Page 26 of Twice Upon a Midnight

“If you have no objections,” he began with a charming smile at Mama, clasping his hands behind his back, “I’d very much like to call on you soon, Your Grace.”

No. What he meant was that he’d like to call on Ella.

Her heart sank. She should have been relieved he didn’t think her a silly goose with a glove, searching for some man whose real name she didn’t know. Oh, more than that, she should have been thrilled that someone like him would want to call on her. He was everything a young miss should want in a suitor…handsome, young and fit, witty, heir to a dukedom. Moreover, the marquess was everythingher parentswanted for her.

But she could tell already that he didn’t possess a poet’s heart.

Without that, he would never possess hers.

“We have no objections at all,” her mother answered, her bright smile telling Ella how pleased she was. “We would very much enjoy your company, wouldn’t we, Elenora?”

Prompted by her mother’s fingers squeezing her elbow, Ella had no choice but to answer, “Yes, very much.”

“Wonderful. I look forward to it.” Then, almost in afterthought, he added, “Are you attending the Whitwell ball?”

“Yes,” Mama answered.

His attention landed completely on Ella as he murmured, “Then perhaps Lady Elenora would be kind enough to save me her second waltz.”

Ella frowned. “Why not the first one?”

He shrugged a broad shoulder. “I simply assumed you’d dance with your father for your first waltz. Most ladies do during their first season.”

Thatpleased her mother to no end, based on the way she beamed at him. Refined, heir to a dukedom, and knowledgeable about how to behave properly around an unmarried miss—the marquess had just proven himself the perfect potential son-in-law.

Ella’s heart tore just a little more.

“Would you do me the honor of saving your waltz for me?” he pressed with a smile that surely sent other women fainting at his feet.

For Ella, all it did was remind her of Spenser. This man was a poor imitation.

But she knew her role and how to make her mother happy after the wild goose chase she’d taken her on, only to end up knowing nothing more about Spenser’s true identity than when they began. So she agreed with a tight nod, on the verge of tears despite her smile.

“We should be going now.” Her mother linked her arm through Ella’s to take their leave. “Good day, sir.”

Ella halted, turned back toward the marquess, and held out her hand. “May I have my glove, please?”

He blinked. “Pardon?”

“The glove. You still have it.”

“Oh?” He brought his hands from behind his back and seemed surprised to find the glove still clenched in his grasp. “So I do. I forgot all about it.” He held it out to her, then added quietly with meaning, “Perhaps you should, too.”

Never.She might have to go on without ever knowing the truth about Spenser, but she would never forget him.

Ella took back the glove and pressed it to her bosom as her mother led her toward the door. She barely heard Mama give her thanks to the uniformed attendant who was back at his post at the door because every bit of concentration she possessed was focused on not crying.

Her mother hurried her into their waiting coach, then gave orders to the driver to take them home.

As soon as the door closed and the coach rolled forward, Ella swiped the back of her hand across her eyes. All she could manage around the tight knot in her throat was a hoarse whisper. “He wasn’t him… He wasn’t my Spenser.”

“No,” her mother said softly and placed a reassuring arm around her shoulders. “He wasn’t. None of the men on our list was.” She gave Ella a loving squeeze. “We did all we could to find him, darling. You need to believe that.”

Ella nodded sharply, afraid that if she tried to speak she would break down in sobs. Shedidknow that, yet knowing didn’t lessen the anguish of it. Her last hope had slipped through her fingers.

“It wasn’t all for nothing,” Mama continued. “We had a lovely time calling on people, and we met that nice marquess again. What was his name? Simon Radcliff?”

Ella’s chest tightened. She knew where Mama was headed in this attempt to make her feel better, and it wasn’t at all the direction Ella wanted to go. She wasn’t ready to even consider letting someone else into her heart so soon. Or ever.