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Thank Heaven for small mercies.

Lord Ketteridge held out a hand to Georgiana. “Will you favor me with a dance?”

She looked at his hand in surprise.

“Oh…well…” she glanced at Selina who slanted her head towards the dance floor, urging her on. “I suppose.”

She put her hand in Ketteridge’s, and let him lead her to the dance floor.

It was strange dancing with him because he was an old friend, one who knew her before she was married, who had stayed at her family home and knew her parents and their peccadillos.

“Do you remember the summer before I left for Europe when we set fire to your barn?”

“We?” she said in denial, “that was you and Daisy. Mostly you misleading Daisy.”

“True.” He smirked. “I thought you might smack my bottom; you were so angry.”

“Indeed, I was. I would have been the one tasked with finding the wood to rebuild it.”

His mouth turned down. “I am sorry I was so much trouble to you.”

She waved it away. “We were children, and you were simply being that. A child.”

“While you never were,” he said with sudden understanding.

She shrugged. “It was a long time ago. And I can now look back at it with fondness and laugh. You were such an incorrigible child.”

“I remain an incorrigible adult. I could still lead you astray if you wish.”

She threw back her head and laughed before shaking her head.

“Emberford? Are you listening?” Count Jacob asked. Robert turned to him immediately.

Count Jacob was regaling Robert with how smoothly things were going with the establishment of the London chapter of their business, but Robert could not focus on him.

His blood was still thrumming from dancing with his wife and all he could think about was being close to her again. She had left the room with her friend, and since then he had continually glanced at the door, waiting for her to return.

He saw her appear at the entrance to the ballroom, where she was accosted by Peter Easton, the Earl of Ketteridge. Hefrowned, watching them speak very familiarly. They were clearly well-acquainted.

Robert did not know Ketteridge well, but what he knew of him was not reassuring: he was a charming man and something of a dandy, with a predilection for the widows of the ton.

As far as Robert knew, he was no respecter of boundaries.

“Of course, I am listening. You were speaking of…?” He turned to the German count.

The count snorted but repeated himself. “I was saying that it would not hurt to take the lord chancellor out for a lovely dinner at the club.”

“Mmm,” Robert said noncommittally; he was not as eager as the count to blur the lines between government and business. “We shall see.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Georgiana throw her head back and laugh. He had to wonder what Ketteridge was saying that had her in stitches.

As far as he knew, the man was notthatamusing.

How does she evenknowhim?

His focus shifted briefly back to the count, just to keep track of the conversation before he pulled his attention back to Georgiana and the many gentlemen who had taken notice of her loveliness.

He could see the shine of admiration in their eyes as they waited their turn, eager to dance with her.