Page 8 of Enamored with the Bluestocking (Romances of Intrigue #4)

Sarah smiled as she walked with Lady Catherine around the room. “My ankle is entirely better, I must admit. I have not yet danced on it but I am sure that I could.”

Lady Catherine smiled at her. “Will your mother permit you to do so?”

Sarah winced. “That, I do not know for certain. She is keeping a very close watch on me this evening, though I am afraid that is not for my benefit. Rather, I believe that she wishes to make certain that I am not being passed any books or the like by anyone!” This made Lady Catherine laugh and, given that Sarah had been a little mirthful, she herself chuckled.

“I hardly think that anyone would give you a book at a ball,” Lady Catherine snorted, “though I do find the idea very good indeed. Mayhap I shall find a way to do such a thing and see if she notices!”

Knowing that her friend was joking, Sarah shrugged and then laughed again. “She would snatch it out of your hand before you even had a chance to give it to me, I fear,” she answered, sighing just a little. “Though we did not manage to make it into the bookshop as yet, thanks to Lord Downfield.”

“Speaking of that gentleman, has he called upon you as yet?”

Sarah shook her head, surprised to find a slight twist of disappointment wrapping about her heart. “No, not as yet.”

“Then he must be doing it.”

She blinked, a little confused. “Doing what?”

“Reading it,” Lady Catherine answered. “He must be reading all eighteen parts to the novel! I confess, I did not expect him to do such a thing. I thought he might simply laugh at the notion and thereafter, refuse to take part in any such thing. I thought that we would be left a little disappointed, having no other fun to enjoy.” She elbowed Sarah gently. “It is a little fun, is it not?”

Sarah laughed again, though her face flushed just a little. “Yes, I suppose that it is, though it is a shame that it is at his expense.”

“Shame?” Lady Catherine repeated, stopping in her walk and looking at Sarah a little more sharply. “My dear friend, you are doing nothing wrong in this! Lord Downfield is the one who ought to be ashamed of his behaviour and in doing as we are, we are teaching him that he cannot simply expect to treat young ladies – and even other gentlemen – as he does. Whether that will actually be the outcome, I do not know, but all the same, it is something that you must not feel guilty about.”

Sarah nodded slowly, seeing her friend frown just a little. “I confess, in seeing him so angry, I did feel a little embarrassed in that regard. I wondered if I should have been a little more benevolent or –”

“You are much too kind, Lady Sarah.”

She let out an exclamation and turned sharply, seeing Lord Downfield bowing, a slight smile on his lips. “Lord… Lord Downfield.”

“You should not be eavesdropping,” Lady Catherine snapped, her eyes narrowing. “It is unseemly.”

“You are quite correct, though I was not doing so deliberately. I simply came near and heard you speaking but I should also like to assure you, Lady Sarah, that you need not be concerned. You were already very gracious and I found the answer that you had sent me in search of.”

“You have?” Her heart still beating a little more quickly given the surprise of his arrival, Sarah took him in, seeing the steadiness in his eyes and finding herself a little surprised at how calm he appeared to be. There was not a hint of anger in his expression, his lip was not curling and there were no flickering sparks of fire in his eyes.

“I have.” Lord Downfield took in a breath, his eyes darting away from hers for just a moment. “I have read all that was asked of me and I find that it is just as you have said, Lady Sarah. This Tom Jones character was a good deal better a fellow than I, despite his lowly circumstances.”

“Indeed?” All the more astonished at the gentleman’s acceptance of this, Sarah held his gaze, searching his eyes for the truth.

“Indeed.” Lord Downfield sniffed but dropped his eyes to the floor. “I have a cold heart whereas his is evidently a good deal warmer. He has a spirit of generosity within him but I am nothing more than selfish, thinking only of my own ends. He shows sympathy and consideration to others whereas I am nothing but disinterested.” He looked back at her then. “There, now. Does that satisfy you?”

Sarah did not know what to say. She could not tell whether he meant every word that he had said or if they were spoken only in the hope that she would take what he had said and be satisfied with it.

“Astonishing.” Lady Catherine’s voice was dry. “It appears as though you know Tom Jones very well now, Lord Downfield.”

“Indeed it does,” Sarah agreed, her voice a little quieter. “I confess, I am surprised to hear these determined words from you, Lord Downfield.”

