Earl Lessons by Valerie Bowman

Chapter Fourteen

David smoothed his hand down the front of his fine black evening attire for what had to be the hundredth time already this evening. He and Marianne were standing in Lady Courtney’s foyer, where they’d come to escort Lady Annabelle and her mother to the Talbots’ ball.

David had even allowed Bell to send over his valet to help him dress, on the chance the servant might know something David wasn’t privy to about evening attire worn by gentlemen of the ton. Now he was outfitted in all black with a white cravat, shirt, and waistcoat, and according to Bell’s valet, David was the image of a well-to-do gentleman on his way to a ball.

Bell was not with them tonight. He’d been called away on business for the Crown, which meant David was escorting all three ladies to the ball alone. Nausea had hit him earlier when he’d contemplated walking into a ballroom full of London’s finest. They would all be staring at him, no doubt wondering how the clod from Brighton would behave in London Society.

He had no problem commanding a hectic battlefield full of soldiers with ease, but the thought of walking into a crowded ballroom filled him with dread. He smoothed his hand down his shirt for the one hundred and first time.

A sound at the top of the staircase caught his attention and he looked up to see Annabelle come floating down the steps toward him, several steps behind her mother. David had to do a double take. A lump formed in his throat. Annabelle was a vision. Tall and lithe like a swan, she was wearing a glowing golden gown that only served to make her blond hair shimmer in the candlelight. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant chignon, and gold and diamonds covered her throat, with diamond ear bobs and a diamond bracelet on her wrist. She shimmered like a goddess coming down from Olympus. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she stopped directly in front of him.

“Close your mouth, then,” Marianne whispered in his ear.

He immediately snapped his mouth shut while Marianne and Lady Angelina traded greetings. David greeted Lady Angelina as well before turning to face Annabelle.

“You look lovely,” David finally said to her, knowing the word was inadequate.

“Well,” she said, returning his smile, “seems I’ve taught you how to flatter a lady properly.”

“No flattery involved,” he replied. “You truly are a vision.”

“You look quite handsome yourself,” Annabelle replied, eyeing him up and down.

“Thank you, my lady. I hope I’m somewhat worthy to escort such a beauty to a ball.”

Marianne and Lady Angelina exchanged a look, while David took Annabelle’s arm and escorted her outside. At least his carriage was on point. His grandfather had been rich, there were no two ways about it. And since David had taken over the title, Bell had helped him by giving him the name of London’s finest coach outfitters. In addition to purchasing the new curricle, he’d had the entire interior of his grandfather’s finest coach redone with deep sapphire velvet upholstery. He’d installed the shining mahogany woodwork himself, but only because he wanted it to be perfect, not to save money. If he wasn’t confident in his actions, manners, and speech while making his debut to the ton, at least he could be confident in the quality of his clothing and his belongings.

With the help of the two footmen who’d accompanied the coach, David helped the three ladies to alight before pulling himself up into the conveyance and taking a seat next to Annabelle. Marianne and Lady Angelina had sat together across from them.

“I must say, you two make a gorgeous couple,” Marianne said as the vehicle took off down the street. “All of London will be jealous of the two of you.”

“Yes,” Lady Angelina agreed. “Our little party may start some gossip tonight.”

“What gossip?” David asked, suddenly apprehensive. He knew enough to know that gossip was bad. He wasn’t looking for himself or any of his companions to be the subject gossip tonight.

“Oh, I’m only teasing,” Lady Angelina assured him with a soft smile. “I meant that since Annabelle is unengaged and so are you, some people may wonder if you’re…together.”

David settled back into the seat a little easier. “I would be flattered to start such gossip,” he replied with a chuckle.

“Oh, no, no, no,” Annabelle said, “that wouldn’t do at all. Why, I’ve spent all afternoon planning which ladies to introduce you to this evening. We don’t want them to think you fancy me,of all people.”

“Ladies? Do tell? Who have you decided upon?” Marianne asked, clasping her hands together with obvious glee.

Annabelle gave all three other occupants of the coach a conspiratorial smile. “I’ve decided on Lady Elspeth Morgan, Lady Titiana Homer, and Lady Heloise Maitland.”

One of Lady Angelina’s golden brows shot up. “Lady Elspeth, really? That’s a surprising choice.”

Annabelle frowned. “Not really. Not when you consider she’s already rumored to be the Season’s best catch. I expect Lord Elmwood here to be the most sought-after bachelor, and there’s no better way to make that happen than to pair him with the most sought-after debutante.”

“I thought you were the most sought-after debutante,” David said, grinning at Annabelle.

“He has you there, Annabelle,” Lady Angelina replied with a knowing smile.

