Page 4 of The Captain’s Valentine (The “Other” Trents #3)

Invitations had begun to arrive for Harrison within a few days of his return to London, though he had not reviewed any of them because he had been too busy on his ship. As he was now confident that all repairs would be completed on time, he had put them in a neat stack to review tomorrow and then prepared to attend the ball being given by Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Bridges.

Not only did he feel that it was a requirement to put in an appearance because he did business with Bridges, but Harrison also hoped to become reacquainted with some favorite widows who had welcomed him into their boudoir previously. He’d been at sea for four months before they ran into the storm, then another sennight seeing to repairs and he was in need of intimate female companionship.

That was a very strong drawback to voyages, and one that he must keep in mind when he further considered how often he wanted to sail, if at all. It became quite lonely on a ship and there were many times that he would have loved to have a willing widow with soft thighs in his bunk, but such was not practical and further, it would be distracting.

However, he had no doubt that he would find a widow that he could leave the ball with to sate his needs.

After taking a deep breath to prepare himself for a crowd, Harrison stepped into the drawing room, which led to another room where the dancing was taking place. As he passed a servant, Harrison lifted a glass of wine from the tray and continued meandering through the crowd, moving from one room to the next until he stopped beside open windows and that is when he saw her—Miss Perdita Valentine wearing a pale pink gown that was quite flattering to her figure, especially her ample breast. Her golden curls were arranged artfully about her head, and she was smiling. Not the simple demure shyness of other misses, but with genuine happiness as she engaged Lady Victoria in conversation.

How very odd. An employee by day, but on equal footing at a ball.

Who was she truly?

When she laughed at something Lady Victoria said, there was genuine warmth in her blue eyes, unlike the cool calculation he witnessed in so many other misses and ladies yet to be wed who filled the ballrooms of London.

She was also the only person he wanted to dance with tonight so he crossed the room toward her.

“Miss Perdita,”

he bowed before her then greeted Lady Victoria.

“Captain Trent,”

Miss Perdita returned, her blue eyes sparkling with delight.

“I am happy to see you in attendance this evening,”

he admitted.

Lady Victoria arched an eyebrow and the corner of her lip twitched as she looked from Harrison to Perdita.

He knew that she was trying to determine his plans and would likely be disappointed to learn that he had no intention of courting Miss Perdita. He simply wished to dance with her.

“I hope that all your dances have not been claimed.”

“I have only one remaining,”

she answered. “The last one of the evening.”

While he did not want to wait so long, he also did not want to miss out on the opportunity. “May I claim it?”

“She would be delighted.”

Lady Victoria took Miss Perdita’s card and handed it to him, to which Miss Perdita frowned but Harrison knew his sister’s friend too well not to know that she was scheming, which he would put a halt to at the earliest opportunity.

At that moment, a gentleman approached to claim the next set and Harrison had to watch as Miss Perdita took the arm of another before being led away.

He glanced over at Lady Victoria, who simply smirked before someone claimed her for the set.

Harrison wandered away, searching for faces he recognized. As he had no intention of leaving until after the last dance was complete, he spent the evening becoming reacquainted with those he had not seen in a long time. He also tried not to be distracted by all the gentlemen Miss Perdita danced with. Jealousy churned deep in his gut, which took him completely by surprise. He had only just met Miss Perdita, how could he be jealous of others?

However, his luck in claiming her came earlier than planned when he noted that she was not taking part in the supper dance. With those thoughts, he quickly crossed the room to her side before anyone else.

“Do you not have a partner for this waltz?”

“He was called away,”

she answered. “Truthfully, I am grateful to refrain for it has grown quite warm.”

He had hoped she would join him in the waltz and then he would not have to wait until the end of the evening. However, he was not going to let this moment slip away either and offered his arm. “It is cooler in the garden and I would be happy to escort you outside.”

She slipped her delicate hand onto his arm. “I would be most grateful, Captain Trent.”

Perdita nearly blew out a sigh when Captain Trent led her outside to the coolness of the garden. The further they walked, the more the cacophony of the ballroom faded and she found herself relaxing. “This is much nicer. Thank you.”

“It is very much my pleasure,”

he returned. “Though, you do realize that now that you are spending this set with me that you are required to partner me at dinner following.”

“I do not consider that such a hardship,”

she answered honestly.

“Nor I,”

he murmured.

Captain Trent paused at the edge of the garden. They were still within the light and anyone who stepped outside, or even looked out a window, could see them so she did not fear being ruined, but when he turned to her and stared into her eyes, the breath lodged in her throat.

Oh, she knew that assignations took place in gardens as often as innocent strolls, yet she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be kissed by Captain Trent.

Not that she would have a comparison as she’d never been kissed by anyone, but that did not stop her from wondering.

“You mentioned that you were the youngest of ten, but I only know of Benedick. Tell me about the others.”

“They are hardly interesting,”

she laughed.

“Nor is my family, but I am curious.”

“Very well. Demetrius is the oldest and a barrister. Then there is Benedick, followed by Orlando, who is a doctor and shares an office with Dr. Sinclair. He was followed by Mercutio, a pugilist and Petrucio, an actor with a traveling troupe.”

“There must be fascinating conversations around the dinner table.”

“There usually is, except we are all together so rarely.

“Tell me about the others.”

“Well, Rosalind was next, then Isabella and Bianca.”

He took a step back, his eyes wide.

“You did ask,”

she laughed. “Lastly there was Bertram and then me.”

“What does Bertram do?”