He put one hand to his heart. “I am sincere. Though I will tell you that you are not the only one surprised.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Oh?”

“Surprised that a young lady such as yourself would have read so many parts to that one novel,” came the reply. “But then again, I reminded myself that young ladies are not given the same excellent standing in education that gentlemen are offered. Mayhap that was the sort of thing that your governess encouraged in you?”

Sarah blinked in surprise, uncertain as to whether the gentleman meant to be insulting or if he was simply stating the facts as he saw it. Doubt filled her as she saw his open expression but a glance to her friend – and to her red cheeks – told her that Lady Catherine at least was certainly insulted.

“My governess taught me a good many things, Lord Downfield,” she said, a good deal more firmly than before. “The love of reading is something which has come from within myself, however. I am the youngest of five and had many an hour by which to entertain myself.”

Lord Downfield nodded and then shrugged. “I know that young ladies do like to entertain themselves with foolish novels sometimes,” he said, making Sarah’s anger spark. “It was only the size of the novel which surprised me, though I did enjoy the story.”

“Mayhap you think I should be reading about the latest developments in crop rotation?” Sarah asked, sharply. “Or about the most recent artworks which have been displayed in Italy? Or are those things only for the gentlemen of the ton ?”

Lady Catherine cleared her throat and instantly, Sarah realized that she had spoken a little foolishly. There was no concern in her mind that Lord Downfield would take what she had said and realize that she was bluestocking but, all the same, she needed to be more careful.

Lord Downfield frowned, looking at her steadily. “I do not know much about art, I am afraid. Crop rotation, however, is something that I have been reading about but yes, I suppose that is something that I would only expect of a gentleman.”

Sarah lowered her head. “Quite.”

A silence prevailed for a time, only for Lord Downfield to cough quietly, forcing Sarah to lift her head.

“Well?”

She frowned. “Well?”

“The next task? Your next mystery?”

“Oh.” Sarah blinked and looked to Lady Catherine, who only shrugged. Too late, she realized, she had not thought of what was to be next for Lord Downfield. “I am afraid that I am not certain, as yet. Though mayhap, since you say you know very little about art, I should make it on that very subject?”

Lord Downfield, much to her surprise, chuckled. “So long as it does not require me to read eighteen parts of a novel again, I shall be glad to do whatever you wish, Lady Sarah.”

Finding herself quite taken aback at this change in his demeanor towards her, Sarah paused for a moment, looking again to Lady Catherine who only offered her a very small smile in response. “I will consider and have something for you come the morrow, Lord Downfield. Does that satisfy you?”

He nodded. “Indeed it does.” He glanced to the floor at her feet, then looked back up at her. “Might I ask, Lady Sarah, if your ankle is entirely recovered?”

“It is.” It was the first time that he had asked about her ankle since the accident and, given the expression on his face – the concern in his eyes and the frown on his forehead – Sarah believed him to be genuine. “Thank you for your concern, Lord Downfield.”

“It is a little late in coming, is it not?”

The answer surprised her all the more and she responded only with a small smile, not quite certain what to make of the gentleman before her. Was this the very same fellow who had roared in anger at her only the previous sennight? The one who had laughed and berated her when he had been the one to stand on her foot due to his own lack of consideration?

All the same, he was still a little insulting and demeaning, though he may not have meant to be, she reminded herself, as the music for the next dance began. This may all be a pretense. I cannot be sure of anything.

“Might you wish to dance, Lady Sarah? Only if your ankle permits you, of course. It might be a good way for the ton to see that there is no malice between us. I know that some are still speaking of what happened that evening.”

“You wish to dance with me?”

Lord Downfield nodded. “Of course.”

“Only to show society that you are in good standing with Lady Sarah, however,” Lady Catherine murmured, making Sarah’s heart sink low. “Is that not so?”

Lord Downfield spread out his hands. “It is only one dance, Lady Catherine. Should you like to stand up with me also, I would be glad to sign your dance card.”

Lady Catherine laughed and shook her head. “No, I thank you. You have no need to stand up with me, Lord Downfield, for I was not the one you injured. I am not the one that you must now be seen out dancing with, in the hope that the ton will think just as well of you as they always did.”

Sarah, a little frustrated with herself that she had let her heart leap in such a fashion, offered him a tight smile. “I do not think that such a dance is necessary. The ton can think as they please. It does not give me even a moment of concern.”