“I may be sought after,” Annabelle replied with a sigh, directing her reply to her mother, “but I’ve been out for five Seasons. Lady Elspeth is the best chance Lord Elmwood has at catching the ton’s attention immediately.” She gave David a self-assured smile. “Leave everything to me.”

* * *

Two hours later,Annabelle had introduced David to all three of the young ladies she’d mentioned in the coach. Then she’d been forced to watch while he danced with each of them in turn. Of course, Annabelle had been asked to dance by a half-dozen of her regular suitors, including Lord Murdock, who was particularly officious this evening. But she’d turned them all down to stand with Marianne, drink lukewarm champagne, and watch as her charge, David, made a smashing success of himself at the Talbots’ ball.

He truly was handsome. That was simply fact. Why, he’d nearly taken her breath away tonight when she’d seen him at the bottom of the stairs. He’d been standing there wearing all black and white, his sapphire eyes glowing in the shadows of the foyer. Tall and muscled, his jawline bold, his shoulders square, he’d never looked more alluring. If he was apprehensive, it didn’t show. The man knew precisely how to hide emotion. A skill that would do him well as a member of the ton.

Adding to her dismay, Annabelle had hardly been able to take her eyes off him all evening. In addition to his good looks, he was so unlike the other stuffed shirts in the ballroom. Half of them were wearing bright peacock blues or royal-looking purples, for heaven’s sake. They came buzzing around, smirking, preening, and trying to impress her with their golden snuff boxes and jeweled rings. David didn’t wear any rings, and she seriously doubted he owned a snuff box, golden or otherwise.

He stood out not only due to his height and sophisticated fashion, but he was also debonair. The man had a mild manner yet a commanding presence that made you want to speak to him. Made you want to stand next to him and be in his company. He didn’t have to be the center of attention in every conversation. She soon learned he made his mark by being affable and steadfast, offering a clever remark or a witty response that was never at the expense of another in the group. He was kind, she realized. Kind and classic. A perfect partner.

Annabelle forced herself to take her eyes off David’s dance with Lady Heloise to scan the ballroom. Lord Murdock was staring at her like she was a prize mare at Tattersall’s. She should have remembered this Season she had Lord Murdock to deal with. The flowers he’d sent were just the start of it. The Marquess of Murdock had been the purported catch of the last few Seasons. He’d finally offered for Lady Julianna Montgomery, who had eventually tossed him over for the Duke of Worthington. Now that Murdock was back on the market, the marquess had apparently taken Annabelle in his sights. He’d been after her during her first Season, but she’d managed to stave him off. The man was handsome with dark-blond hair and dark brown eyes, and he was certainly well-dressed, but every time she spoke to him, he seemed…petulant, self-obsessed. No. She was definitely not interested in the marquess. But he wasn’t one to quietly go away. She would have to fend him off at every turn.

Quickly averting her gaze from Murdock, Annabelle glanced over to see David escort Lady Heloise back to her mother’s side. Lady Heloise was smiling up at him as if David was a Greek god and she, a mere mortal. Good heavens. Annabelle had picked Heloise because she was supposedly demure and well-mannered, but at the moment the lady was making a cake of herself. Annabelle seriously doubted David would be impressed with such a girl. After all, he’d said himself he was interested in true love. Lady Heloise seemed the type who’d declare her undying love after a ten-minute dance. Far too clinging.

Perhaps Lady Titiana would prove to be the best choice. She’d clearly been interested in David. Annabelle noticed the sparkle in the young woman’s eye when she’d been introduced to him by her mother, though she had played it much cooler than Heloise. Lady Titiana nodded and smiled and declared how pleased she was to make David’s acquaintance, but she hadn’t nearly tackled him the way Lady Heloise had. Annabelle hadn’t mistaken the look of obvious interest on Lady Titiana’s face when David had turned away after meeting her. She might well be a viable choice.

Lady Elspeth, however, was already annoying Annabelle. She’d been the first one to be introduced to David, mainly because she and her mother had made straight for the earl and his party the moment they’d entered the ballroom. Lady Elspeth and her mother had swooped upon them, demanding an introduction and staying overly long, as far as Annabelle was concerned. Then Lady Elspeth had proceeded to laugh far too much for far too long at every clever thing David said, and she’d had the unmitigated audacity to reach out and touch his sleeve. His sleeve, for heaven’s sake! What sort of hoyden was the girl?

As Annabelle had mentioned to David earlier, Lady Elspeth had unofficially been named the Season’s best catch. When she’d made her debut in front of the queen, that esteemed lady had declared her ‘ravishing.’ And she was…with golden brown hair and pretty hazel eyes, Lady Elsbeth was indeed a fine-looking young woman, and she certainly came from a good family. But Annabelle didn’t like how Elspeth kept staring at David over the top of her champagne flute while he danced with the other two ladies. She eyed him with a sort of feral gleam in her eyes, like he was a fox and she the hound. There was nothing subtle about her.