Her smile slipped as sadness invaded her heart. “He was a soldier. We lost him at Waterloo.”

Harrison stopped and turned toward her. “I am so very sorry to have brought up a sad memory.”

“It is not as if I ever truly forget, but Bertram would have wanted me to remain happy, find joy and not continue to mourn him.”

“Still, I apologize for bringing sorrow when you were so happy only a few moments ago.”

“It is sorrow that helps us appreciate the good things that we have,”

she said after a moment.

Harrison stared down at her. “I suppose you are correct, though I have never thought of loss in such a manner.”

“It is not always easy.”

She assured him, anxious to take the discussion from herself. “How is it that you know Lady Sinclair and Lady Victoria?”

He chuckled. “They attended a boarding school with my older sister.”

“Is that how you met Dr. Sinclair?”

“No. My oldest brother married Sinclair’s only sister.”

“Ah, so he is family, which makes Lady Sinclair and Lady Victoria family as well.”

“I suppose it does, which is something I never imagined would happen.”

He laughed again.

They turned so that they were walking back toward the ballroom when she saw her sister near the doors and looking at her.

Perdita grimaced. “I fear that I must warn you,”

she whispered.

“Am I in danger?”

he asked with concern, but there was teasing in his green eyes.

“My sister has noted that we have strolled in the garden.”

“She would not approve?”

he questioned. “She does not even know me.”

Perdita laughed. “Oh, she would approve, and that is where the problem begins.”

“I do not understand.”

She stopped to face him. “When Rosalind brought me and my other two sisters to London, she was determined to see us matched, wed and settled. However, that was not our intention,”

she quickly assured him. “She met with what she believes is success with Bianca marrying and Isabella being betrothed, and I fear that any gentleman who even speaks with me may suffer from her matchmaking, and for that I apologize in advance.”

Captain Harrison chuckled.

“What she fails to realize is that I am completely content with my life exactly the way it is and have no desire to change anything.”

“Westbrook House.”

“Yes. It brings me happiness.”

“Well, I am no stranger to matchmaking mothers or sisters, because if mine was here, she would be doing the same thing. She believes everyone should be wed and be as blissfully happy as she is.”

“Why is it that when one person finds happiness in marriage that they assume nobody else can have joy unless they do that same?”

Perdita asked.

“Because Society has taught women that there is little else for them other than marriage, so they spend their time convincing those who remain unwed that they won’t be happy until they do.”

He spoke of what Society believed and not that he was of the same mind. At least, that was not the impression he gave her. “Perhaps if Society would allow women more options for a future…”

she mumbled.

“Ah, but then what would men do if they did not have a wife to come home to or heirs to continue their family line?”

“It is a shame that men cannot see beyond their own interests, but little has changed since the Garden of Eden, I suppose.”

“I would prefer that I am not included in the general male population because I do not hold to the belief that all women should be married if it is not their desire to be.”

“That is very forward thinking of you, Captain Trent.”

“Yes, well, I do have two sisters. Both independent and I daresay…”

he paused and looked around before he leaned in close to her ear. “Had my older sister not been compromised, she likely would not have wed either.”

Perdita couldn’t believe that he would confess such a family secret. Unless it was common knowledge.

“Yet, you claim that she is happily married.”

“Oh, she is. Blissful! So, it did work out well for her. I just wish she did not insist that we all do as she did.”

“Be compromised?”

Perdita’s face heated. Why had she said such a thing to Captain Trent, even though she was only teasing? She certainly hoped he did not think that she…goodness. Had she lost her senses?

Captain Trent chuckled.

“I do not think it would matter how a marriage came about, just so that it did.”

“Is she here? And are you not worried that she will note that we have taken a stroll?”

“Sophia lives in Italy with her husband, so I am free of her interfering.”

He nodded to the house. “However, before we return inside, perhaps you should tell me who your sister is so that I might avoid her or be prepared with an explanation before she has us betrothed.”

Perdita laughed. “Rosalind is married to the Marquess of Felding.”

“Ah, that also explains another curiosity of mine.”

“What would that be?”

“I hope you do not take this as an insult, but I had wondered how the employee of Westbrook House and sister to a man who works for the Thames River Police could afford a home in Mayfair.”

“It is a reasonable question,”

Perdita laughed. “I also assumed that you have reasoned it out for yourself, that I live with Felding and my sister.”

“Yes.”

With that they returned inside just as the supper waltz was ending and Captain Trent escorted her to a table where they were joined by Rosalind and Felding. Inwardly Perdita prepared to discourage her sister.

However, supper was not as strained as Perdita feared it would be.

The conversation was polite with them first addressing how Perdita and Captain Trent had met, and the discovery of the child. When Rosalind learned that he would be sailing in June and did not know when he would again return, some of her interest in Captain Trent deflated. Hopefully it meant that Perdita would be free of her sister’s interference and she would simply let her be. Besides, Rosalind should be happy that two out of three sisters managed to find a husband, which was two more than any of them had imagined when they first arrived in London.

After supper, Perdita returned to the ballroom with her sister and brother-in-law and waited for the remaining dances to be claimed. And, while she enjoyed those, she most looked forward to that last waltz that she would share with Captain Trent.

When he stopped before her and offered his arm, she happily accepted with a smile and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.

He bowed and she curtsied and then she was in his arms and they took their first steps.

Goodness, he was powerful, from the way he held her hand, to the hand on her waist, guiding as she made certain her steps matched his.

“I am glad it is a waltz we share.”

“As am I,”

she admitted.