Lord Downfield frowned, his mouth twisting just a little. “I do not mean to suggest that the only reason for my request is because I wish for the ton to think better of me, Lady Sarah. Forgive me if that is what you now believe. That is certainly an aspect, I will be honest in that, but I should also like simply to stand up with you. I have not danced in some time and it would give me great pleasure to do so now.”

Her foolish heart leapt up again but Sarah quietened it in an instant, refusing to let herself believe that Lord Downfield had a genuine interest in dancing with her. This was all about society and what they thought of him, she was sure. “Very well, Lord Downfield. We shall dance.”

A smile spread right across his face that send a glimmering light into his eyes. “Are you quite sure?”

The expression on his face, the happiness in his eyes and the warm smile made Sarah’s heart leap up all over again and this time, when she took his hand, Sarah could not quieten it. She glanced to Lady Catherine, offering her a slightly wry smile but her friend only frowned, clearly displeased that Sarah had decided to agree to Lord Downfield’s request. Her mother, who had been standing nearby, also caught Sarah’s attention but there was clearly no concern there, given the way she smiled. “What dance is it, Lord Downfield?”

He looked at her. “The waltz, I believe.”

Sarah’s heart immediately slammed hard against her ribs, her eyes going to his again but Lord Downfield was already looking away. She had not thought to ask him about what the dance was beforehand, had agreed to it without even thinking and now she was to be wrapped in his arms in the waltz?

“I do promise to be very careful indeed where I step,” he murmured, standing back from her and bowing as the couples all took to the floor. “I do not have heavy feet when it comes to the waltz, Lady Sarah, and I have every intention of proving that to you.”

Sarah barely managed to curtsy before Lord Downfield had stepped forward, his hand settling at her waist and his other hand grasping hers lightly. She had not danced the waltz since the previous Season and even then, it had only been once. Fearful that she would not remember the steps and would make a fool of herself, Sarah tried to keep herself steady, her fingers tightening around Lord Downfield’s.

“You need not worry so much, Lady Sarah. You are doing very well.”

Astonished that he had seen her concern, Sarah looked up into Lord Downfield’s face, seeing him smile at her.

“The waltz is the easiest dance, I assure you,” he told her, his voice holding a gentleness which she had never heard before. “All you must do is trust me to lead you – and lead you I shall.”

Sarah said nothing, looking up into his eyes and letting herself sink slowly into the dance, trusting him to lead her as he had promised. The steps began to come a little more easily, the tension left her frame and Sarah let a sense of relief wash over her.

“There now,” Lord Downfield murmured, as he spun her lightly around the floor. “You are much more contented now, yes?”

“Yes, I am,” Sarah managed to say, her voice a little breathy and light. “Forgive me, I had not danced the waltz in some time and I was a little concerned that I might be the one to stand on your foot this time.”

At this, Lord Downfield chuckled and Sarah laughed along with him, her heart now settled and calm. The waltz continued on in silence but Sarah’s smile lingered, telling that she was enjoying this moment, even though it had come unexpectedly. When it came to an end, she was almost a little regretful, stepping back from him and, this time, dropping into a proper curtsy.

“Permit me to lead you back to your mother and your friend,” Lord Downfield said, offering his arm.

She took it. “I think that the ton will be more than satisfied now, Lord Downfield,” she remarked, silently reminding herself that this was the reason he had asked to dance with her, even though that thought brought her a streak of sorrow. “We have danced and they will be assured that there is no animosity between us. Your reputation is spared, certainly.”

Lord Downfield turned his head and looked at her, his steps slowing for a moment. He opened his mouth, then closed it again before shaking his head, a heavy frown pulling down his eyebrows. “I did not think of that, not even for a single moment during our waltz,” he muttered, as if he was speaking half to himself rather than to her. “I enjoyed it very much.”

“As did I,” Sarah admitted, though she kept her gaze away from his, heat beginning to suffuse her cheeks as she spoke. It was as though, in saying such a thing to him, she was informing him that there was a happiness within their connection, though she herself had never expected such a thing. Pushing that feeling away, she took her arm from his and gave him a brief nod of farewell. “I thank you, Lord Downfield. Do excuse me.”

“But of course,” he murmured, having now deposited her beside her mother. “Good evening, Lady Sarah.”

“Good evening.”