“I did.”
“And you do not wish to dance with me again?” A gentleness came into his voice that sent warmth flooding over her, heat warming her cheeks. What was she to say? Yes, she very muchdidwant to dance with him again, to feel his arms around her, to have him hold her close. Lowering her eyes, she spread her hands, unable to give him a verbal answer. “I am embarrassing you now, am I not?” Much to her astonishment, his thumb began to brush the back of her hand, sending sparks shooting up her arm as her breath hitched. “I have not done well to explain all of this to you, Miss Fullerton. I have been embarrassed and frustrated and, quite frankly, a little selfish.Veryselfish, in fact. I ought not to have been so but alas, I shall confess that it has held me back.”
“Then…” Deborah looked up at him again, holding his gaze this time. “Do you permit me to dance?”
“Is it with Lord Thornley?”
Deborah nodded.
“He has asked me, yes.”
“And do you wish to?”
This time, her answer did not come as quickly as the other. Instead, she bit her lip, spreading one hand as though to express that she had very little choice.
“If Lord Thornley is interested in my company, it would be unwise to refuse him.”
Lord Havisham pressed her hand, shook his head, and then released her.
“I will not prevent you, Miss Fullerton. But you and I must speak. We should have done so before now, but I will satisfy myself that we will do so tomorrow, at your earliest convenience.”
She nodded, having no knowledge at all as to what he wished to explain to her but glad that shortly, she was to have a full explanation of why he had told her not to dance any longer during that previous ball.
“Promise me you will not give too much time and attention to Lord Thornley.” His eyes searched hers and Deborah nodded her agreement, seeing the small, satisfied smile which spread light up into his eyes. “And promise me that you will allow me to dance with you also.”
She nodded again, aware of the fire spreading through her veins. Lord Havisham was behaving in the most extraordinary way, and it was more than she had ever expected to hear from him.
But what of Lady Vivian?
“I am not certain that such a thing would sit well with….” Deborah broke off without completing her sentence, having no eagerness to inform Lord Havisham of her conversation with Lady Vivian. “If you are certain that it will bring no upset then, of course.”
“It shall bring only great delight and joy, I assure you.”
Deborah blinked in surprise but did not make any further comment. Silently, she began to question what Lady Vivian had said to her, wondering if the assumptions she had made were not, perhaps, correct. Lord Havisham seemed eager to dance with her, which went entirely against what Lady Vivian had stated.
“You will save me the country dance, mayhap?”
She nodded.
“But of course. Thank you.”
Lord Havisham’s smile brought a lightness to Deborah’s spirits which she had not experienced in some days and, as she turned away from him, she found a small, bright smile pulling at her lips. Yes, there was still a great deal of confusion, and certainly, she was not at all sure of what Lady Vivian had meant by coming to speak to her as she had, but that was something she could think of later, perhaps after Lord Havisham’s conversation with her tomorrow.
She was eager for things to finally be made clear.
Chapter Thirteen
“Miss Fullerton. Lord Havisham has left you this note.”
Deborah turned in her chair as Lady Havisham looked on in surprise. The butler was holding out a small note towards her and Deborah took it at once, a little taken aback.
“A note from my son to Miss Fullerton?”
“Yes, my Lady.”
The butler nodded and, after enquiring as to whether or not there was anything else required of him, withdrew. Deborah opened the note quickly, her eyes scanning the short few lines.
“We were to meet this morning to discuss what took place at the ball – as regards Lord Havisham being unwilling to permit me to dance,” she murmured, surprised how disappointed she felt at the fact that such a thing would now not take place. “He has been called into town to deal with an urgent business matter and asks that we meet tomorrow instead.”