waltz.”
Again, there came the suggestion to Robert that Lady Charlotte was not only eager for his company but that she also sought a closer acquaintance with him than they shared at present. Robert, having wondered in the past if such a thing might ever take place, did not find himself at all delighted or pleased. In fact, he found himself a little embarrassed to have her speaking in such a forward manner and simply expecting him to acquiesce. The fact that she still held her dance card in her hand rather than slipping it back onto her wrist, as well as the expectant look in her eye, made it clear to Robert that she now expected him to ask for the dance card back again so that he might add his name to the waltz as well as dancing the polka.
The problem was that Robert did not wish to. He wanted nothing more than to find Miss Gregory and to beg for her to give him another opportunity. If he could, he would take the waltz and, as he tried to smile back at Lady Charlotte, Robert found his desire to dance with Miss Gregory far exceeded anything else.
“Alas, I am already promised for the waltz,” he lied, finding no other excuse to make other than that for fear that, if he was truthful, he would bring down the wrath of the Duke onto his head. “Another time, however, I should be more than glad to dance the waltz with you, Lady Charlotte. Forgive me for being unable to do so at present.”
The girl’s face fell. Clearly, she had been eager to dance with him, and whilst Robert did not want to disappoint her, neither did he wish to give her the wrong impression.
“But of course, Lord Crampton, we quite understand,” the Duchess put in, taking away from the tension which was beginning to build between Robert and Lady Charlotte. “And tell me, who is it that you are to dance with?”
The lie came easily enough to Robert’s lips.
“With Miss Gregory, whom I was speaking with only a few minutes ago,” he said, as Lady Charlotte eventually slipped her ribbon back over her wrist.
“Oh?” Lady Charlotte frowned, her eyes a little narrowed. “Is she not a companion to Lady Langdon?”
“She is no longer to be considered in that role,” Robert told her, quickly. “Indeed, I must beg your forgiveness and step away for a few moments as I have just discovered her dance card in my pocket and ought to return it to her straight away, for there will be other gentlemen who will wish to dance with her, I am sure.”
The Duke nodded.
“But of course,” he said, understandingly. “I am glad to have seen you again, Lord Crampton. I do hope you enjoy the rest of the evening.”
“I thank you, Your Grace,” Robert replied, glad and relieved when he was able to step away from the conversation, turning back towards where Miss Gregory and her aunt had stood.
They were not there.
A hand clasped tightly about his heart as he stepped away from the Duke, the Duchess, and their daughter, frightened now that he would not see the lady and would not be able to make amends. He had not meant to behave so poorly, and yet knew that he must have caused her a great upset and insult in leaving her as he had done. And to have taken her dance card with him at that! Robert dropped his head, heat pouring into his face as shame burned through him. He hadnotdone well – and this was after he had told her only a short while ago that he did not intend to continue with such selfishness and single-mindedness!
“You do not look as delighted as I would have thought.”
Robert turned his head, his attention caught by another.
“Lord Venables,” he muttered, as his friend arched an eyebrow. “Good evening.”