Adding to the complexity, it wasn’t only Lady Elspeth and Lady Titiana who Annabelle had to consider. There were all the other ladies who seemed to descend on David in droves, vying for an introduction. Why, she, Mama, and Marianne had nearly been knocked over by the hordes, for the first hour after their arrival. Thank heavens David had already met most of the young ladies at this party or they might still be fighting them off.

Annabelle had turned to look for David again when Lady Elspeth stepped in front of her. Annabelle instinctively stepped back. “Lady Elspeth, ah, good to see you again. What brings you over?” She did her best to paste a smile on her face as she pressed a glove to her diamond necklace.

Lady Elspeth gave her a narrow-eyed once over.

“Lady Annabelle,” the younger girl began in an overly confident voice. “I was hoping you’d take a turn around the room with me.”

Annabelle gave her mother and Marianne a look that clearly said, ‘save me,’ but there was little they could do. Mama shrugged while Marianne mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

“Very well,” Annabelle finally said to Elspeth. What could the debutante possibly want to say to her? Perhaps she’d ask for some advice about how to handle the bevy of suitors the girl obviously was already acquiring. A group of gentlemen had formed near Lady Elspeth’s mother and were staring over at them pensively as if disappointed that the lady had chosen to leave them.

Smiling obsequiously, Lady Elspeth hooked her arm through Annabelle’s, and they began to walk together around the perimeter of the ballroom.

“You look quite lovely this evening,” Annabelle began. “Your gown is beautiful. The green brings out the color of your eyes.”

“Thank you,” Elspeth said. They’d barely got out of hearing distance from Marianne and Mama when the smile dropped from Elspeth’s face. “I have a question for you, Lady Annabelle.”

The girl clearly wasn’t one to waste time on pleasantries. “What’s that?” Annabelle asked, trying to maintain her own smile.

“Is Lord Elmwood courting you?”

Annabelle was so taken aback that she nearly stopped walking. Never had anyone been so blunt with her about such a topic, especially not a younger unmarried woman.

“The Season has just begun,” she started to say, trying to think of the best way to casually sidestep the overly familiar question.

“Everyone knows you’ve been the belle of the Season every year. Until this year,” Elspeth said, a sly smile popping to her lips.

Annabelle arched a brow. “Because you’re here now?”

Elspeth’s smile widened. “Precisely.”

“And you’re hoping Lord Elmwood courts you?” Annabelle ventured, frowning.

Elspeth lifted her chin. “The papers are already hinting he may be the catch of the Season. If that’s true, I want him.”

Annabelle’s nostrils flared. If she’d had any idea how calculating and cold this young woman was, she wouldn’t have introduced her to David in the first place. “I hate to be the one to inform you, dear, but perhaps your mama has been remiss. Gentlemen ask the ladies if they are interested in courting, not the other way around. It’s not a particularly fair arrangement, but’s it’s the way of the ton.”

Elspeth stopped and pulled her arm away from Annabelle’s. “I’m quite certain you don’t miss my meaning. Lord Elmwood is the Season’s catch as far as bachelors go, and I am the Season’s catch of debutantes. We’re clearly meant to be together.”

Annabelle had to struggle to keep her face blank. The chit was mad. It was as if she was trying to claim David. As if such a thing were possible.

“Besides,” Elspeth continued. “Everyone knows you’ve been dead set for years now on becoming a spinster. You cannot possibly mean to finally go husband-hunting this Season.”

Annabelle’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her palms tingled. She’d like nothing better than to slap the impertinent young woman—but that would be unseemly. And Annabelle was not new to the intrigues of the marriage mart, even if they weren’t usually quite this egregious. No. The best way to handle a schemer like Elspeth was to make her worry.

“Perhaps the choice of gentlemen in the other Seasons wasn’t to my liking,” Annabelle said, ensuring a sly smile spread across her face this time.

“Fine.” One of Elspeth’s golden-brown eyebrows shot up. “Then the game is on. I do hope you’re not too old to handle it.”

This time, Annabelle couldn’t help herself. Her jaw dropped momentarily and her face heated. “You should hurry back to your mother, child. She might be looking for you.”

Elspeth turned to look over her shoulder at her mother and the gentlemen who were patiently waiting for her. “Yes, along with half the eligibles in London. I do hope you’ve enjoyed your years as the most coveted debutante, Lady Annabelle. They’ve come to an end.”

Annabelle glanced back at her own group, which David had just rejoined. “Good night, Lady Elspeth. I’ll be certain to tell Lord Elmwood you sent your regards.”

Elspeth narrowed her eyes on her, while Annabelle turned on her heel and walked away.