Page 100 of A Dangerous Engagement

Leorah, Julia, and Mother were all looking quite bright-eyed and smiling.

“Lord Withinghall and I will be giving a ball five days hence. Will you be able to attend?”

This was the first Felicity was hearing of it. She very much suspected Leorah had only just decided to give a ball, and without consulting her husband.

“That is, the ball will be in either five or seven days. Would you be able to come either of those days?” Leorah grimaced a bit.

Felicity had to cover her mouth to stifle a laugh.

“Why yes, my lady. I can come either of those evenings.” Mr.McDowell smiled. Such perfect teeth he had. Felicity had rarely seen them before yesterday. And how well formed his chin and jawline were. Even with the bruise on his face, he was the most handsome man she knew.

“And can you come tomorrow for dinner? At six o’clock?” Felicity’s mother was looking at him with raised brows.

“Yes, ma’am. I would be delighted to accept.”

This was becoming embarrassing. Did he see right through all the invitations?

Soon after, while the other three women were talking amongst themselves, Mr.McDowell asked Felicity, “Will you reserve the first two dances at the ball for me?”

“It would be my pleasure.”

A few minutes later, when he took his leave of them, he gave Felicity a particularly long look that made her stomach flip.

After her friends left, Felicity received her summons from the Home Secretary and proceeded to his office the next day. Her mother went with her. She kept looking around for Mr.McDowell but did not see him.

Felicity gave a full account of all that had happened with Lady Blackstone and Mr.Ratley in the four weeks she’d spent at Doverton Hall, sometimes blushing at the parts pertaining to Mr.Ratley and their engagement. Finally, when they had written down her entire account and were dismissing her, she asked, “Do you know what has happened to them—to Lady Blackstone and Mr.Ratley and the others?”

“It will probably be in the papers soon, but we believe Lady Blackstone and Mr.Ratley fled to France, and some of the other members of their group took a ship to America before we were able to apprehend them. But it is just as well, I imagine,” Lord Sidmouth said. “They are away from England—a very good thing—and we shall not have the awkwardness of a public trial and execution, which might excite sympathy for them and for their cause.”

“Yes, of course. I am very glad to hear they are gone.” And truthfully, she was relieved they would not be hanged, for many reasons, not least of which was so she would not feel responsible for their deaths.

In the few days leading up to Lord and Lady Withinghall’s ball, Mr.McDowell dined with Felicity’s family twice, and he came to call on her once. He was very attentive to her but also quite friendly to the rest of her family. She was never alone with him or able to have a private word, there were so many people in her house at all times.

Her brothers—the ones who were still living at home—all seemed to like Mr.McDowell. It was almost as if they had always known each other. They talked and laughed together. He even drew her father into their conversations. Everyone was cheerful when Mr.McDowell was around.

The day of the ball arrived, and even her brothers seemed interested in Felicity, looking in on her, commenting on her appearance, and asking her how she was feeling.

“Mr.McDowell told me his favorite color was blue,” Gilbert said with a smile. “Don’t you have a blue dress you could wear?”

“Be off with you and your fashion advice.” Felicity laughed and shooed him out the door.

Her mother entered her room.

“What dress will you wear tonight, my dear? I wish we had ordered you a new one just for the occasion.”

“There wasn’t time for that, Mother. Leorah only decided to give a ball five days ago.”

“Well, your blue gown is very becoming. But so is your green one. I do believe this darker blue gown is the prettiest, though. What do you think, my dear?”

Her mother calling her “my dear” brought to mind Lady Blackstone. Felicity shuddered. “Oh yes, that one is fine.”

“What time should I send Millie up to dress your hair? I think about five o’clock. And you should be sure to eat something just before we go, since I don’t want you to have a fainting spell. You know how you are.”

“I’ll be perfectly well, Mother.” Felicity laughed.

Tonight, she would dance the first two dances with Mr.McDowell. Her heart fairly soared out of her chest. Tonight, she would not worry who might reject her or look down their noses at her. She would dance and laugh at every snub she might previously have cried over. She would remember all the times she and Mr.McDowell had assisted each other, had met secretly in the library closet and talked over how they would save the royal family and the government officials of Great Britain. She would revel in Mr.McDowell’s smiles, the fact that he no longer looked serious all the time. She would hang on his every word, laugh at every amusing thing he said, and exult in every time she could make him laugh.

When Felicity and her family arrived at the Viscount Withinghall’s fashionable home that night, she glanced around at the other guests. Just as Leorah came and embraced her, Felicity caught sight of Mr.McDowell speaking with Nicholas Langdon, Leorah’s brother. They both had worked at the Home Office, she suddenly realized. No wonder they were acquainted.