Page 55 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

Lord Markeley and Mr. Merritt finally approached and greeted us. Lord Markeley was closer to Millicent than to me, so I began to engage Mr. Merritt in conversation, while Millicent conversed with Lord Markeley.

I said, “I trust you have been well since I saw you last at Lowndesbury House.”

“Yes, quite well, and you have been well, I hear, having inherited an unexpected fortune—from an uncle, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was very unexpected. I should have very much liked to have known him.”

“Well, he cared enough to leave you his fortune.”

Only because there was no other family member to leaveit to. I changed the subject. “And all is well with your family?”

“Oh yes. My sister got married, and that was a bit of a to-do. My mother is pleased, for they are settled quite near her, and she may never think of the rest of her children again.”

“I am sure that cannot be true.”

“You do not know my mother. Out of sight is out of mind. I believe she forgot about my existence when I was off at school. You would think her daughters were her only children.”

He was smiling, as if it were a mild joke that didn’t bother him, and I allowed myself to look into his eyes. He was a handsome man, and he was not without some strengths of character, but I kept remembering what he’d said to me at Lowndesbury House, about how I’d be ruining Lord Brookhaven if I married him.

He asked me for the next dance, just as I heard Lord Markeley asking Millicent.

If Lord Brookhaven had any intentions toward me, would he not have made sure to ask me for the first dance? Instead, he’d let his friend Mr. Merritt ask me.

I made my way to the dance floor, a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Blast.Thomas Merritt was dancing with Charlotte.

William felt the heat rising from his chest. Why hadn’t he made sure to ask her first?

But there was plenty of evening left, and there should be many more opportunities. Still, it made him want to punch Merritt. He should know how William felt about Charlotte. He was even surprised Merritt hadn’t suspected that her new fortune had come from him.

He looked across the room. There was that blackguard, Anthony Welton, watching Charlotte dance with Merritt.

It was necessary to have a hostess, but he wished his aunt had not invited certain people without asking him first. It was her wayto only see the good in people. Even if he’d told her about Welton’s character, his aunt was friends with Welton’s grandmother and probably would have invited him anyway.

There was no more time to dwell on these matters as he began to be accosted by one person after another, asking him questions, remarking on how he’d never given a ball before, hoping it would be just the beginning of many such events, and on and on. He was introduced to young ladies who were making their debut in society, most of whom his aunt had invited. No doubt she hoped that if things did not work out with Miss Robbins, he would find one with whom to make a match. Or perhaps she simply was populating the event with the people who were most likely to spread the word around town that Miss Robbins had inherited a large fortune and therefore it should be forgotten that she had once been a penniless, orphaned governess.

But the mothers in the crowd were eyeing him. He could imagine what they were thinking: He’d already had one failed engagement, and therefore he must be eager to correct his previous blunder and leap headfirst into matrimony.

He made a mighty effort to be polite to them. It wasn’t easy, especially after they cost him an opportunity to ask Miss Robbins for the next dance. Instead, he had to watch her being asked by that Anthony Welton, which caused him to stop being polite, and a miracle happened—everyone excused themselves and left him to bother someone else.

But perhaps that was due more to the scowl on his face than any miracle.

Why was that scoundrel leaning close to her? And why wasn’t she shoving him off?

“William? Are you well?” Lady Derringer looked concerned.

“Of course I’m well.”

“You don’t look well. You look angry, and you’re frightening your guests.”

If only that were true. Then they might leave. “I don’t care ifAnthony Welton is your friend’s grandson—if he gets any closer to Miss Robbins, I will take him by the collar and throw him off the balcony.”

She gave him a look that he hadn’t seen since he was a young boy and had trampled her rhododendrons. “If you like the girl so much, just ask her to marry you and have it done.”

“I cannot . . .” He didn’t want to talk about this with her, especially not here.

“Why not? I’m sure she’ll say yes.”