Page 45 of The Mistress of Ashmore Castle

‘Ssh! Here she is with my first partner.’

‘A blue-chin! I knew it!’

‘Hush, she’ll hear you. That’s Prince Ludwig of Fürstenstein. He is a bit blue, now you mention it. I didn’t notice before. I’ll see you later. I must go.’

Alice caught Rachel during a brief moment between dances, standing at the end of the room and fanning herself. ‘Here, let me,’ Alice said, and plied the fan while Rachel turned her face and neck this way and that in the breeze.

‘Oh, thank you! You’re so good at it. Am I very red?’

‘No,’ Alice said. ‘Just a hint of pink in the cheeks where it should be.’

‘Thanks,’ Rachel said. She put a hand up to her head. ‘Is my—’

‘Perfect. Everything’s perfect. Don’t fuss.’

‘Are you having a nice time?’ Rachel asked, straightening her skirt. Alice, not being out, was sitting with the chaperones, and she felt a little guilty.

‘Oh, yes. I like watching people making fools of themselves.’

‘That’s not very kind.’

‘Making fools of themselves over you is what I meant. All the men want to dance with you. They all seem to be in love with you. And you are flirting so madly I can’t tell if you favour any of them.’

‘I’m not flirting,’ Rachel said indignantly. ‘I’m just – being pleasant.’

‘Of course you are,’ said Alice. ‘Do you favour any of them?’

‘Oh, I don’t want to get serious about anybody yet,’ Rachel said. ‘I’m having too much fun. As soon as you accept someone, it’s all over. I want to have them all running after me for as long as possible.’

Alice nodded. ‘Well, you do it very nicely, I must say. And you look lovely.’

Rachel pressed her arm, touched. ‘Thanks. You’re very sweet. And your turn will come. Next year, this will all be for you.’

Alice laughed. ‘Mother won’t do it for me – and I wouldn’t want it. Don’t worry about me. Just enjoy yourself.’

‘I will – except for the next dance. Mother made me accept Paul Usingen, and I hate him. He creaks when he bends, and he has breath like deathly coffins.’

‘Hide,’ said Alice. ‘Look, if you stand behind this flower tub when the music starts, he might not find you.’

Giles had danced, as he was bidden by his mother, with various girls who, for one reason or another, found themselves without a partner. After circling with a very young debutante who answered every attempt he made at conversation in a terrified whisper, he determined to have a break from them. He saw Giulia not far off, unpartnered at the side of the room. He had invited her, and it was his responsibility to see that she did not feel left out. He went up to her, bowed, smiled, and said, ‘I should count it a great honour if you would dance the next with me.’ The thought came to him that she was like a wild rose, though with her dark eyes and mass of dark hair he could not quite determine why that was. ‘Will you?’ he urged.

The tint of red in her cheeks deepened, and her eyes were bright. She looked at him scaldingly. ‘No,’ she said.

He was taken aback. ‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I do not wish to dance with you, my lord. You will excuse me.’ And she walked away.

Someone chuckled behind him, and he turned to find Richard there. ‘Oh, Lord!’ he said. ‘What a set-back! Thank God no-one’s ever refused me like that! What on earth did you do to make her so angry with you?’

‘Nothing!’ Giles said vehemently.

‘It must have been something. Come on, you can tell me. I swear I won’t repeat it.’

Giles hesitated, but Richard understood women much better than him, and he knew he was to be trusted with a secret. He lowered his voice. ‘I kissed her,’ he said, feeling his face grow hot.

‘Oh, you dog!’

‘Don’t look like that! I didn’t mean it to happen. It was on the spur of the moment. And I apologised,’ he went on quickly. ‘Over and over. I told her it was a terrible aberration on my part and I was heartily ashamed, and I promised it would never happen again.’